Au Revoir: An Attachment and Loss Perspective on Termination

Abstract

Traditional views of psychotherapy hold that termination allows both for a consolidation of therapeutic work and an opportunity to work through issues of separation and loss. Such a view suggests not only that those issues will resolve in treatment, but also that endings are inevitable, permanent, and that the feelings invoked can and should be mastered and worked through. Recent research on termination, attachment, loss and grieving suggests a different conception. Consideration of that research can better ground therapists in more nuanced techniques for ending treatment in both child and adult psychotherapy.

‘She's not going to leave me' – counsellors' feelings on ending therapy with children

“…Zilberstein (2008) found that for those children without strong parental support, the loss of an attachment figure could be developmentally devastating. Last sessions can be poignant for both the child and the therapist (Lanyado & Horne, 2009).…”

Breaking bad: an attachment perspective on youth mentoring relationship closures

“…). This means that those individuals will likely perpetuate their perceptions and beliefs systems, unless they are helped to notice and focus on discounted and disregarded information (Zilberstein ).…”

“…The type of attachment strategies activated depends upon the youth's pre‐existing working models (Stroebe et al . ; Zilberstein ). While secure individuals possess the coping tools to handle separations and losses, those with insecure or disorganized attachments can find the experience overwhelming and difficult.…”

Live Discharge from Hospice and the Grief Experience of Dementia Caregivers

“…Baum (2007) asserts that an unplanned termination can impede the therapeutic process, resulting in a lack of control or involvement for the participants. Individuals in these situations tend to experience more anger, regression, and narcissistic injury (Siebold, 2007;Zilberstein, 2008).…”