I'm on my 5th therapist in 25 years, so I don't even remember now how I felt leaving the first one!

It's perfectly normal if you want to try a different therapist. It took me 5 of them to find this current one that I liked the best out of the 5. And I'll be leaving her soon too, as she is retiring soon.

Yes, it is a loss. Crying is normal. If you think you still need therapy, then I wouldn't hesitate to seek out another one. A new one will have different ideas, a different style.... you might like the new one even better.

Best wishes.

With gentle empathy and hopes I am not going too pragmatic on you. . .

My own case is extreme enough that I don't expect to ever *finish* therapy. I've contracted and fired more pros than my damaged memory can count. I view both my pros and my peer support groups as a pot in need of frequent stirring to keep the bigger chunks from sticking to the bottom of the pot. It is psychotherapy, not a romantic liaison.

I have felt a sense of loss with every therapy program I have moved on from, Leaning ever so gently into those emotions has helped me understand what I gained from the therapy and carry that healing wisdom into the next phase of my therapy. Emphasis on "ever so gently." Learning how to look back without staring is one of the more important aspects of my therapy.

I think its completely normal. Opening up to someone and being vulnerable is really hard and it does create a type of bond with that person even if its their job. I remember I bawled like a baby when my 1st therapist had to move. I was 17, unprepared and felt like I got my heart broken.

Well, my therapist moved out of state, Stopped accepting new patients a year before they left. When it came time to let go, was not hard at all.

The difference is because when we started the treatment plan, it was with a specific end goal in mind.

Therapy has a purpose. Figuring out what that purpose is makes the business of therapy a positive experience.

I went through three different sessions before being referred to this therapist, and our first meeting was an evaluation, an introduction, and a purpose session.

We went to 'talk' sessions to help me work through some of the more difficult parts of finding, maintaining, and recovering balance situations, but we always brought it back to purpose.

To give your therapy the full benefit of what it provided you, write out the success, the 'left-over', and the work you want to do with therapy.

That way, you find a sense of acceptance with the therapy that brings you to a better balance and able to 'let go' in calm.

Best wishes.

I got very attached to one of my early therapists. She was the first one that really helped me a lot. I was sad when she said it was time to end therapy.
I couldn't imagine not seeing her each week. It took some time but I did get over missing her.

Hi Yoss,

What are you feeling underneath that saddness/loss? Are you frustrated? Do you feel helpless? Etc.

What I think I am hearing is that you value your therapy, but feel you've possibly outgrown what this particular therapist can offer. Have you thought about trying another? Not every therapist/technique is the same - they all have their own personality, different training/areas of expertise, and techniques. Sometimes things change - you need something from a therapist that you didn't need before. I've moved a few times and had different therapists, but there's only really been a couple I really connected with or found helpful. You can have both a therapist and a psychiatrist. Just a thought.

i have always hated knowing that people come and go in life, and i think it just hit super hard this time since she was my first therapist. @lendingstrength i definitely feel frustrated. i know exactly why i have the anxieties that i do, i just can’t understand why regular therapy hasn’t helped me like i thought it would. i’m the kind of person that if something doesn’t work the first time i lose interest and that has been one of my biggest downfalls throughout my journey.

A recurring theme on my own recovery road has been an inability to see my own progress until I get a bit further down the road. My recovery has not held too many **born again** moments. Most of my recovery has been in such small increments that I cannot see them until the proverbial seeds have had time to germinate and grow.

Be gentle with yourself and patient with the process, Yoss. Time has no meaning in the healing process. Let it be bigger than any one citizen of your healing village.