How do I fire my therapist?
First off…firing a therapist or transferring to a new one is NOT the same thing as discontinuing proper mental health care. If you have a diagnosis and medical advice to be under the constant care of a professional counselor. DO NOT fire your therapist without a plan.
If however you’re afraid things aren’t working out, you feel you’ve outgrown your therapist in some capacity, you’re moving, or you feel your goals have been reached it’s ok to think about moving on.
The biggest reason I’ve seen people leave a therapist is over a misuderstanding. So BEFORE you fire your therapist, make sure to clear the air with them. If you were offended, discouraged or just thrown off by something they said or did in session you have every right to bring that to their attention in the next session. Trust me, a good therapist will welcome your honest feedback.
If you’ve cleared the air with your therapist it’s a good idea to include them in on the conversation to terminate therapy. They are usually well connected to other groups and resources in the are and can help you feel confident about your next steps outside of therapy.
A good rule of thumb to hold on to if you’re considering terminating therapy is give it 1 or 2 more sessions before you make a final decision. Sometimes the therapy process comes with uncomfortable growing pains. Our first inclination when this pain pops up is to run and hide. That’s why I encourage you not sabotage your efforts, let your therapist know what you’re considering and then give it 1 or 2 more shots before calling it quits.
