Animals, varying in breeds, have been shown to be effective in helping a multitude of differing mental health problems, including trauma (Hunt & Chizkov, 2014), autism (Berry, Borgi, Francia, Alleva, & Cirulli, 2013), anxiety (Cortes, 2018), depression (Souter & Miller, 2007), chronic pain (Bradley & Bennett, 2015), and aphasia (Macauley, 2006). While many people may […]
Facilitate Memorable Terminations with Awareness, Courage and Love Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), a contemporary contextual behavioral therapy grounded in empirically supported principles, harnesses the power of the therapeutic relationship and maximizes the therapist’s genuineness, compassion and effectiveness. FAP focuses on how therapists can notice and respond effectively to client daily-life problems when they also occur […]
Termination of the Therapy Relationship As with all relationships, a therapeutic relationship has a beginning and an end. The end of a therapeutic relationship often offers an opportunity for the therapist and client to engage in the termination process, which can include looking back on the course of treatment, helping the client plan ahead and […]
Psychotherapy research has made significant strides over many decades in identifying treatment ingredients that bode well for a successful outcome (Greenberg, 2016; Lambert, 2013; Norcross, 2011). Yet, relatively little empirical evidence or transtheoretical consensus has been produced about the closing moves in effective terminations. Instead, attention has more frequently been turned to the problem of […]
Abstract Therapists often struggle to determine the most important things to focus on during termination. Reviewing the treatment, identifying plans for the future, summarizing positive gains, and saying goodbye receive the most attention. Despite our best intentions, termination can end up becoming intellectualized. Attachment theory and recent developments in neuroscience offer us a road map […]
It is ironic that while most therapists champion the role of the therapeutic relationship in the success of therapy, there has been little research on how the transfer process and prior therapy relationships may have an impact on the therapeutic relationship. Clients are often transferred from one therapist to another in clinics when therapists-in-training leave […]
Termination is the term typically used when referring to the ending of the psychotherapy relationship. It may occur as an anticipated and well-articulated treatment plan that indicates the next phase of the psychotherapy process or it may occur precipitously or by surprise. Abandonment is a term that implies that the psychotherapist either ended the psychotherapy […]
Psychotherapists have numerous obligations to our clients that exist with the intent of ensuring that our clients’ best interests are paramount in our thinking and resulting actions. Jorgenson, Hirsch, and Wahl (1997) describe the responsibilities inherent in the psychotherapy relationship as a fiduciary responsibility to one’s clients. As they explain this relationship and responsibility: Generally, […]
Termination is generally viewed by psychotherapists as a complex stage of psychotherapy (Gelso & Woodhouse, 2002). Research confirms that during this phase, the process and progress of psychotherapy are typically reviewed, goals are developed for the future, and the dyad says goodbye (Marx & Gelso, 1987). For some clients and psychotherapists, psychotherapy termination is also […]