How to Decide When to End Therapy

There's no lab test or imaging study like a CT scan or an MRI to measure how much progress you've made in therapy. But there is a strong movement away from endless navel-gazing—the Woody Allen stereotype of therapy going on for years, even decades, without resolution.

"It's unrealistic to expect a cure for depression symptoms after four to six weeks of therapy," says William C. Sanderson, PhD, a professor of psychology at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. "But if there's no improvement during that time, we need to evaluate whether you're in the right treatment for you."

Check in regularly
Jayne Bloch, a psychoanalyst in New York City, says it's crucial to set goals with your therapist and have regular check-ins. But, she adds, don't be surprised if the "end date" approaches and old symptoms start coming back.

"I had a patient in long-term analysis, she just wanted to go, but she felt like she had to be angry in order to leave," Bloch says. "She felt the only way to leave is to just set the date and leave being angry. It's not that different than the process of leaving home—often kids leave their parents feeling they have to rebel."