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Ending a Therapeutic Relationship(Date 15th March 2025)




Termination is an essential phase of counselling. It's not just an administrative conclusion — it's a meaningful process that provides space for closure, reflection, and a celebration of the progress made. In therapy, how we end matters just as much as how we begin. A well-planned termination can help solidify the gains achieved and prepare the client for a future where they can navigate challenges independently.


On a personal level, I have always struggled with endings. Goodbyes have rarely felt neutral to me; instead, they often trigger deep feelings of abandonment and loss. Throughout my life, farewells — whether with friends, mentors, or significant life phases — have left an emotional imprint that is hard to shake off. So when I first learned that even counselling relationships, no matter how nurturing or transformative, must eventually come to an end, it stirred up old anxieties within me. The idea that something so safe and supportive would have to conclude felt unsettling, almost unfair.


However, as I delved deeper into the process and purpose of termination, my perspective began to shift. I realized that in therapy, endings are not sudden or cold; they are thoughtfully prepared for, collaboratively discussed, and timed in a way that reflects growth. Termination is not about abandonment; it's about empowerment. It's a phase where both the client and therapist can look back at the journey — the struggles faced, the resilience built, the insights gained — and honor the progress made.


More importantly, termination can symbolize a transition rather than a loss. It marks a milestone — a sign that the client has developed the tools and confidence needed to move forward independently. Understanding this helped me soften my instinctive fear of goodbyes. Maybe not all endings are painful separations; some are affirmations that we are ready for the next chapter.


In the context of counselling, termination is not about forgetting or undoing the bond formed. Instead, it's about carrying forward the lessons, the strength, and the self-awareness nurtured during therapy. It’s about trusting that while the relationship may end, the growth it fostered remains a permanent part of one's journey.


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