Posted by twinleaf on October 15, 2008, at 19:19:50
In reply to thank you for saying that!! » twinleaf, posted by lucie lu on October 15, 2008, at 17:53:28
My first therapist was practicing at a time when there was a much more definite focus on termination than there is now. He and I spent about 18 months at the end of therapy preparing for it. It was very hard work! I really didn't think I could do it, but he said he knew I could. Anyway, I made it- barely at first, but after about eight months on my own I realized that I felt confident and happy, and felt that I was growing and meeting new challenges at least as well as I had begun doing during therapy. Really, I think I accomplished more once I was on my own. He was a wonderful therapist, and we really created a good foundation together.
After a number of good years, the present bout of depression occurred following a lot of losses all at once (mother, father and two younger brothers). This therapist is much more flexible about terminating. He seems to leave it more up to his patients. I'm assuming some stay indefinitely, but some must leave- otherwise how would there be any room in his schedule? I've been with him for a year and a half, and terminating has not come up at all. With this therapist, I hope I can always go - just not nearly as often as I do now (I go three times a week)..
It occurred to me that not very many people have yet written about termination here. There was a very moving description by 10der of hers, especially about how she and her therapist are keeping their bond strong by e-mail and phone. A number of posters have quit going to a particular therapist, but that is quite different - it seems as if they quit because the fit isn't very good, and they aren't getting what they need. And, probably, people who have terminated successfully are not frequenting these boards very often!
poster:twinleaf
thread:857503
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081005/msgs/857635.html