Therapy - when do you stop?

[Fahrenheit451]

When I was first diagnosed with PTSD I was pretty much a huge wreck. But after years of going to my psychologist I think I’m doing pretty good. Sessions are farther and farther apart which is a good thing. I still have nightmares and I still get flashbacks, just not as bad as I used to or as often. And I recover way faster.
Last week at my session my Psych. said she wanted to start on EMDR again to deal with some more of the worst calls from my career. That means weekly visits and reliving a bunch of stuff from my past. The problem is that I can easily think of 50 or 60 traumatic calls without even trying. And most of my flashbacks don’t even include those, there’s another ton in the closet just waiting. 32 years of firefighting takes its toll.
The EMDR sessions really kick the hell out of me and to tell you the truth nowadays I think I get more upset thinking about what’s to come than the relief I get after it’s over.
So......when do you know it’s time to take a break and just try to manage on your own?

 

[MyWillow]

Wow. Tough question. The thing you need to remember is that you have a CHOICE now. You can take a break. See how you cope without therapy. Or without intense therapy. Without dredging up the past. I’m starting to realise I’ll likely never stop being triggered. But I can be kinder to myself when I am and fall back on healthy coping mechanisms when I do. And you can change your mind at any moment. I see my psydoc weekly and my equine psychologist monthly. For the first time in a long time I’m prepared to cancel an appointment for a short holiday.

 

[Ronin]

When you have things just ticking to be tipped off?

Might need a therapy that will address it, won't tip it off badly but wellish & get you through, and will be enough paced as to not feel like chokeholds.

So with a starting point different Q:

What's your needs to be stable?
Get it through or stay far off?