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Mental Health

How to Fire Your Therapist

How to Fire Your Therapist

Making the move to fire your therapist is never an easy endeavor, and often people are either too worried to do it, or they don’t realize their current therapist is bad for them. Since your satisfaction should always be the #1 priority, here are some ways to tell whether you should consider a new therapist, and ways to go about moving on from your current one.

Signs of a Bad Therapist

Deciphering signs of a bad therapist can be a stressful experience, especially when they’re someone you’ve already invested time and effort into. For those who’ve considered changing therapists, these inquisitions can often alter or shift a person’s view of their provider, even if they’re adequately doing their job. To make things easier, here are some clear cut signs you have a bad therapist.

  • Unable to Remember Details – It’s perfectly reasonable for a therapist to be unable to remember every detail you’ve ever told them. However, if your therapist is unable to remember critical details about your sessions, it may be time to look for someone who will properly engage with you. 
  • Too Personal or Judgemental – Therapists are human, and it’s okay for them to occasionally add in their own experiences. But when a therapist is revealing too much about themselves, it may be unnecessary for progress. Another red flag is when a therapist is being too judgemental of your situation. These sessions are confidential for a reason, and help begins with professionalism, not friendship or mockery.
  • Disinterested and Unreliable – If your therapist seems like they’re not invested—even in a professional capacity—it’s time to move on. Their priority should always be on helping you get better. When a therapist seems to reschedule too often, or is late to sessions, this unreliability is also a clear sign.

Reasons to Fire Your Therapist Infographic

When to Switch Therapists

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it still may be difficult to know when to switch therapists. Here are some signs of a bad therapist that affect you personally.

  • Feelings of Holding Back – Your therapist should be someone you absolutely trust, and when you feel like you’re holding back during sessions, it may mean you’re not completely comfortable opening up to them. Since honesty and communication is key for proper guidance, you should never feel uncomfortable when providing personal perspectives.
  • Stress Surrounding Sessions – Not all therapy sessions will come stress-free, especially when opening up about serious personal situations. However, no client should ever feel stressed before a session, or feel worried or anxious on their way home.
  • Scope of Practice Doesn’t Align With Goals – As the scope of subjects and practices in psychotherapy is wide, it’s rare to find a counselor who’s an expert in every branch of therapy. However, if you feel like your needs and goals aren’t being met by the standards your therapist provides, it may be time to look for someone whose treatment is more relevant.

How to Fire Your Therapist

Clients have the right to consider changing therapists at any time, and they should never feel obligated to provide a reason to their counselor. However, before this decision is made, consider talking strategy with your therapist. Here, you can highlight ways that they’ve been ineffective, and try to work through these obstacles if you’ve at one point felt a strong connection. But if things seem bleak, never hesitate to move on.

When saying goodbye to a therapist, you still have every right to express your dissatisfaction or reasoning if you do so please. You can certainly cancel your next appointment, but for proper closure, sometimes it’s best to express these concerns outright, and part on good terms.  

Synergy Health Programs offers both behavioral and mental health services, with comprehensive care for all of our programs. If you’re in need of a new therapist, don’t hesitate to contact us today to see how we can help provide the tailored guidance you need.

December 31st, 2021