British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy
No matter what the reason for the client’s departure, be straightforward, direct, and empathetic.Never point the finger onto the client, even if you are forced to end treatment because the client is difficult or you are not a good match for each other.Always be prepared to address questions concerning treatment termination, such as where a client might turn for extra assistance if necessary.
Clients who have experienced a strong therapeutic relationship may find it difficult to let go. Some people may decide to cease their participation by not attending any further sessions. As part of maintaining client autonomy, it is the client’s decision about when they believe it is acceptable to terminate the counselling relationship..
So what happens to those who choose to attend the previous meeting? Many clients will experience feelings of anxiety, sadness, or apprehension at the conclusion of a therapy partnership. Clients have placed their faith in their counsellors by revealing their emotions, ideas, sentiments, and, in many cases, their vulnerabilities to the counselor.
Reactions to be Expected: Clients frequently express resentment against the counselor, considering the termination of the therapeutic relationship as an act of desertion. Even if you make termination a topic of talk throughout your treatment sessions, it is possible that this may occur.
The termination phase was characterized as ″the final phase of therapy, during which the therapist and client work together consciously or subconsciously toward the completion of the treatment″ (Gelso & Woodhouse, 2002, pp. 346).
When someone enters therapy and develops a relationship with their therapist, whether it is online or in person, the last thing on that person’s mind is the prospect of terminating the connection.
When it comes to existing clients, it is typically advisable to bring up the subject of the practice’s approaching closure and the necessity for termination and referral (if required) during a therapy or counseling session with each individual client first (with appropriate documentation in the treatment records).
During the course of a nurse-client relationship, Hildegarde Peplau identifies four consecutive phases, each of which is distinguished by unique activities and interpersonal skills: preinteraction; orientation; working; and termination.
Therapy Comes to an End Good endings may be compared to graduations in that they acknowledge and celebrate what is coming to an end while also looking ahead to what the future may hold. It is critical to acknowledge and respect the past, whether it be years of joyful marriage or years of difficulty, in order to go on without lingering uncertainty.
If you want to keep your message brief and to the point, you can utilize broad terms like:
You should be given as much advance warning as possible unless the leave is necessary due to an emergency or unexpected incident in your life. Your therapist should give you at least a few months’ notice and, in the best of circumstances, up to six months’ notice if the leave is necessary.
A physician’s practice must be terminated, terminated employment or otherwise left, according to the medical board, ″and the physician must notify patients when the physician intends to terminate the practice, retire, or relocate, and will no longer be available to patients,″ as well as provide them with the option of transferring their care to another physician.
Termination is the last stage of therapy and signifies the end of the therapeutic partnership.The therapeutic partnership between the counselor and the client is terminated when the counselor and the client agree to do so.As crucial as the opening stage, the termination stage can be equally significant because it is often the final engagement that many clients will have with their counselor.
Because of the unique nature of the therapeutic connection, it differs from the relationships that we build and sustain in the actual world, which is a good thing. In contrast to our external connections, it is an unbiased relationship that is not founded on the past or that does not contain the judgments, sentiments, or dynamics that might be connected with them.
Countertransferences are illustrated by the following examples: For example, a therapist could visit with someone who has a tough time conversing with others. Unintentionally, the therapist may begin to guide the dialogue and give extra suggestions to the individual receiving therapy in order to stimulate further talk.