Why is My Therapist Ending My Therapy?

Someone asked me recently, "Why would my therapist end my therapy? I don't think I'm ready." This could feel scary, especially if you've worked with your therapist for a while.

There are many reasons a therapist may discontinue therapy with a client. However, whatever the reason, a competent therapist would discuss the reasons with you and provide you with the appropriate referrals so you can continue your journey.

•The issues you are presenting are beyond the therapist's level of knowledge or competence.
•The therapist recognizes a serious detriment with the rapport between the two of you, which isn't providing you with safe environment you need to succeed in therapy.
•Your therapist recognizes underlying issues (eg., medical, psychiatric, drug dependence) which may need to be addressed and rectified before therapy can be beneficial.

There are a multitude of reasons. These are just a few. If your therapist does determine that a referral needs to be made, you have every right to ask your therapist about what they are seeing, which is influencing their decision. Your discussion is necessary as maybe you have omitted information that could change your therapist's decision.

Losing your therapist can be a significant loss for some clients. The therapist should be willing to process this with you and help you make the transition as smoothly as possible.

I Think I'm Done with Therapy

Have you been going to therapy for a while and wonder if you've gotten everything you can out of it? Are you wondering if you should just end it? Here's some points to consider if you are feeling "done" with therapy.

First, bring this up with your therapist. Usually clients and therapists have this interesting "sixth sense" about when therapy is over. Many times, I make plans to discuss the termination of therapy with a client, when they beat me to the punch, "Do you think I ready to end therapy?"

When either you or your therapist feel ending therapy (also more formally known as termination), your therapist will most likely want to review the goals you set out to achieve at the onset of therapy. Did you achieve them? Are there secondary goals that still need to be worked on? Are you satisfied with what you've accomplished? Your therapist will want to discuss these questions with you as well as look at any other goals you still might want to achieve.

Another point your therapist will want to cover with you is the skills you've acquired to overcome any future problems which might arise. The probability of another problem surfacing is likely and you may not have control over the problem; however, you do have control over how you tackle such problems using the tools you've learned through therapy.

Your therapist may also discuss your level of awareness in recognizing when you might need to return to therapy. Hopefully, you've made enough personal changes to be able to overcome problems and continue learning and growing from the process; however, you may find yourself needing outside assistance again. How will you know? What are the signs? By discussing these questions, you'll have a better grasp of the issue and seek help before you are in crisis.

Finally, the therapist will want to help you process the end of therapy. The therapist/client relationship is unique. You place a high level of trust into a stranger in order to overcome the crises, which brought you to therapy in the first place. Knowing this relationship is coming to an end can be difficult for some. Allowing this process to take place will provide you with the proper closure.

Whatever you do, allow yourself to experience this process. Canceling an appointment with no intention of returning only cheats you out of the opportunity to see how far you've come, what you can still work on independently and the resources available to you.