In many cases, a therapist may decide to discontinue treatment for any number of reasons that have nothing to do with you or your particular mental health issues. Maybe a family problem means they need to cull their hours—and cull their client list.
That means that sometimes life gets in the way and they are no longer able to keep seeing you for therapy. This could be do to relocating, changing jobs to a different agency, not being approved as a provider for a specific insurance panel, or other personal reasons that you would never learn about.
BURNOUT 101
It affects most counselors, psychotherapists or mental health workers at some point in their careers. It is not reserved for the seasoned-older therapists; it can strike therapists earlier in their careers as well. It manifests primarily as emotional exhaustion, “emotional fatigue” or “emotional overload.”
So I mentioned before, therapists can't just ghost you. It happens, but it's not considered ethical professional behavior. “No matter what the reason for the 'breakup' the therapist is still responsible for seeing that the client has access to care,” says Aimee Daramus, a Chicago-based clinical psychologist.
Depression and Social Withdrawal
In fact, one of the major symptoms that helps psychiatrists to identify depression is the tendency to withdraw from social interaction. Clinical depression causes a strong urge to pull away from other people and shut down socially.
The number of recommended sessions varies by condition and treatment type, however, the majority of psychotherapy clients report feeling better after 3 months; those with depression and anxiety experience significant improvement after short and longer time frames, 1-2 months & 3-4.
The client isn't obligated to take them. And as long as any crisis needs (as judged by the clinician) are reasonably met, the clinician has no additional obligation to a client who, for whatever reason, isn't a good fit.
It makes sense, then, that patients who don't feel felt might cut things off. The reverse, however, is also true: Sometimes therapists break up with their patients. You may not consider this when you first step into a therapist's office, but our goal is to stop seeing you.
So therapy is more than just venting. It's about knowing you've been heard, understood, and invited to go deeper with a safe and caring guide. If you've been in therapy for a while and feel like you're spending most of your sessions just venting, it's okay to ask your therapist to review your game plan together.
Your body is acclimating to the stress and changes now that you are becoming more active. Similarly, if you've been suppressed, avoiding, or holding back parts of yourself or your emotions for years, releasing a bit of your thoughts and feelings may bring about discomfort and exhaustion.
Even when proper therapeutic boundaries are held, it is not unusual for a counselor to grieve a client's death. Counselors often form emotional bonds with their clients because therapeutic relationships are relationships.
I myself have often felt sad, even grief, when a long-term client has terminated, and a longing to know what has happened to them later on. I occasionally will receive a phone call, email or letter after they have terminated, letting me know how they are doing, and I always feel grateful to them for the communication.
Ideally, termination occurs when the goals that are mutually agreed upon by the counselor and client have been achieved, or the problem for which a client has entered into counseling has become more manageable or is resolved.
Your therapist's relationship with you exists between sessions, even if you don't communicate with each other. She thinks of your conversations, as well, continuing to reflect on key moments as the week unfolds. She may even reconsider an opinion she had or an intervention she made during a session.
Ruth Wyatt, MA, LCSW: With therapy, there usually is no set length of treatment. Therapy can last anywhere from one session to several months or even years. It all depends on what you want and need.
Long-term psychotherapy is typically referred to as psychotherapy that exceeds the normal parameters of time allotted for the treatment of most psychological disorders.