When does the contract end?

[anonymous]

Does anybody have a safety contract with their therapist?

What is the statute of limitations on that?

If you stop going to therapy for reasons that have nothing to do with the process but are purely logistical, does the contract still stand?

 

[EveHarrington]

It’s not an enforceable contract in a court of law if that’s what you’re getting at.

It’s more of a personal contract between client and therapist to ensure the safety of the client.

It’s more or less the client giving their word that he/she will stay safe.

If you break the contract? Then the therapist may insist on a higher level of care ie PHP, IOP, or inpatient hospitalization.

 

[flowerapple]

It isn't a legal binding contract. It is more a promise that you make with you're therapist.

 

[anonymous]

I realize that part, but I guess I'm wondering how long it is still appropriate to call on them.

 

[flowerapple]

Have you stopped therapy?

 

[Justmehere]

They usually have to provide a certain level of emergency care for a period of time to allow the client to get in to a new provider. It’s usually 15-30 days.

Crisis lines and ERs are also an option.

 

[flowerapple]

You can also find someone safe to be with. And I guess to be on the safe side treat the contract you made with your therapist as if it were a legal contract if that will help prevent you.

 

[joeylittle]

They usually have to provide a certain level of emergency care for a period of time to allow the client to get in to a new provider. It’s usually 15-30 days.

This.

The best person to ask would be the therapist you have contracted with. I'd think you could also say, "I know I'm transitioning to a new therapist, but for the next 30 days, can I still consider our safety contract active?"

 

[anonymous]

Have you stopped therapy?

With this therapist, yes. I have another.

30 days

I'm outside of my window.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[scout86]

You know, I kind of think most therapist would rather you contacted them ANY time than kill yourself. Just sayin'. If that contract is the only thing between you and something drastic, I'd say to check in. From what I've read here, there are a lot of therapists who don't do that kind of contract at all. I suspect the ones who do care more about keeping you alive than anything else.

My T told me he wants me to call him before I ever do anything drastic. I told him I wouldn't lie to him, he'd be the LAST person I'd call, if I was serious. But, I think I know him well enough to know that he'd want me to call, if he was the only person I could think of, no matter how long it had been since I'd seen him.

 

[Abstract]

How long has it been? Is there a reason you can't speak to this t and are wanting to with the old one?

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I'm outside of my window.

I'm not sure why you really wanted to know this but asking about it tells me it's not the right suicide contract for you. My suicide contract with my therapist is fluid and ever changing. It is almost a therapy guide. It has distraction techniques that have proven to work for me, self soothing techniques that have proven to work for me (as we find more we add it), goals, thoughts we are working on and want to come back to or I need to reflect on, or I need to research more about over more then a few weeks (taken off when we work through them and add in more when we need). It includes new thoughts that come up in therapy that are good and we don't want to forget them. Different good books that I can reference back to (and in some cases pages of books). And more along with the steps I am to take before I go through with the act of suicide (and some of those things listed are part of that).

I imagine my suicide contract (which is several pages long now) will be a reference for me for my entire life. I don't care how long it lasts. For me it will last for as long as I need it to. It is very useful for me. And asking this question makes me think that your contract isn't useful for you and that should be a topic in therapy in my opinion.

Just my 2 cents worth. Take it or leave it.