ABSTRACT
Ending family therapy can be an anxious time for a family. While they may have made good progress, family members often worry that the presenting problem will recur when therapy ends or that the changes made are not as durable as they appear. The family therapist must not ignore this worry by focusing exclusively on the positive and admiring the good work done in therapy. I have found that a task or ritual that specifically addresses the anxiety about relapse can be quite effective as part of the termination process. I have used this technique when working with families in outpatient treatment and with families who have a child in residential treatment.
