Melissa Baldwin Therapy

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Ghosting Your Therapist

I read an article in Psychology Today where the psychologist tried to shame people seeing therapists into not ghosting them.

I am sure the shame part was an unintended byproduct of the article, although the language was precise.

The therapist mentioned that it is disrespectful, hurtful, and a sign of immaturity to ghost a therapist.

As the article stated, there certainly is growth to be achieved by learning how to end a relationship respectfully.

Having been ghosted before and possibly will be again as a therapist, I can say that none of this needs to be felt.

The first time it was a punch in the gut feeling followed by hot shame that flooded my system, and then once I sat still for a bit and sat through the activation in my nervous system, I was able to see where I may have missed something.

Since I was ghosted, I cannot know if I am correct, but I can usually find a place where I could improve.

There is nothing to gain from fretting over it or even trying to understand it unless the reason is apparent.

I can manage my nervous system and recognize my ego when it is bruised to step back and move on.

When I read a published professional therapist write about how difficult this is for them, I see a person who needs more resilience in their nervous system to handle what ghosting throws at them.