[Anne2.0]

If you are currently in therapy, do you know how much longer you plan to or will be therapy? Do you have a deadline in mine, or an event that will determine it, or will you wait until you have reached your goals or progressed to a particular point?

My answer: I'm thinking about this in several contexts, including having reduced sessions to every other week in the past year and no longer being terrified about my T retiring before I'm done or where i want to be. I used to not be able to consider the possibility of terminating therapy without freaking out.

On the other hand, my work is stressful and high stakes for the trauma victims I work with, and therapy is self care as it is the only place where I can talk about my work without worrying about exposing my friends to traumatic material. It is helpful for me to have a regular place where I can talk about how my work affects me.

I'm also at a transition point in my work, as I will soon end a half-time job that I have enjoyed but has some institutional hassles that make me kind of nuts. I am working on a creative project and continuing the self employment I have done for many years. This will reduce my stress as well as open up some time so I won't have to work as many hours each week. I am curious whether reducing my stress will also reduce my need for therapy. Maybe I can reduce to 1/month.

Originally Posted by Anne2.0

If you are currently in therapy, do you know how much longer you plan to or will be therapy? Do you have a deadline in mine, or an event that will determine it, or will you wait until you have reached your goals or progressed to a particular point?

My answer: I'm thinking about this in several contexts, including having reduced sessions to every other week in the past year and no longer being terrified about my T retiring before I'm done or where i want to be. I used to not be able to consider the possibility of terminating therapy without freaking out.

On the other hand, my work is stressful and high stakes for the trauma victims I work with, and therapy is self care as it is the only place where I can talk about my work without worrying about exposing my friends to traumatic material. It is helpful for me to have a regular place where I can talk about how my work affects me.

I'm also at a transition point in my work, as I will soon end a half-time job that I have enjoyed but has some institutional hassles that make me kind of nuts. I am working on a creative project and continuing the self employment I have done for many years. This will reduce my stress as well as open up some time so I won't have to work as many hours each week. I am curious whether reducing my stress will also rescue my need for therapy. Maybe I can reduce to 1/month.

I was worried about having to finish before I was done with therapy. I go through the public health system. But my T told me he put me on unlimited. So I guess as long as it takes.

[DP_2017]

Since my t wont consider friends after.. probably a long time since its the only way to keep him in my life.

Ill cut down at some point though

[velcro003]

I put other, as I have absolutely no clue when I will end therapy. I do not have any goals really, which is frustrating for me- but one of the main reasons I am in therapy is bc I am so stuck in my life and have zero clue what I want from it, so it is hard for me to make goals.

In the distant future. Certainly not any time in the next year, nor in the next three years i think. But my T is getting older and will retire at some point. I don't see myself having long-term therapy again after he retires.

[ChickenNoodleSoup]

I don't know when, but whenever I feel I have reached my goals. When we first started, T said it "would take a while" so I guess for a while more.

[OctobersBlackRose]

I checked other because individual ended last week after 20 months, but I'm still in group therapy and I don't know how long I will stay in group therapy for either.

[feileacan]

I plan to end therapy after making the process I want, which probably will still take many-many years.

[Lemoncake]

I have BPD and met my therapist 3 months after

Possible trigger:

I decided that I would kill myself.

. I was a complete mess and self harming more. I was the lowest I'd been by far. I'm in my third year of a 6 year degree and I don't think I could do this alone. I think I would need a minimum 3 years of therapy .

[AnnaBegins]

I used to say that I would end therapy when I was "cured", but it doesn't look like that will be happening anytime soon for me. I experienced so much upheaval in my life over the past year (new baby even though I never thought I could have kids, new job after being told at my old one that they wanted "someone better than you (me)" and now this absolute mess with my T. I wish my outcome looked better and I could see a point in my future where I wouldn't need it anymore.

I start therapy again on Friday and have no idea how long I will need it for yet.

[Taylor27]

Seems like there is no end in sight for me yet. Having had a horrible childhood and self esteem issues. Theres always something getting in the way to function in my daily life. Im doing allot better kinda in the maintience area. I go to a day program 3 times a week and one on one once a month. The day program is more peer social led my counsellors it's fun, learning and it helps my anxiety.

[Mike_J]

I don't plan on stopping therapy until my therapist gets sick of seeing me, or one of us moves. And if that happens I will likely take a break from therapy for a year at least.

Originally Posted by Anne2.0

If you are currently in therapy, do you know how much longer you plan to or will be therapy? Do you have a deadline in mine, or an event that will determine it, or will you wait until you have reached your goals or progressed to a particular point?


My answer: I'm thinking about this in several contexts, including having reduced sessions to every other week in the past year and no longer being terrified about my T retiring before I'm done or where i want to be. I used to not be able to consider the possibility of terminating therapy without freaking out.


On the other hand, my work is stressful and high stakes for the trauma victims I work with, and therapy is self care as it is the only place where I can talk about my work without worrying about exposing my friends to traumatic material. It is helpful for me to have a regular place where I can talk about how my work affects me.


I'm also at a transition point in my work, as I will soon end a half-time job that I have enjoyed but has some institutional hassles that make me kind of nuts. I am working on a creative project and continuing the self employment I have done for many years. This will reduce my stress as well as open up some time so I won't have to work as many hours each week. I am curious whether reducing my stress will also reduce my need for therapy. Maybe I can reduce to 1/month.

For me, I don’t have a deadline but I know my t is not getting any younger and won’t be around forever. I honestly thought I wouldn’t still be going 6 years later but here I am and I am not shaming myself around that. When the time comes I can prepare myself emotionally but it’s not anywhere near yet. As I thought about finishing therapy I felt a deep sadness and I know I am not ready for that loss yet.

