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Should you say a final goodbye to a therapist?
You can really say a “good goodbye.” Endings are powerful because, if we allow, we get to release all the feelings we’ve attached to the other person. When we do that, we are truly in relationship with them. We have come to the end of your therapy. I feel we have been on quite a journey together. I want to thank you for taking the opportunity to work with me over the last five months. Your courage, resilience and commitment have been inspiring and it has been an absolute pleasure and joy to work with you.
What do therapists say at the end of therapy?
Tell them what did work as well as what didn’t “I really appreciate it when clients say, ‘I am feeling so much better, and I learned so much and I don’t feel I need to continue therapy’,” says Zakeri, who recalls one client who ended therapy in a way that felt celebratory of all that they had accomplished together. We walk a fine line of being on your side but making sure that you are grounded and can maintain proper boundaries. So yes, we as therapists do talk about our clients (clinically) and we do miss our clients because we have entered into this field because we remain hopeful for others. Not many people understand the relationship that is formed between a client and therapist. We are humans and we get attached, just like you do to us. There is a rapport that is built, a trust that is earned, a relationship built, and therefore a grief process that occurs with the loss of that relationship. When you’re on the job, the stakes are always high. The decisions you make as a therapist will affect people in different ways. That pressure of changing someone’s life for the better can really wear you down as an individual. You can often be drained both physically and mentally. the regime of your life starts to include one more thing. Therapy twice (or more) times per week also makes the therapy process go a bit faster, which is good, as therapy can be quite slow in its progress.
Is it hard for therapists to say goodbye to clients?
Planned client termination may be one of the hardest aspects of clinical work. Although planned termination is often a great opportunity for both the client and therapist to gain additional insights, it can lead to a variety of thoughts and emotions that can be unpleasant for all involved. Termination checklists Explore the feelings and the potential sense of loss for the client. Discuss positive and negative reactions to ending the relationship and the therapy. Focus on and emphasize the gains and progress the client has made. Help the client recognize the positive changes. Is it normal to have mixed feelings about ending therapy? Yes. Termination can be an awkward, emotional, or even painful process, even when a client is satisfied with the progress they’ve made and is making a conscious choice to move on. Signs that a client may be ready to end therapy include achieving their goals, reaching a plateau, and not having anything to talk about. Instead of ending therapy entirely, some clients may choose to see their therapist less frequently.