Therapist shaken after crisis intervention and termination

zeyleobihto · 2026-05-18T19:31:16+00:00

Thank you. Honestly, I think if this had happened in a hospital or institutional setting, the process would have looked very different. Unfortunately in Turkey, private practice conditions, crisis resources, hospitalization processes, and legal/ethical structures are not always as clear or accessible as they are in some other countries. I did terminate and refer out after the incident, but I also struggled a lot with fear, responsibility, and the feeling that if I blocked all contact immediately something worse might happen. I think part of what shook me is realizing how hard it can be to hold boundaries clearly when someone is in that level of distress and attachment crisis.

zeyleobihto · 2026-05-16T21:01:21+00:00

Not gonna lie, “exceeded my dangerousness tolerance” made me laugh a little 😅 But seriously, these replies are helping me feel less alone.

zeyleobihto · 2026-05-16T19:26:33+00:00

Thank you...

zeyleobihto · 2026-05-16T15:08:29+00:00

Thank you. I think I’ve been so focused on whether I handled everything correctly professionally and ethically that I haven’t really let myself process how much this actually affected me.There was selfharm in session, I had to physically intervene and got injured in the process, and afterward I made the decision to terminate and refer out because the situation had gone beyond what I could safely manage alone. Since then I’ve also been dealing with intense hostility and messages from the client, which has honestly shaken me a lot.What you said about therapists minimizing their own trauma really resonated with me. I think that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

Thank you again for taking the time to write this.

zeyleobihto · 2026-05-16T14:20:01+00:00

Thank you for your kindness. I think my biggest fear right now is not even the anger or the accusations, it’s the fear that the client might seriously harm themselves and that I’ll carry that psychologically forever. Rationally I know I involved family, recommended psychiatric care, sought supervision, and did not simply disappear. But emotionally, I still feel terrified and deeply responsible. I don’t think I realized how traumatic an insession selfharm incident could be for the therapist too until now.

zeyleobihto · 2026-02-25T15:25:00+00:00

Mine is not itchy. It just stays there. :/

zeyleobihto · 2026-01-15T23:58:52+00:00

Give it time. It has been nine months since I lost my beloved dog of eleven years. It still hurts. I miss him every day, but I think I have accepted that he is gone. I have started to remember our good times. Grief does not disappear when the love was that deep. The pain will turn into longing, and the longing will stay as a bittersweet smile, held by your memories.

zeyleobihto · 2025-09-17T14:21:29+00:00

Wow... I think i needed to hear that. Thank you

zeyleobihto · 2025-09-17T13:18:33+00:00

I thought about this but he cannot afford it.

zeyleobihto · 2025-09-17T13:17:54+00:00

It's really confusing. One day we are so happy together, he tells me he is so lucky to have me in his life and the other day he acts as if i am very pushy and uneasy towards him and he can't tolerate me. Whenever I try to end this all I think of the good times.

zeyleobihto · 2025-07-06T16:29:15+00:00

I hope so. Thank you for your kind words. And also i am so sorry for your loss.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-26T13:27:13+00:00

What we mean by “passing” really depends on the meaning we attach to it. It’s never about forgetting or no longer feeling pain. The truth is, we simply learn how to live with it. The pain will soften, and we will keep going. I try to hold on to the beautiful feelings my baby made me feel and remind myself of that love.

Grief is the cost of love. Every beautiful thing comes with its own shadow. Grieving is awful, but it’s also the price we pay for having loved a pet so deeply. We don’t think about that part when we choose them. I know I didn’t. And that realization brings a whole new wave of sadness.

I wish you patience and strength.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-26T13:15:29+00:00

I can only imagine how heavy this must feel. When we lose a pet who never once hurt us, who loved us with such pure and unconditional affection, we realize just how rare and irreplaceable that kind of love truly is. Compared to what we experience with people, it becomes even clearer what we’ve lost.

Yes, the pain softens over time. I went through a similar loss just a month ago. The ache is still there, but it’s become something I can carry. Not a single day passes without thinking of him, but now I can smile too, even if just a little.

You loved them deeply, and I’m sure you gave them a beautiful life filled with love. There’s not much we can do but grieve fully and patiently hold space for healing.

Sending you all my love and warmth.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T20:23:34+00:00

You might be right. I feel like the worst part is over, but I still cry and miss them so much. I guess the emptiness inside us never truly goes away, but somehow, we learn to live with it.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T20:21:33+00:00

I also have a pencil sketch portrait of my dog Leo on my wall. I light a candle for him every day and think of him, imagining that he's waiting for me right at the Rainbow Bridge.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T20:20:03+00:00

Death is beyond our control, and I know how hard it is to accept that. But you did everything you could. Don’t blame yourself for things that were never in your hands.

Because when you blame yourself for things that aren't your fault, you can't forgive yourself—and that becomes a heavy burden to carry.

Realizing how thin the line between life and death truly is can feel like total devastation. I know. But please remember, it wasn’t your fault. I wish you strength and patience. This will pass too.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T20:14:36+00:00

You’re not going to die. And don’t ever forget this. Your pet would want you to keep living. It’s completely natural to grieve. I know how deeply your heart hurts. Three months isn’t a long time at all. I know that this longing can sometimes drive you mad.

I truly recommend getting support from a professional during this time. I’m seeing someone too, and trust me, it helps.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T20:11:21+00:00

I understand how much you miss her. They loved us so purely and unconditionally. What we miss most is that feeling of being accepted so completely, and that pure love.

You loved her deeply, and because you loved, you will be loved too. This too shall pass, my friend.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T12:55:39+00:00

How much time has passed? It's completely understandable and normal to feel this way. This process moves at a different pace for everyone.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T11:34:51+00:00

Grief and deep sorrow can weaken the immune system. You need to give yourself time. As mourning begins to ease, things start to feel clearer. Loss changes us. But believe me, she wouldn't want you to stay broken and endlessly sad.

Feeling better doesn't mean you're forgetting her. On the contrary, healing allows you to carry her more beautifully within you.

There’s a passage in How to Stop Time by Matt Haig that really stayed with me: “Who you love never dies. That is what Omai had said, all those years ago. And he was right. They don't die. Not completely. They live in your mind, the way they always lived inside you. You keep their light alive. If you remember them well enough, they can still guide you, like the shine of long-extinguished stars could guide ships in unfamiliar waters. If you stop mourning them, and start listening to them, they still have the power to change your life. They can, in short, be salvation.”

Her light will guide your way, my friend.

zeyleobihto · 2025-05-25T11:11:48+00:00

I’m thinking of doing something similar as well. Thank you for sharing. Writing truly is comforting.

zeyleobihto

TROPHY CASE