Is it okay to end a therapy session early if you just feel you’ve had enough?
I talk about the unique boundaries of therapy and one that adds some protection and specialness is the time period — often 50 minutes. It’s nudging a boundary to change that, which is precisely why I favor doing it once in a while.
Stretching a boundary here and there is special, and carries message and meaning.
A client brings coffee and one for me? I’ll probably drink it, gratefully, and fold the gesture gently into the therapy. Same with quitting early, or going a little bit overtime once in a while, and all the rest. Boundaries aren’t completely rigid, or they would be barriers and inviolable rules. If I break a boundary a bit, I need to have a rationale in my head about why it’s likely good for the therapy and the client.
Strictly observing boundaries can be good too.
I’m a little compulsive, so it soothes me to start precisely on time, and nowadays I hit the connect button as close to the precise time as I can. Some people appreciate it as a mark of respect, as intended, others never notice. As I always say and genuinely believe, therapy is a high art, and there’s no such thing as a rigid artist.