When is stopping therapy the right decision?

Do you ever get to a point with a patient where you think holding therapy/ceasing therapy is the right decision?

Hmmmmm sometimes, yeah. It depends on the situation. The best one being, we’ve addressed the things you wanted to address - we met your goals, you’re experiencing significant relief, and you want to take the things you’ve learned out for a ride on your own.

This being the ultimate goal, I think it’s important to be pointed about therapy, so to best establish a gauge for progress.

Oftentimes, what happens is, a person will meet their goals, for the most part, then decrease their frequency of sessions to facilitate maintenance, compared to active problem solving or crisis resolution.

I’m always happy to keep someone on my schedule in this respect. Life happens, and it’s nice to know you have a time and space dedicated to helping you sort things out.

The only time otherwise, that I feel like someone should really stop coming to sessions, is if they’re feeling forced. Not mandated, but rather, someone is “making” them go.

People, oftentimes, in these cases, besides being resistant towards treatment, typically have the wrong idea of it as well, expecting me to fight to convince them to stay, or validate the profession. It’s not a good working relationship for either of us.

But whether or not coming, staying, or going is the right or wrong decision for any given person is more up to them, than me. I’m happy to keep showing up, as long as you are.