Therapist considering discharging me

I was wondering how that works. I see mine every 2 weeks. I don’t feel ready to be discharged. So, do they just let you know? I agree that it would rather jarring news all of a sudden. It sounds like they think you are doing good, right?

Why are they discharging you? Why would you end if the sessions are helping you? Is your medication working and helping you or do you need adjustments? You may need to work with a psychiatrist to help you with your medications. I just started with one and they are adjusting my medications due to side effects of one and not fully helping my depression for the other (they are increasing my other medication).

@junkartist
It would be discouraging to have a therapist "discharging" you. Being discharged can feel like an end of any relationship. Like end of any relationship, you want to know why.

The form you mention sounds like the PHQ-9 questionnaire. It is a simple form to monitoring and measure the severity of depression. The questions you answer are used to assign a number that determines the severity of depression. Therapist can use along with their assessment to monitor how you are doing.

There is also a GAD-7 form that is similar that measure anxiety.

Though my depression is under control, I still see a therapist and it great resource to discuss issues and ask advice.

If you still have a choice, I would have one more appointment with the therapist just to get the answers to some of the questions you posted in your discussion.

I suggest you write down your questions in advance. Based on your posts, some suggestion for questions are:
- Exactly why am I being discharged? Maybe they feel you are doing OK and there is not any more they can do to help you.
- If discharged, what recommendations does therapist have for you going forward. Should you establish care with new therapist?
- If I want to continue to see therapist, what are your options. Maybe you can continue to go just not as often.

Are you willing to do another appointment to get answers to questions you may have?

Thank you for your advice. I am already scheduled for another session. When I talked to her she said she did not know what these supervisors wanted. I do like her and don't want to cause her trouble. She has had some suggestions about what to do next. I will let you know.

I see that you are the mentor. I am worried that this post will encourage people to question their therapists. I worry that my therapist may recognize where the questions came from. Our town is relatively small and it is possible. I like this therapist and would not want cause our troubles.

her trouble

@junkartist
Unless your therapist is member of Mayo Connect and follows this topic, she would not tie the questions to this post. And if she did, no problem, your being your own advocate. I am not an Mayo employee and the questions I suggested are very generic.

I am glad your doing a follow up appointment.

I have been with this therapist for a couple of years and I like her very much. I have been at this for a long time. I don't know why they are considering discharging me, she said she did not know either. I have a psychiatrist who prescribes my medicine which helps. I appreciate your concern and suggestions. I've been with many therapists and they all have different procedures. I hope that my posts won't get out to therapists and others because this is a relatively small town and it may get back to my therapist, who would recognize my story. Maybe I'm just extending my worries.

Different clinics and therapists have different protocols. I have been with this therapists for several years. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about the possibility of being discharged. It may be the clinic's need to have more therapists ready to treat people. The supervisors haven't made a decision yet. I don't know their criteria and will have another session with my therapist. I have grown a lot in the past few years. My therapist has given me some suggestions about what to do next.
"Talking" to you has helped a lot. I'm glad you have a good therapist.

@junkartist You're right, clinics may have different protocols! Perhaps the overseers for your therapist looked at the criteria you had entering treatment, and feel you have progressed enough to be "on your own". But in my humble experience, that should be a decision between your therapist and yourself. I hope that if you do not feel ready, and your therapist agrees with you, she will fight to keep you on board. Sometimes, extending sessions out, like every month instead of every two weeks, almost a tapering but not quitting, can work well.
Ginger