Ending remote therapy sessions... why closure matters more online than we realize

Moving from LA to San Diego meant shifting from in-person therapy to remote sessions, and one thing I didn’t expect was how different the ending would feel. In-person, there’s a natural sense of closure. Online, it’s different; it’s just a call, and at some point someone ends it. Early on, I avoided tracking session time because even thinking about the “end” made me shut down. It felt like I’d lose the flow of speaking entirely, like I’d be cut off before I was done. Coming back to therapy years later in a remote setup made me more aware of this. I started thinking about the etiquette of ending sessions who says goodbye first, who disconnects, and what that moment actually means emotionally. What stood out to me is how easily remote sessions can trigger old feelings of abandonment, not because anything is wrong clinically, but because the structure is so abrupt compared to in-person care. Now I think ending remote sessions needs more intention: - a clear verbal wrap-up - a consistent closing routine - no sudden disconnections without acknowledgment - shared goodbye instead of an abrupt cut-off Remote care doesn’t just change how sessions happen; it changes how they end. And that ending carries more weight than we often assume...