ABSTRACT
The endings of therapeutic relationships in counseling come about in different ways. In some situations, after ending individual counseling, people and their clients will have ongoing relationships. When a therapeutic relationship has been well built, often the client knows that it is time to end, and doing so can be more joyous. Some endings may be arbitrary, based on the end of an academic year, the client or counselor leaving the setting, the end of available services, or other artificial interruptions. While this is not ideal, it can be planned for, and progress in the therapeutic relationship can be consolidated and continued beyond the work in counseling. However, with arbitrary endings, author thinks it can be helpful to offer people thoughts on ongoing work. If the ending will not be arbitrary and the therapeutic relationship can reach its natural conclusion. As they build and maintain therapeutic relationships, help their clients build a process of ongoing, self-aware self-actualization and self-aware decision-making.
