The first book of its kind to provide an in-depth approach to termination of therapy, Terminating Therapy guides you through the practical, ethical, legal, and emotional challenges of how and when to end therapy. Written for a wide range of practitioners at every level of experience, this book provides straightforward advice on ending therapy on a positive note.
Table of Contents:
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
About the Author :
Denise D. Davis is Assistant Director of Clinical Training for the doctoral pro-gram in Clinical Psychology at Vanderbilt University. She has nearly twenty-five years of experience as a private practitioner, clinical educator, and consultant.
