Leaving Therapy Before It's Over

Have you gotten to a point where you don't feel like your therapy is going anywhere?
Are you short on funds and having difficulty attending your sessions on a consistent basis?
Do you feel like you and your therapist aren't "clicking?"

If you've thought "yes" to any of these questions, then you might have considered dropping out of therapy prematurely. Ultimately, you have the right to cease sessions when you feel necessary; however, I see clients leave therapy too early due to financial struggles, something that has occurred in the most recent session that they don't want to process or they feel like they've gotten all they can get out of it.

In situations like these, rather than leaving a voicemail message on your therapist's answering service, I recommend that you attend your next appointment to discuss your concerns with your therapist. If it's a financial concern, your therapist may consider a sliding scale, or space out your sessions a little more, depending on your therapy needs. If you are unsure if you're getting anything out of therapy, you and your therapist can revisit your treatment goals and discuss your progress as well as what you'd like to see from therapy. If you're unhappy with your therapist or upset by something your therapist said during the session, bringing it up to your therapist empowers you and let's your therapist know how you interpreted their intervention.

A good therapist will be open to discussing such issues and will want to understand what didn't work. They may be able to "clear the air" or even explore where the breakdown occurred. Your therapist will respect your decision to leave, but discussing your concerns ultimately provides your therapist with good feedback and you might be able to ultimately leave therapy with a positive experience.

Self-Respect -- How to Get it?

If you're struggling to get your partner to show you respect, then it may be time to take a look at yourself. If you're not respecting yourself, then what reason does your partner have to respect you? If you feel they talk down to you, ignore you or cause you hurtful feelings, then it's time to decide for yourself what you may be doing that allows your partner to demonstrate such behavior to you. I'm not saying you have control over your partner, but if you're engaging with your partner in some way that shows them you're okay with the way they are treating you, then they have no incentive to change.

Respect is earned. In order to get respect, respect yourself first and demonstrate a level of respect for your partner. In turn, they will have to give you respect if the relationship is worth maintaining.