As for reducing stress reducing therapy, sounds like it could work and I worry about what supports you will have as you transition into these new journeys. They sound very exciting and will free up some extra time for you. Extra time to me means extra time to think which means lots of emotional stress and turmoil. Not saying this will be your experience but something is coming to me like the calm before the storm, maybe it’s my anxiety and not yours.
It sounds as though your therapy has been a very safe place for you to bring your struggles about your work and the work you do with trauma victims. This is extremely hard and weary Work. I wonder do your have food support other than therapy around that, a supervisor, group supervision or anything thing that hold and supports you.
I also think you have given this a lot of thought and are fully capable of looking after yourself. I wonder could you try the monthly session for a number of months to see how it goes and does your t offer support in between sessions.

Attachment therapy has been over for a while and the last 2-year has been about responsibilities to aging parents with a standby therapist. I don't have much time for therapy because of commitments. My standby therapist will work ~1-3 years, she's in her late 70s, then I won't get a new therapist.

I do know between her, a previous group therapist and my former attachment therapist I will always be able to get issues discussed gratis. I can phone, email, or invite one to breakfast/lunch. I am hard pressed to believe they would turn me down if they were no longer practicing. They all do things off-hours for current and former clients.

For myself, I can't be bothered with therapeutic frames and protocols after (and somethings during) official therapy has terminated. My last four therapist are older women, many have been at it >50 years, and none believe when therapy is over, they give you a hand shake and say, "I'll see you in the next life."

[tomatenoir]

I have my final visa to stay in the UK upcoming in November this year. That's always insanely stressful, and I want to have someone to help me manage the anxiety.

Possible trigger:

I'm also now having trouble conceiving, after suffering a miscarriage in late 2016. This will be a tough year of finding out we can't conceive, assisted conception, pregnancy or another miscarriage, so I want my therapist here for me this year. The miscarriage is what brought me into therapy this summer, so it's doubly important I have support during this time. I was finally referred this week to the infertility clinic

I'm hoping those issues/events and my feelings around them are both (mostly) resolved by Christmas this year.

I'm not sure I could justify staying in therapy after that, especially as I pay out of pocket. If I did stay, I'd want to make sure my therapist is happy to keep a client longterm who is more interested in self improvement than solving serious problems.

[Teddy Bear]

I could say as long as it's covered by Medicaid. I'm not sure if I would pay out of pocket for a therapist.

[Anne2.0]

Originally Posted by monalisasmile

As for reducing stress reducing therapy, sounds like it could work and I worry about what supports you will have as you transition into these new journeys. They sound very exciting and will free up some extra time for you. Extra time to me means extra time to think which means lots of emotional stress and turmoil. Not saying this will be your experience but something is coming to me like the calm before the storm, maybe it’s my anxiety and not yours.
It sounds as though your therapy has been a very safe place for you to bring your struggles about your work and the work you do with trauma victims. This is extremely hard and weary Work. I wonder do your have food support other than therapy around that, a supervisor, group supervision or anything thing that hold and supports you.
I also think you have given this a lot of thought and are fully capable of looking after yourself. I wonder could you try the monthly session for a number of months to see how it goes and does your t offer support in between sessions.

This trauma work (not as a T, by the way) is not new-- I've been doing it for 25 years. So it's not a new journey, just a journey without the stress of the other part time job that i'm giving up. That job is with an organization fraught with interpersonal conflict, soulless administration, and a lot of unhappy people on power trips.

So with my work with trauma victims, there is no supervision or group supervision to be had around it.

I don't know that i'm going to move to monthly sessions, and I might go back to weekly sessions. And my T is really good at out of session contact, I can call or text or email.

I'm not sure about what you are picking up, the calm before the storm, except I think that any work with trauma victims has the potential to create such an impression. I do take really good care of myself, have good social support and lots of my friends can be trusted with the basics of the work I do, minus the gory parts. Thanks for your thoughts.

[ScarletPimpernel]

My therapy will end probably when my T retires. I will see her for short-term therapy until then.

[seoultous]

I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. I have been 10 years with my current therapist and while I see her much less frequently, it is a comfort to know that she is available should I crash. Being BP has caused my need for a t to vary depending on my mood state. I am in a good place now and so I see t every 4 weeks or so. But, she would be available to me weekly if I was symptomatic. My pdoc really wants me to have a t as well, because he believes therapy is important - just like medication - is important in keeping me well.

[88Butterfly88]

Plan to End Therapy After Making Progress I Want. This will likely be in the distant future. Even after I "end" I may keep a t to see once a month or so just to check in.

[MobiusPsyche]

After making progress I want. Once I can envision myself entering into a romantic relationship, it'll be time to start thinking about quitting. Still a long way away from that, still feel too worthless and flawed for that.

[Merlin]

Originally Posted by MobiusPsyche

After making progress I want. Once I can envision myself entering into a romantic relationship, it'll be time to start thinking about quitting. Still a long way away from that, still feel too worthless and flawed for that.

I really identify with what you wrote. I also said after I make the progress I want. I'm no where near ready for a romantic partner, so maybe after that. Then again, maybe after I learn how to manage my bipolar in a healthy way. I want to eventually go back to school, so maybe after that. Who knows?

[RaineD]

Not stopping until my therapist retires or dies.

Edited to add: my T is 65 so this isn't as preposterous as it may sound.

I dont know how long I will be in therapy, but my therapist has told me several times that we will always talk and be in each other’s lives even when we are old.