How to tell my psychologist I'm leaving?

[NewKarma]

What's the most appropriate way to tell my psychologist that I'm stopping (potentially to see someone else)? There is nothing bad about him, I just feel that I want to try someone with a different approach.

Just be honest?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

That may depend on several factors: How long you've been seeing him, how comfortable you would feel being direct with him, etc. Most therapists would not take offense if you wanted to try something different.

Alternatively, you could:

• say you're taking a break
• tell him you don't want to make another appointment just now but will contact him when you do
• tell him you want to focus on other things in your life for a while

 

[NewKarma]

That may depend on several factors: How long you've been seeing him, how comfortable you would feel being direct with him, etc. Most therapists would not take offense if you wanted to try something different.

Yea, I don't expect he'd take any "offense" as such, more that I don't want to hurt his feelings. Maybe this is silly since he's old and that's his job and he's used to it... But I'm not sure. I've been with him for about 3 years now. In terms of comfort, it would be a little awkward to tell him this, of course, but that's not a big factor right now.

Alternatively, you could:

• say you're taking a break
• tell him you don't want to make another appointment just now but will contact him when you do
• tell him you want to focus on other things in your life for a while

Yes, these would certainly be my traditional ways to do it... However I feel that my not being direct with people is one of the things that I have needed to work on (and am still working on), so it feels like it would be the wrong thing to do. But maybe that's backwards, as I'd be doing it to spare his feelings instead of just to make life easier for myself... Bah.