Terminating Therapy: A Professional Guide to Ending on a Positive Note

Foreword by Arthur Freeman, Ed.D., ABPP vii

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

1 Termination Strategy: A Pragmatic Approach in Contemporary Practice 1

The Importance of Termination 1

Pragmatic Strategy for Termination 18

Summary Points for Applied Practice 23

2 Professional Skills and Termination 25

Building A Base of Collaboration 25

Applying Reasonable Professional Standards 36

Summary Points for Applied Practice 46

3 Positive Closure from the Start: Groundwork for Termination 47

Optimize the Match 47

Set Policy and Shape Expectations for Termination 52

Formulate a Termination Plan 60

Summary Points for Applied Practice 76

4 Talking about Termination: A Closer Look at Communications 77

Orientation to the Topic of Termination 77

Making the Decision to Terminate 86

Creating a Record 104

Summary Points for Applied Practice 106

5 Achieving Closure: Assuring Professional Action 109

Directing the Termination Process 109

Managing Risks 123

Summary Points for Applied Practice 133

6 Adapting Termination to Client Needs: A Consumer-Oriented Perspective 135

Sociocultural Context 135

Clinical Needs 138

Developmental and Health-Related Needs 163

Practical Concerns 168

Summary Points for Applied Practice 171

7 Provider Challenges 173

Termination Dissonance 173

Sudden or Crisis Terminations 180

Self-Management Challenges 189

Summary Points for Applied Practice 198

8 Termination with Couples, Families, and Groups 201

Attending to Multiple Interests 201

Termination and Group Therapy 212

Summary Points for Applied Practice 216

9 Supervisory Termination 219

The Supervisory Relationship 219

Problems in Supervisory Termination 233

Summary Points for Applied Practice 244

10 A Consumer’s Guide to Ending Psychotherapy 247

Understanding How to End on a Positive Note 248

References 265

Subject Index 275

Author Index 287