The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy How Therapists Retire: Planning, Ethics, and Letting Go of the Work You Love – An Interview with Lynn Grodzki, LCSW and Margaret Wehrenberg, PsyD
Nov 3, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Lynn Grodzki, LCSW, a private practice coach, and Margaret Wehrenberg, PsyD, anxiety expert and author, delve into the complexities of therapist retirement. They introduce the Readiness for Retirement model, outlining four essential stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action. The conversation highlights the emotional toll, identity shifts, and ethical considerations therapists face when letting go of their work. Listeners will gain insights into planning effectively and embracing their new roles, while navigating guilt and legacy.
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Retirement Is A Major Professional Transition
- Retirement is the profession's second-most consequential transition after entering the field.
- A staged Readiness for Retirement model (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action) clarifies the process.
Use The Four-Stage Retirement Framework
- Follow four stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action to retire ethically and intentionally.
- Start planning years ahead so clients and clinicians have time for proper endings.
Plan Client Transitions Concretely
- In preparation, set concrete timelines, decide which clients you'll accept, and plan referral processes.
- Give clients adequate notice and structure endings to avoid ethical abandonment.
