My Comfort Therapist Is Retiring

[Nighthawk]

I have had a therapst that I have seen for the last 14 years. She has been more of a comfort T one I can go vent to. The most helpful she was to me was after my knee replacement only 2.5 years ago. Anyway she has been through a lot with me. As you can imagin there is a lot of history. Several years ago I wanted to stop going to see her but was never able to completly sever the cord. I have been seeing her about 1 a month or every other month for the last year.

I know she has been there for me a safe place in my despair. Lets get to the point. She texted me the other day and asked when I could go see her. It ended out today. Half way through the session she said there is another reason I wanted to see you. I said your retiring she said yes. :(. She did give me an option of being able to see herat another location much ferther from my home and at double the rate. She also said she can find me someone at this organization.

I just don't know how to process this. Like I have other T I see regularly and I would go see her tovent or keep her up to speed. I still dont want to lose her she has been in my life a very long time.

Spinning with thoughts, fear,and weird emotions

I only have 1 session left with her and I think I am freaking out a bit. I am soooo bloody overwhelmed as is

 

[SeanCharles]

@Nighthawk I can empathize, There have been a few people who I've worked with over the years who have been a support network for me and have been a bit of cusion between me and my current employment. There have been some providers I have been closer to and others which I've only let in so far and then resist them further. I see this moreso in me being solo since I dropped the support service over a year ago (or approaching so).

I had one provider who was leaving state, then they return after briefly returning and then they returned and landed a job elsewhere.
It's difficult seeing such a special person come into and then leave their mark on us.

Unfortunately, I am not sure maybe there is at least one therapist I've had who for their own personal or maybe it was a funding issue or both that I'd love to see, but because they have taken on a different role, their practice has essentially changed.

The best of luck. :hug:

 

[Lionheart]

@Nighthawk I can empathize as well. I had a very special bond with one "t" who really went the extra mile to help me through some very difficult times. I came to find comfort in our meetings and I still miss them to this day.

It was difficult when she retired from counseling and I cried when I hugged her goodbye. I still think of her and feel blessed that I had such an awesome therapist for that period of time, (which was about 4 years If I remember correctly).

It was a bit overwhelming at first, but after a while I came to find that my "t" had done an awesome job of helping me. I was more healed than I had thought and better able to care for myself than I had previously imagined.

I understand this isn't easy, still I hope that you have the same sort of "happy ending" that I had and that you will persevere and thrive.

I wish you all the best!!! :hug:

Lion

 

[mrsps]

@Nighthawk I too can empathize. I have recently been dropped from my T as she is taking some time out so could not see me regularly anymore and she felt I needed to see someone on a regular basis (I have a new T now) I had been seeing my old T on and off for 10 years. It broke my heart when she told me she thought it best I see someone else. It still hurts and I think of her all the time. The therapeutic relationship is a very odd and hard relationship to get our heads around. To me it feels like my old T is dead. But its even harder because she isn't dead but I cant have contact with her. (well I did ask at the end of our final session if it was ok to occasionally txt her and she said that was ok)
It is normal to feel how you are so please be gentle on yourself.
It may be helpful to talk through all these feelings with your regular T?