By:  Susan Somogyi

Ending therapy can be an important part of the therapy itself. If you have developed a strong relationship with your therapist, saying goodbye may bring up feelings you did not expect. That is okay. The relationship may have been very meaningful, but it was also meant to be temporary.

It can be tempting to avoid the ending. You might miss an appointment, stop booking sessions, or simply fade away. But if you have the opportunity, having a final conversation with your therapist can be valuable. A good goodbye gives you the chance to prepare for what comes next and to recognize how far you have come.

Part of that conversation can be practical. You and your therapist can talk about what signs might tell you that you need support again. You can review the strategies and skills that have helped you and think about what you will do if old patterns start to return. You can also ask what would happen if you wanted to reconnect with therapy in the future.

A good goodbye is also an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on your work. What changed? What did you learn about yourself? What are you most proud of? What will you take with you? You may also want to talk to your therapist about what was most helpful or acknowledge the role they played in your journey.

And then there are the feelings. You may feel proud, relieved, excited, sad or even frightened about ending. You may feel several of these things at the same time. If saying goodbye is painful, it can be tempting to tell yourself that you will probably see your therapist again anyway. But avoiding the sadness can mean missing an important part of your growth journey.

A healthy goodbye can be a healing experience. Perhaps other important relationships ended suddenly, painfully or without the chance to say what needed to be said. Therapy can offer an opportunity to experience an ending differently, with honesty, care and respect.

So, talk about the accomplishments and the good parts. Talk about what you are leaving behind and what you are taking with you. And if there is sadness or fear, talk about that too.



A meaningful therapeutic relationship deserves a meaningful ending. Good therapy is was worth the effort, and so is a good goodbye.