My intention with clients is to always work myself out of a job - there are some people who see me for only a few weeks and some who see me for years (and ongoing).

When either a client decide to end their time with me or I tell them I feel that they got all they wanted from therapy and it may be their time to slowly exit, we go over The Flags, something I came up with for termination sessions.

Green Flags: I have clients identify the behaviors, perspectives, and habits in practice that let them know the work they did in therapy worked and they have continued that healthy behavior onward, even after the process has eneded.

Yellow Flags: I have clients think about what are the warning signs that may be nothing... but could be an indicator that something is off. Every human has off days, and it is okay to have little slip ups or backslides, and it is about being able to recognize if it was by pure chance or if it is a sign of things to come.

Red Flags: I have clients recall what their past unhealthy behaviors, perspectives, and habits they had in the past that led them to seek out counseling in the first place. This, I let them know, is when it may be time to return to counseling.

Throughout the entire process, I chime in and add my perspective as the person they have worked with during their time in bettering themselves and in healing from the past. This is where the creditbility comes in: it shows that, no matter how long we've been working together, that I paid attention to and know them - what they shared with me not only matters but is remembered. Some of the most common feedack I get from clients is how helpful it is that I can remember far back they said something because it lets them know I am an active participant in our conversations.

I invite them to return to therapy any time they feel like they need or want to, whether it be a maintenance session or a return to treatment.