Understanding The Client-Therapist Relationship Post-Treatment

Therapy can offer a safe space to express your feelings, discuss your goals for the future, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences. Many therapists are trained to help you achieve your therapeutic objectives through meaningful conversation and thoughtful guidance. 

Over time, you and your therapist may develop a close bond that enables you to feel safe and heard during your sessions. This bond, known as the therapeutic alliance, can be essential to a successful therapy experience. However, this feeling of closeness can make it challenging to know how to navigate the eventual end of your client-therapist relationship. Understanding the therapeutic alliance and the ethics and best practices for managing the client-therapist post-treatment relationship can help you navigate different treatment-related situations.

Understanding the therapeutic alliance

The therapeutic alliance refers to the collaborative and trusting relationship between you and your therapist. It encompasses the mutual understanding, rapport, and goals that serve as the foundation for treatment. The therapeutic alliance is characterized by open communication, empathy, active listening, and a sense of safety. These factors can allow you to actively engage with your therapist and work together toward your goals. Research has shown that a strong therapeutic alliance can positively influence treatment outcomes for individuals experiencing a variety of disorders. Because of its impact, a high-quality alliance is often considered a critical component of therapy. 

When to stop seeing your therapist

It’s common to wonder when and how to stop seeing your therapist. There are a number of reasons why you may choose to move on, including:

• At a certain point, you may feel you are ready to move on from therapy; for example, if you are no longer experiencing mental health concerns or have reached a point where you can manage your mental health through self-care, this could be a sign that you’re ready to part ways with your therapist.
• You may not feel like you’re making any progress from sessions. In this case, it may be worth considering finding a new therapist; switching therapists a few times can be common before finding one that feels like the right fit. 
• You may wish to gain the perspective of a new therapist or try a unique form of therapy. Different providers employ a variety of methods to help their clients, and one may be more suitable for you than another. 
• In some cases, affordability may mean reassessing your approach to therapy; for example, you may be looking to transition from face-to-face therapy to virtual therapy. 

Can you reach out to your old therapist?

If you and your therapist became close throughout your sessions together, you may feel inclined to reach out to provide an update on your progress or thank them for their help. While it may be possible to contact them, it may not be wise to correspond with your therapist after treatment. 

Though you may explore deeply personal themes in your treatment, the client-therapist relationship is, above all, a professional relationship, and maintaining contact may not be appropriate. If you would like to continue a dialogue with your therapist, it may be worth considering continuing treatment or requesting a referral to a new therapist. 

Additionally, if you’ve taken a break from your therapist and feel like returning, you can reach out to let them know. Keeping your conversations professional and appropriate can ensure a strong, healthy client-therapist relationship.

In your final therapy session

You and your therapist may end your sessions together with intentional discussions aimed at ensuring you are ready to move on. These discussions may include talking about your growth and achievements in therapy, reviewing the tools and strategies learned, and setting goals for you to continue working toward. This might also be the right time to discuss any questions you may have about navigating the end of the client-therapist relationship. 

What is a multiple relationship and is it ethical?

Both during and after therapy, there may be situations where a relationship between a therapist and their client extends beyond the bounds of therapy, leading to what is known as a multiple relationship or dual relationship. A multiple relationship occurs when the therapist and client develop additional connections that go beyond the professional therapeutic relationship. This may occur naturally in situations such as: 

• Attending the same religious service
• Connections through children, such as schools and sports teams
• Serving together on boards or committees within the local community

It’s common to wonder whether a multiple relationship is ethical. The answer may depend on a few factors and may be subject to careful consideration by both you and your therapist. The American Psychological Association’s ethics code states that multiple relationships should be avoided if it “could reasonably be expected to impair the psychologist's objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing his or her functions as a psychologist, or otherwise risks exploitation or harm to the person with whom the professional relationship exists.” In other words, it may be inappropriate if the relationship could harm the therapeutic alliance, in which case your therapist has an ethical obligation to cease treatment.

The ethics code also forbids therapists from engaging in friendship, romance, or sexual intimacy with their clients. This prohibition is in place to safeguard the well-being and best interests of clients, as such relationships can introduce significant power imbalances, conflicts of interest, and potential harm. 

Multiple relationships after therapy

Once the client-therapist relationship has been terminated, therapists and their clients typically part ways and cease communication. However, in some situations, a client may feel they are developing an emotional or romantic attachment to their therapist. 

In such cases, it may be important to discuss these feelings with your therapist. It can be important to understand how feelings of closeness may develop within a therapeutic relationship and to consider how the therapeutic alliance may affect any potential new relationship. For example, it may be challenging for you and your therapist to create a healthy attachment due to the therapeutic bond that once existed between the two of you in therapy.

Can you be friends with your therapist after treatment?

While the APA does not expressly forbid therapists from having friendships with former clients, it is generally inadvisable. During sessions, the client-therapist relationship creates a power imbalance that may be difficult to overcome. This power imbalance may complicate a friendship or make it difficult to keep appropriate emotional boundaries.

Can you date your former therapist?

The APA ethics guidelines prohibit sexual intimacy between therapists and clients for the duration of treatment and for five years following the end of treatment. Following treatment, there may be situations in which a therapist and their former client might choose to enter a sexual or romantic relationship after those five years have passed. 

However, regardless of how much time has passed, a therapist must be able to demonstrate that their former client was treated appropriately during and after therapy. The ethics code outlines some factors that may impact whether dating your former therapist could be appropriate:

• How long it has been since treatment stopped
• The nature, duration, and intensity of the therapy sessions
• The circumstances of the decision to end therapy
• Your history and current mental status
• The likelihood of a relationship being harmful to you
• Whether the possibility of a romantic or sexual relationship came up during therapy

Finding a new therapist

If you are considering moving on from your therapist, it may be worth asking for a referral to another therapist. After several sessions, your therapist may have a solid sense of your history and needs and thus may be able to refer you to a new therapist so that you can continue treatment. 

You may also consider expanding your search by consulting an online therapy platform such as BetterHelp. With online therapy, you can connect with licensed therapists specializing in various treatment approaches. Virtual therapy tends to be more affordable than traditional face-to-face therapy, and attending therapy from the comfort of home may make it easier to establish a healthy therapeutic relationship. Should you need to find a new therapist, the online interface of virtual therapy may make it easier to broach the subject and part ways with your current provider, as well as switch to a new therapist when and if you feel ready to do so.  

The efficacy of online therapy 

If you are considering ceasing treatment after moving on from your therapist, it may be worth weighing your options carefully and considering whether you might still benefit from some form of therapy. Research has found talk therapy to be beneficial for roughly three-quarters of those who attend. Additionally, online therapy has been shown to be just as effective as in-person therapy for treating a variety of mental health disorders and other concerns. It could offer you a way to overcome any financial obstacles that may be impacting your decision to receive services from a provider. 

Takeaway

When you stop seeing your therapist, you may wonder whether it’s appropriate to continue your relationship in some capacity. Understanding the ethical considerations regarding multiple relationships can help you make an informed decision about how to approach your relationship with your therapist when you are no longer their client. If you are considering stopping therapy with your current therapist, you may consider continuing treatment with a new one. Online platforms like BetterHelp can make connecting with mental health professionals near you easy or allow you to switch when the time is right. Therapy is ultimately about you, your needs, and your goals, and it can be vital to find a therapist who can help you have a positive, beneficial experience while participating in sessions.