The Power of a Proper Goodbye: Why Endings Heal Us

This is my final column. After two years, I am grateful for the chance to share strong opinions. I argued that the Oedipal complex is real. I defended psychodynamic therapy as a vital treatment. I even claimed "Midnight Run" is the best film ever. Now, at the end, I am thinking about endings themselves. They are powerful. An ending can make us say what we once could not. It can create sudden intimacy and honesty. It can also bring deep sadness. This is why many people find endings overwhelming. In therapy, it is common for patients to want to leave early. They may skip the last session or call it a waste of time. The urge to run away is strong. I have felt it, too. But here is what I have learned: try to stay. Stay in the room. Stay in the moment. Face the ending directly. You will be glad you did.