KANSAS

Your moral is much more optimistic. I was feeling a little gloomy when I posted the part about the one who stays away from the group. Although, I'd like to add that we not only have to learn to live with the imperfections of others and admire their qualities but we have to learn to live with our imperfections and admire our positive qualities as well.

The therapist who wrote that had done long-term therapy with a client who left therapy after 14 years. On her own terms. When she was ready. The client wasn't in an intimate relationship with someone when she left therapy (although during the course of therapy had had a 5 year relationship). The therapist was commenting on the fact that some therapists would have considered the therapy a failure because of that fact. Her client, however, was happy and had reached a very stable point in her life after suffering from some really tragic losses as a child and adult.

And, so, she was commenting on the fact that using whether or not the client is in an intimate relationship when they leave therapy as the measure of whether or not the therapy was successful isn't accurate, in her view.

I think as long as we are in an intimate relationship with ourselves is what matters most?