Posted by pegasus on February 6, 2006, at 21:44:51
In reply to Re: Is this the termination phase?, posted by Dinah on February 6, 2006, at 9:51:47
Yep. According to what I've read, that sounds like you're ready to start a termination phase. Although, having known you for a while here, I'm wondering if it isn't just that you're starting to give up, which is an entirely different phenomenon. Which rings more true to you?
At any rate, if you really are getting yourself into a termination phase, I hope it can take as long as you need it to. I think the idea is that you wouldn't actually end until you want to. And even then, an ideal termination apparently includes an open ended invitation to come back now and then as needed.
But I have to admit that I found those vignettes in the books where the client has a bitersweet final session, where they recognize all their gains and that they're done with therapy, and everyone cries and hugs to sound a bit pollyanna-ish. It's hard to imagine that it really goes that way very often. I'm picturing a lot of turmoil in the mind of the client, underneath their well mannered goodbye. Maybe those are just my issues. Or maybe the therapists who write the books just think that's how it's going? :(
peg
poster:pegasus
thread:606808
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060131/msgs/607070.html