When is the right time to leave therapy?

In a few of our most recent blog posts, we’ve discussed choosing a provider and starting therapy. We’ve learned a lot about starting, but what about finishing? Not everyone’s therapy journey is linear, meaning there is not always a clear finish line. Be that as it may, you will likely enter therapy with an agenda and things you want to address. You may choose to attend therapy to ease temporary discomfort or for help managing a crisis, and once you feel better, you might decide you’re finished. There’s a lot of information about when to start therapy, but what’s less established is what signs to look for indicating your time in therapy is ending. This can lead to people leaving therapy before they're ready and might mean that they still have unresolved issues that they have no way to work through. This blog is dedicated to telltale signs that you’re ready to move on from therapy, as well as signs you may have given up too early and might need to recommit to working on your mental health. 

Making A Choice

Plenty of situations can influence your choice to stay in therapy. Therapy is a commitment, and much like other commitments, there are times when it can be challenging to remain dedicated or to walk away after you’ve invested in it. The barriers to entry for therapy often don’t fall off after the first session. Things like economic disparity and inability to finance, scheduling complications, or lack of support can all contribute to you leaving therapy behind. You may be unable to invest the time and money needed to stay in despite feeling you need to. You may also struggle to work through more challenging issues. It requires a lot of bravery and strength to deal with your mental health head-on —  so much so you may feel tempted to quit. When this happens, it’s not uncommon for people to walk away from therapy because they dread speaking about specific topics or addressing their triggers. 

The other side of the coin is there may be reasons to stay in therapy despite not benefiting as much anymore. These can include your relationship with your therapist, apprehension about your ability to maintain your progress, and not seeing the results you want. You may continue to go to therapy because it's a habit or because you feel you still have more to work on despite addressing your initial concerns. Getting into this mindset can help preserve personal comfort. Still, at one point, you have to choose to take the training wheels off. It might be more challenging to go it alone, but the only way forward is to trust yourself and the skills you’ve developed over time.

Alternatives To Quitting

If you're considering leaving therapy, it may be worth it to consider some other options before you give up entirely. If you still feel like you will benefit from therapy but are struggling with your current therapist's approach or working through some of the thornier issues you're facing, changing therapists might be worthwhile. It can be daunting, but being with the right therapist for you can make a huge difference. It can also be helpful to change the frequency of sessions.  Attending therapy less is useful when you feel overwhelmed by the process or are struggling to pay for your treatment. This can give you more time between sessions to think about what you’re discussing. Moreover, it can give you a much-needed break from potentially stressful and challenging experiences. 

If you feel like quitting, taking a break may be the solution. There’s no problem with taking a month or two off to see how you feel without your therapist. In this case, scheduling a check-in appointment down the road is best practice; doing so prevents procrastination and allows you to reevaluate your position when you're ready. During your time away, you should be mindful of your emotional state and note any issues to help you accurately assess whether you want to pick back up. If you’re considering ending your therapy journey, we recommend you think it through critically. Even though it's difficult, your next breakthrough could be closer than you think. Even if you are struggling financially, it’s worth asking what is possible with your provider. Some psychology practices offer financing or the opportunity to work with a clinician for a lower rate.

Signs it’s Time To Quit Therapy

So, here is the question we are all trying to answer: When is it the right time to leave therapy? The answer is different for everyone, but there are always signs that you’re moving in that direction. The point of going to therapy is to heal; once you have, it’s time to move on. One of the most relevant metrics is where you stand with your therapy goals. As we mentioned before, most people enter therapy to address specific aspects of their mental health. It may be time to step back when you feel you've done most or all of what you set out to do. Though not every issue can be formally resolved, feeling a marked improvement in your coping skills, internal dialogue, or emotional state can be considered a step in the right direction. You might feel a notable lightness or the absence of the struggles that used to cause mental strain. The feeling of improvement should be present as long as you’re on your therapy journey, but when it starts to fade, it’s a clue that it’s time to step away.

Your therapist can also help you identify when to end your therapy experience. Therapists are familiar with the process patients undergo and when they reach the ending stages of their time. They may let you know that they feel you’ve progressed to a point where you no longer need them. This can be a sad or scary situation, but a therapist would never advise you to quit therapy unless they believed you could handle it. Alternatively, if you happen to step away from therapy and still feel off, it may be a sign that you stopped too soon. Failure to address the core of your issues, or new issues cropping up due to experiences, may warrant you returning or finding a new therapist. Just because you end one leg of your journey does not mean you’ll never need to return. The key to understanding whether or not you should leave therapy will almost always exist within you. You know what you need and want from the experience and ultimately understand your mind and emotional state better than anyone else. Though it may sound cliche, you'll know when it’s time to step away from therapy.

The Decision to Leave Therapy is Up to You

Though this issue offers practical advice, remember that everyone is different. Only you will know when you’re truly ready. You have to trust your intuition and guidance from your therapist, be clear on your goals, and critically evaluate where you are in achieving them. It’s also important to remember that some people will always be involved in therapy in some capacity, and that’s okay. If you’ve left your therapist and still need support, it’s never too late to reinvest in yourself, and our therapist network at bareWell is here to help. You can call us to schedule a consultation where we can pair you with a therapist based on your mental health needs. We can work together to ensure your growth and well-being as long as needed.