Is It Time to Break Up with Your Therapist?
Everyone’s relationship with their therapist is unique and complicated. It’s very common to try out a few therapists before finding the right one for you. It’s normal to feel as if your relationship with your therapist just doesn’t click or to feel as if you’re not getting much out of your sessions. This just means that you and your therapist aren’t a match and it’s time to kick them to the curve.
According to Psychology Today, the therapy relationship makes substantial and consistent contributions to psychotherapy outcome independent of the specific type of treatment and that the therapy relationship accounts for why clients improve or fail to improve at least as much as the particular treatment method. This alliance plays an extremely important role in the change process. So that being said, they’re plenty of reasons why you might break up with your therapist – such as reaching the goals you have set from the beginning or simply because the relationship just isn’t working.
You’re Not on the Same Page Anymore
It’s nearly impossible to get the best results out of therapy if your missing elements such as trust, shared decision making and mutual honesty. If you’re relationship doesn’t seem to be clicking, your therapist might not be the right fit for you. A huge warning sign is feeling like your therapist is not on your side, especially if you’re not feeling seen, heard or understood.
You’re Not Making Progress Towards Your Goals
Therapy is in part supposed to help you grow. Your therapist should be often checking in on you when it come to the relationship and the progress that’s been made or hasn’t been made. However, if you’ve been going to therapy sessions for a while but don’t feel like you’ve made any progress toward your goals – this is a problem. This may also be a sign that your relationship with your therapist isn’t the right one. You’ll know you’ve made progress if you’ve been making decisions towards your life that ultimately have helped you grow and that you’ve truly benefited from.
You Accomplished Your Goals
The goal of therapy is to get you to a place where you no longer need regular sessions. If you start to realize that you’ve accomplished what you’ve come to therapy for, and your therapist did their part in helping you achieve such goals. It’s time to start planning the next move out of therapy.
You’re Not Feeling Comfortable with Your Therapist
There are many displays of bias that can affect your relationship with your therapist. For example, your therapist decides to follow you on social media sites or tries to become your friend outside of your sessions. If you start to feel uncomfortable, then you are in every right to address it or move on from your therapist, on the next.
