Termination of psychotherapy has been infrequently examined in the
literature and often ignored by many training programs. Not only are
criteria and techniques for termination not often discussed, but
termination as a therapeutic opportunity has been neglected. The authors
present two cases of psychotherapy termination initiated by the therapist
and point out that countertransference phenomena, potentially destructive,
are the major aspect separating psychotherapy termination by mutual
agreement and termination initiated by the therapist. Careful, regular, and
attentive supervision for therapists in training is essential to
counterbalance the intensified countertransference reactions involved.
Abstract Teaser