Last Updated on April 28, 2023

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is a partnership between a you along with a mental health professional. As with all partnerships, some are better than others. You might comprehend that you’re in a therapy relationship that simply isn’t working one day. Or that the treatment sessions worked and you are ready to move on. No matter your reason, breaking up is a familiar part of the method. “The best guidance about when it is time to go on is to trust your gut,” says Katherine Krefft, PhD, a practicing psychologist in Buzzards Bay, Mass. Issue is, breaking up is hard to do even when you understand it is the right move. These thoughts can help smooth the transition.

A Superb Start Prevents a Bad End

As stated by the American Psychological Association (APA), almost 25 percent of American adults will go through an amount of anxiety or depression within their lifetimes. Therapy having a mental health professional can help. But going into a healing relationship blindly is like expecting a long term relationship from a blind date.

“Treatment is a two-way street – you do not need to be crazy about your therapist, but you do need to be competent to work together,” says Krefft. “Do your assignments. A lot of people benefit from a therapist who uses some kind of cognitive behavioral therapy. You should begin any therapy by inquiring what sort of therapy is likely to be used, how well it works, how much time it lasts, and what the therapist’s qualifications are.” Other strategies for a finding a great therapist comprise:

• Ask your primary care doctor for guidance on what type of therapy will benefit you the most.
• Ask family and friends for recommendations.
• Look for and value accredited therapists together with the APA’s shrink locator service at http://locator.apa.org/.
• Talk about your aims for the therapy and try a session or two before giving to the mental health provider.

Understanding When to Break Up

“Treatment is focused on establishing certain targets and reaching them,” explains Krefft. “If you are not achieving your targets even though you do the work, it could be time to break up. It may be the time to proceed, when you reach your goals. Treatment is just not meant to last forever.” Based on the APA, studies show that 75 percent of individuals who enter psychotherapy reveal some improvement.

Take advantage of these guidelines to know when to break up or move on:

• You just do not feel comfortable with your therapist.
• You don’t feel like your therapist is helping you set goals.
• You have ceased making progress.
• You feel as if you have achieved your goals and no longer demand treatment.

Knowing the Best Way To Break Up

“A great therapist knows when treatment has ceased moving forward, so do not be fearful to talk about it,” says Krefft. And don’t worry about hurting your therapist’s feelings – this comes with the terrain.

Here are steps to calm the separation process:

• In the event you are not confident or are mistaken about your treatment, ask for a second opinion.
• If you’re not making progress but are still enduring, don’t simply quit therapy. Request a referral to a new therapist.
• Ask your therapist whether it’s time to stop or wind down if you believe like therapy has worked.
• Remember you always have the option to come back for a periodic checkup or a booster session.

In the words of Woody Allen in his famed picture Annie Hall: “A relationship, I think, is similar to a shark. … It has to constantly move forward or it expires. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark.” Don’t let your therapy relationship become a dead shark. You’re investing time and money, so when you cease benefitting for almost any reason, it’s time to get out of the water.