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What is it like when you “graduate” out of therapy?

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Skywatcher

MyPTSD Pro
I’m guessing that when you are healed and can sustain your own life you leave your therapist? I can’t imagine this to ever happen, but I have recently been on her “break” and have noticed that I can function without her. (Except we do Email)

Are you on your own now? What is it like without your T?
 
I’ve had periods of time where I choose to be without a therapist. Honestly if you’re ready, you don’t even notice. You just live your life and that is that. You have supports elsewhere. Life just goes on.
 
When I got better the first time, eventually I just didn’t have anything to talk about in therapy so we just quit setting appointments unless I needed one. I didn’t notice it at all really, life just went in and I felt ok.

A few months ago things got hard again though and I’m back to not knowing how I’ll survibe without one
 
I was kicked out of therapy once, and I barely survived that one. My second T I was ready to live my life and I missed him off and on and would wonder about him. I would find him online occassionally and read an article he had written or a you tube vid that he made. I did fine though and was glad I wasn't in therapy for a couple decades. Then, ALL hell broke loose... I mostly just commented here to see if anyone else responds. I hope to leave therapy of my own accord soon. I'm doing better. (kind of)
 
"I’m guessing that when you are healed and can sustain your own life you leave your therapist?" - Not really at least it wasn't that way with me. I had to have a transition period. Even after my last shrink appointment, I had a lifeline for a while "just in case". I arranged though for a 1 month and like 3-4 month session and a by phone or something "touch base" when he was between clients.

The thing was... though improved, the long term patterns and hardwiring weren't exactly "healed"... they were improved and it took demonstrated time/effort/application for me to learn how to do life on life's terms in a new way that was more generally beneficial than before therapy.

Establish a by phone support system with peers, and stick to it... they do the part of a shrink if/when at times you need real time assistance. I'd had 6 and now have had that dissolve down to a reasonably consistent 4. I knew already to allow for drop outs/attrition.

Are you on your own now?

Nope, after my graduation from the shrink, I set up a peer support... I am not alone/on my own -most of those for 6-7 years. My peer group is women who have PTSD who are beating their prognosis and endeavoring to live like I am. Invaluable. No kidding. We like each other, respect each other, love each other, and are candidly honest with each other. How amazing to have friends like that.
 
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I appreciate this topic. I just started therapy. It has been only one year in July. It has been interesting and useful for me but I decided to make it every other week starting in August because honestly I survived so long without therapist and find the process a bit too self-involved. Maybe I am in the wrong therapy but talking for almost an hour with a little blurb here and there does not excite me. I do most of my reflections afterwards from my dreams and the fact I am thinking about my past and childhood, my dreams are rich. I share my stories and my T just nods and wonders here and there. Strange.

I am mainly in therapy because I want to help others and need to clear my issues but maybe not this way. I have to try all different therapy styles I suppose.

After I finish I school, I may start a support group and do organic helping each other. Similar to this forum but in person.
 
I do have some ptsd friends that I met on another forum that have helped me throughout this year, and my husband and two other non-ptsd friends that support me as well. I just feel like my therapist is really what sustains me the most right now. I’m guessing that as more patterns heal, she will somehow change from a lifeline to a greatly appreciated person from my past? I like the idea of keeping her on monthly or quarterly at some point. Doubt I am anywhere near that at this moment. I really have just gotten to the point of trusting her not to disappear and that took a year. I’m curious if healing will become quicker now that there is some trust in place.
 
I wonder about this as well. I’ve been with my T exactly three years and feel like I’m *just* settling into staying mostly present during sessions. I’m really attached to her and that causes a lot of trouble for me, but is part of the process. I’ve never let anyone close like she is, and it’s hard to believe how slow and difficult the entire process is. I wonder if I’ll ever be well enough to leave. When she goes away I get in a routine without her (put the lid on the box, so to speak). But that’s not actively trying to heal. That’s getting into the zone I was in for my whole life prior to starting with her. I just keep telling myself that years of trauma can’t be undone quickly. And I hope so much that one day I do feel like I can end it and it won’t be horrible.
 
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