Posted by canadagirl on October 15, 2006, at 14:36:24
In reply to 3 left ** termination trigger**** » canadagirl, posted by gardenergirl on October 14, 2006, at 23:54:35
>>Thanks again, and I'd love to hear more about your experience if you feel comfortable talking about it.<<
Sure.
I think for termination to be "successful" we have to allow ourselves the opportunity to process it as much as we can with our therapist and more importantly, give ourselves permission to really feel the feelings, to use them up as much as we can.I like what you say about "honoring" the experience - that is a good choice of words. You have truly shared something special, something you each have not shared with anyone else in quite the same way, if you think about it. And that relationship should be honored.
From my experience - after temination I did still feel for a while some sadness for the loss of someone helpful and important in my life (which is perfectly normal), combined with peace and gratitude for all I'd learned and how I'd grown. The feeling of loss did subside though.
I had very brief counselling once previously and when I finished therapy this time I was determined to terminate "right" as I had such a hard time with it last time. I made sure to say what I needed to say and how I felt about the whole experience (and wrote notes to myself often in between sessions as I thought of things). And trusted my heart a little -- so unlike me.
I guess I'm living proof that one can actually survive termination and come out the other end relatively intact. LOL. And I wish the same for you!
poster:canadagirl
thread:692203
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20061012/msgs/695044.html