Can you be too comfortable with your therapist??

[kelsischanging]

I have been seeing the same therapist for the past eight years. He has gotten me through some of the roughest times of my life. Lately I've been thinking that maybe I'm too comfortable with my therapist...not in any sort of transference way it's just that I've seen him ever few weeks for eight years excluding six months away at college my first year. Sometimes I feel like although he is an excellent therapist, I've gone as far as I can go with his help. Is it possible to be too comfortable with my therapist? I think most of my hesitation to start with a new therapist is that my current therapist is so familiar with my history and I don't have to explain very much at all because he already knows most of my relationships past and present (family, friends, work, romantic relationships). I have bipolar disorder and at least at this point, I need to see a therapist regularly. Thank you for any thoughts/opinions.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I don't think the relevant question has anything to do with how comfortable you are.

Do you feel you are still benefitting from your sessions with your therapist? If so, continue.

Do you feel the sessions are no longer benefiiting you? If so, bring this up with your therapist and try to initiate a discussion about what might help you more. All therapists depend on feedback from their clients as to what is helping and what is not.

If that fails or leave you dissatisfied, then you can consider the oiption of finding another therapist.

 

[forgetmenot]

I also think that trust is so hard to build up with someone and if you trust this therapist then i think it would be not so beneficial if you left .
I think also like Dr Baxter said that you should perhaps explore other therapies maybe that you have not tried before if you feel that you have hit a point where you do feel things are happening
Remember that obtaining a stability is one of the goals of therapy and maybe that is where you are at now Let your therapist know what it is you want from the therapy session ok and then both of you can work at that goal Hope that makes sense.