No, I'm not talking about dropping everything and flying to the nearest beach (although that would be nice, wouldn't it?).
After a few months of therapeutic growth, you will have stretched so much. You will have allowed yourself to explore painful areas of your heart - and you will have come out on the other side much stronger than you were before. If you're in therapy with a partner, you may find that moments of goodness outweigh moments of tension. If you're in therapy for yourself, you may be feeling that you've reached a happier place - or, perhaps, that you're just exhausted from all of the growth you're doing.
Exhaustion is a natural part of this process. Think of babies, whose bodies are growing, growing, growing in their first few months of life. So much goodness is happening internally and, to keep up with the demand, they need so much sleep.
Follow the babies. Please take a therapy vacation.
A therapy vacation is a season where you talk to your therapist about (a) decreasing frequency of sessions (maybe from weekly to once per month, or once per quarter), or (b) taking a few months off from therapy altogether, with plans to return on a specific date. It is different from the decision to graduate from therapy (i.e. stop, complete). My clients who "graduate" therapy have met their goals and are ready to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Graduations usually involve a six-month or one-year check-in.
Vacations are for people who are not done with their growth, but need a moment to breathe. Finances, schedules, life transitions, and your personal energy meter may all have part in your need for a break. Whatever it is, that is okay! You may be feeling guilt or nervousness telling your therapist that you want to step away. I can't speak for others, but I love these conversations with my clients. I want you to feel that the therapeutic space is your room. It is your place to come process, work, stretch, meet goals. Taking a breather is about you, not your therapist.
Once you are ready to return, we can ease into new goals or pick up right where we left off. You get to guide your change!
Moral of the story, you are not expected to run an entire marathon without a water break. Let's partner together to find the path that energizes you the most!
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Want to get started with phase one of your growth? Book your meet-and-greet session with me now!