ABSTRACT
Like everything in life, the therapeutic process has a beginning and will have an end. Loss is an integral and existential part of being alive and is not exempt from the therapeutic relationship. Yet with the loss, a new life full of potential also begins. Helping clients deal with a sense of loss is an integral part of the termination process and is the therapists’ responsibility. Learning from this chapter’s stepwise skills and the plenty of illustrations, novice therapists will feel adept in conducting a productive termination including:
Processing feelings of separation prior to termination
Using the scaling question to assess client progress
Tracking the client’s narrative change. Pursuing the change talk
Helping clients extend their new self-narrative to the future
Giving and receiving feedback
Making referrals if necessary
Creating a ritual of saying goodbye: sharing appreciation and regret
