Therapeutic endings

Amos, IA

Abstract

The fact that the therapeutic relationship will end is an implicit premise from the outset of therapy, and therefore requires specific attention from the counsellor or psychotherapist. Endings have been identified as a fundamental concept within psychotherapy. Whether it is the ending of an individual therapy session, or bringing a therapeutic relationship to a final close, the end of therapy can be hugely significant for the client, as well as the therapist. In this chapter, the significance of the ending in therapy is elucidated as well as drawing attention to the multiple ways in which therapeutic endings can manifest. The kind of interactions considered relevant to the end of therapy will be discussed, and the question of what constitutes a ‘good’ ending will be considered.
This chapter presents discussion on the following:

• Why are therapeutic endings so important?

• Therapy tasks; including relapse prevention and reviewing therapeutic work

• Planned versus unplanned endings

• Considering additional referrals

• Managing the impact of endings

Citation

Amos, I. (2017). Therapeutic endings. In C. Feltham, T. Hanley, & L. Winter (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Sage

• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jun 28, 2018
• Book Title: The Sage Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy
• ISBN: 9781473953307
• Publisher URL: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-sage-handbook-of-counselling-and-psychotherapy/book248878#contents
• Related Public URLs: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur