Is it acceptable of a therapist to tell you next session is last session

BlueJeans00 · Jan 09, 2018 at 04:30 PM

Is it acceptable of a therapist to tell you next session is the last session without being told in advance?

Also what are the rules in terminating?

nicoleflynn · Jan 09, 2018 at 04:33 PM

Different therapists have different rules. Usually they will give at least a 2 week notice.

BlueJeans00 · Jan 09, 2018 at 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicoleflynn

Different therapists have different rules. Usually they will give at least a 2 week notice.

Interesting. I was told in the month that my ex therapist was leaving but I didn't know what date.

Second tone last session he told me just off pass comment at the end of session it be our last session.

It was a huge shock to me.
Since they know I struggle with rejection and people leaving.

I told this told my key worker who is occupational therapist. They work at the same place where my ex therapist worked at.
When I did told my keyworker they were speechless and didn't know about this.

I would of thought the therapist would communicatie to my keyworker that he was leaving. Since again I struggle with rejection and people leaving.

stopdog · Jan 09, 2018 at 04:40 PM

I don't think there are hard and fast rules - certainly none that would be the same from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Sometimes those guys have things that come up in their lives and they make immediate decisions to stop/move/ etc. I think the only rule I know is that they are not supposed to knowingly abandon you - but that often just means they send you some referrals.

Nammu · Jan 09, 2018 at 05:06 PM

Perfectly acceptable, maybe not very thoughtful but acceptable

Salmon77 · Jan 09, 2018 at 05:11 PM

Not sure about rules and as stopdog said they probably vary from place to place. My guess is that filing a formal complaint would be more trouble than it's worth.

But it is clear that this termination was not acceptable to you, BlueJeans00, and you have every right to be angry about it regardless of whether he broke a rule or not. The question I would ask is what can you do with that anger that is productive for you, and how can you move forward?

BudFox · Jan 09, 2018 at 08:11 PM

Depends whether you mean acceptable according to the norms of the profession, or acceptable according to standards of human decency. Because these two things ain't the same.

Jan 09, 2018 at 10:01 PM

I don't think there are "rules," but I think that there should be some more notice than one session.

Having said that, I had a therapist terminate with me at the end of a session with zero advanced notice.

Jan 10, 2018 at 08:51 AM

I think that it is completely unacceptable and untherapeutic and someone who does that should be struck off. I think that anyone who enters the profession should acknowledge that they have to make a personal commitment to be available to manage endings with clients, (unless they are ill or die). If they take on long term clients, I think they should ideally commit to live in one place to give continuity to the work. If they don't want to do that, perhaps they should consider a different profession.

88Butterfly88 · Jan 10, 2018 at 09:05 AM

I think it's legally acceptable but not morally.

JaneTennison1 · Jan 10, 2018 at 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88

I think it's legally acceptable but not morally.

This is exactly what I came to say. I'm sorry op

Jan 10, 2018 at 10:26 AM

In the US, licensing authorities and professional organizations have guidelines or ethics about abandoning clients and proper terminations.

All therapists have a responsibility to manage how their actions and behaviors impact their clients.

Jan 10, 2018 at 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueJeans00

Is it acceptable of a therapist to tell you next session is the last session without being told in advance?

Also what are the rules in terminating?

No not acceptable.

Hazelgreen · Jan 10, 2018 at 11:02 AM

This terrifies me

Jan 10, 2018 at 12:34 PM

I don't think it is acceptable, especially if, after announcing it, the client expresses objections. I think I personally would not have cared much about it in therapy and I terminated my own therapies that way (telling the Ts just via email), but I certainly would not like if a medical doctor, lawyer, work colleague did this unexpectedly, in the middle of some ongoing, unfinished work. I would also never just quit a job from one week to the next, without letting the others involved know a few months in advance, without making sure things are organized properly and former clients/collaborators can also access me later in case they have questions. I had some colleagues quite unexpectedly quitting and disappearing though and it can be very messy and stressful even in work that does not involve much personal emotional material. I think it is unethical and irresponsible in every long-term collaboration, and therapy is often more sensitive than any other professional connection.

Jan 10, 2018 at 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueJeans00

Is it acceptable of a therapist to tell you next session is the last session without being told in advance?

Is this not telling you in advance?

As far as I'm concerned it is entirely up to the therapist the terms of their care. Now, they would owe you an explanation. Perhaps they think they have done all they can for you. Perhaps there is a question over the nature of the direction therapy has been taking. Is there transference - that would definitely be a reason to end a professional working relationship.

Now, if this therapist felt you still required therapy I feel they ought to be responsible for making a referral to different care provider.

NP_Complete · Jan 10, 2018 at 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Is there transference - that would definitely be a reason to end a professional working relationship..

I don't think that the existence of transference is a reason for a therapist to end therapy with the client. In some therapies, it's a good thing that it has developed and is used as a tool.

AllHeart · Jan 10, 2018 at 05:50 PM

Per Code of Ethics, written-rule terminations vary by the therapist's credentials. I'm not the expert but I believe most of them suggest, in a nutshell, most any kind of termination is acceptable so long as the therapist doesn't leave the client without replacement help. They need to either line up another therapist for the client or give a couple of legit referrals. If they do nothing for the client then it could be considered abandonment.

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Is it acceptable of a therapist to tell you next session is last session

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BlueJeans00 Member Member Since Apr 2017 Location: New Zealand Posts: 244 7 61 hugs given	Jan 09, 2018 at 04:30 PM #1 Is it acceptable of a therapist to tell you next session is the last session without being told in advance? Also what are the rules in terminating?
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nicoleflynn Grand Magnate Member Since Jan 2012 Location: rochester, michigan Posts: 3,111 12 60 hugs given	Jan 09, 2018 at 04:33 PM #2 Different therapists have different rules. Usually they will give at least a 2 week notice.
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Nammu Crone Member Since May 2010 Location: Some where between my inner mind and the solar system. Posts: 73,945 (SuperPoster!) 14 57.2k hugs given	Jan 09, 2018 at 05:06 PM #5 Perfectly acceptable, maybe not very thoughtful but acceptable __________________ *Nammu* …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann
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BudFox Grand Magnate Member Since Feb 2015 Location: US Posts: 3,983 9 752 hugs given	Jan 09, 2018 at 08:11 PM #7 Depends whether you mean acceptable according to the norms of the profession, or acceptable according to standards of human decency. Because these two things ain't the same.
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Anonymous55499 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 09, 2018 at 10:01 PM #8 I don't think there are "rules," but I think that there should be some more notice than one session. Having said that, I had a therapist terminate with me at the end of a session with zero advanced notice.
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88Butterfly88 Moderator Community Support Team Member Since Dec 2015 Location: New Jersey Posts: 54,300 (SuperPoster!) 8 10.5k hugs given	Jan 10, 2018 at 09:05 AM #10 I think it's legally acceptable but not morally.
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Anonymous52976 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 10, 2018 at 10:26 AM #12 In the US, licensing authorities and professional organizations have guidelines or ethics about abandoning clients and proper terminations. All therapists have a responsibility to manage how their actions and behaviors impact their clients.
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Hazelgreen Member Member Since Dec 2017 Location: United States Posts: 49 6	Jan 10, 2018 at 11:02 AM #14 This terrifies me
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