When to Stop (or Restart) Vermont Psychoanalysis

If you’ve never experienced talk therapy (Vermont psychoanalysis or another variation), you might wonder how long it should last. How do you know when to stop, decrease or restart your therapy? Will there be a consequence if you make a change to the treatment plan? Let’s take a look at these questions.

Working with one of our Vermont psychoanalysts may bring up unexpected thoughts and feelings. You may have preconceived ideas about how talk therapy works. Perhaps your image of therapy includes something about the subconscious or time spent exploring your childhood. That might be part of your therapeutic journey, but we prefer to think of psychoanalysis as a set of tools that can help you solve a variety of problems.

Regardless of the main issue you’re facing, talking through the emotions, the fears, the possible outcomes in a safe, therapeutic setting can help you clear away some of the distractions and create concrete steps that will help you arrive at a decision or find a path to making changes in the way you approach the issues you are facing. 

Let’s fast forward a few weeks or months and say that your initial problem has been resolved. You’ve addressed the problem you faced and you’re on the other side…now what? Do you continue talk therapy because it’s part of your week? That’s up to you! If you’re seeing a benefit and it’s bringing a positive change to your life, you can continue. If you have solved a life challenge and feel like psychoanalysis isn’t currently needed, you can stop. Talk therapy works best when the patient is motivated to solve a problem and the problem is clearly defined. This may be a concrete issue such as how to solve a financial crisis or something more complex such as coping with the loss of a parent or spouse.

Let’s jump forward again. Maybe a few years have gone by and you’re facing a new challenge. Or, perhaps some aspect of the initial problem is still causing difficulties When should you reach out to your Vermont psychoanalyst again? If you’re thinking about talk therapy, there is a good chance it might be time to return. Your talk therapist isn’t going to chide you for taking a break. Knowing when to seek help isn’t a sign of failure. It’s a sign of maturity. You’re seeking help when you need it to solve a complex problem. They’ll be ready to help when you need it.

If you’re curious about Vermont psychoanalysis for the first time (or the fifth time), get in touch. We’re ready to help you solve problems whenever you’re ready to begin.