“Often, people come for consultation because they feel overwhelmed with their resources.”
Psychotherapy is a process intended to treat psychological disorders to relieve moral suffering. It is aimed at people who feel hampered by this suffering in their daily life. “Often, people come for consultation because they feel overwhelmed with their resources, they have difficulty setting their limits and feel a little invaded” explains psychologist Laure Fillette. “The person that something is wrong, they are anxious or sad.”
Mental disorders can take various forms: anxiety, depression, depression or more specific manifestations such as obsessive-compulsive disorders. “There are various types of therapy. Depending on the patient’s condition, an indication is given for a particular psychotherapy, which aims to treat them” continues our interlocutor. The duration of therapy varies depending on the case, but when you reach the end of the journey, certain signs are clear:
- there is less to say during the sessions
- the need to come to a session gradually diminishes
- the patient, initially in pain, feels better
- the patient regained self-confidence
- the patient feels sufficiently autonomous to move forward alone, without the support of the therapist
In general, it is the patient who first expresses the desire to stop therapy. “It’s not really the role of the therapist to suggest a stop”Laure Fillette shares with us. On the other hand, the professional may notice and note that the person’s clinical condition has improved. “I think that when a patient feels confident in their limits, that they know how to mobilize their resources and cope with situations, that they know how to say “no” in an appropriate way, these are good indicators that he is independent and autonomous in his management of himself, so we have reached the end of the work. she continues.
Dreams can also speak for us. “These can be dreams of departure, of travel or even of separation.” These dream symbols often indicate that important changes have taken place. “During therapy, we often realize that the patient has come to see us expecting a change.” Thus, a dream can confirm that the change has taken place and that the therapeutic work has been completed. The patient has reached a key milestone and can now feel independent.
When a patient feels ready to end therapy, they are free to inform their therapist. “In my practice, I then suggest spacing out the sessions gradually, little by little. When we arrive at an appointment every 2 months, I suggest a next interview in 6 months later… And I tells my patient that he can always contact me if he needs to in the meantime. This allows him to evaluate whether it is working for him or whether it was just a need to space out the sessions. concludes the psychologist.