How to End Therapy Sessions on Time

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Many of you requested that I cover the topic of how to end therapy sessions on time. But, it’s something that I’m personally not the best at. So I invited you to offer your tips and tricks on Instagram and compiled your answers together in this video.

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This video is geared for therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field.

Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

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This video is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

Ending on time is not at all one of my personal strengths. My “50-minute” sessions often stretch into 60 minutes. So I need this video just as much as anyone else!

Before we dive into your awesome tips, I want to go over some of the main reasons why sessions tend to go over-time:

1. The client pushes the boundary

This is when a therapist is trying their darnedest to end on time but the client keeps on talking, asking questions, or refusing to get up to leave.

2. The therapist can’t hold the boundary.

An example of this might be if the therapist doesn’t feel confident enough to interrupt the therapeutic process for the sake of ending on time. Maybe the client is in the middle of crying or has just struck on a key ah-hah! Moment and the therapist finds it challenging to cut those moments short.

3. The therapist intentionally stretches the time for therapeutic purposes.

There are times where intentionally going over time can be beneficial for the client. In particular, if the client is in danger there may be need to stay with the client while waiting for a loved one to arrive so the client is not alone.

Keeping all that in mind, here are some of the wonderful tips you all offered to help end sessions on time:

1. Have a Clock Visible - Many clients will monitor their own time if there’s a clock visible to them. For others, this option may work well in tandem with some of the other tips here.

2. Verbal Warning - 5-10 minutes before the end of the session, let the client know that the time is coming to a close shortly. This is particularly helpful for clients who may need help monitoring the boundary of the session ending.

3. Shift Direction - 5-10 minutes before the end of the session, initiate a shift in dialogue to focus on the main takeaways from the session and review them rather than continuing to dive deeper into therapeutic content or asking more questions.

4. Pull out your Schedule - This is a tried and true strategy that works for most clients. If you reach for your planner to schedule the next appointment without saying anything, most clients will clue in. If they need an extra nudge, you can also say, “shall we take a look at the schedule for our next appointment?”

5. Nonverbal Cues - Whether it be closing your notepad, scooting forward in your seat, or flat out standing up and walking to the door, there are various ways you can nonverbally cue to your clients that it’s time to end. You can use this strategy alone or in tandem with verbal cues.

6. Validate and Redirect “doorknob” comments- If clients wait until the last minute to bring up key issues, it’s important to validate that you’re glad they brought up the item, and to also note that you’re aware it’s the end of your time for today and you can address the item together in the following session.

7. Consider whether you’re reachable between sessions - depending on a client’s needs, this can be a valuable resource. I make myself available for brief phone calls between sessions. If clients are having a tough time with a session ending, I encourage them to sit with what they’re feeling and I remind them that they can reach out to me if needed.

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