eiseEducation

Endings in psychotherapy are not simply administrative conclusions to treatment but clinically significant moments that consolidate, disrupt, or transform the therapeutic process. How therapy ends—whether planned, negotiated, or abrupt—has profound implications for both patient and therapist, often evoking complex emotional, relational, and ethical challenges.

This webinar will explore the clinical and ethical dimensions of both planned and unplanned endings in psychotherapy. We will begin by examining the historical understanding of endings and how different therapeutic traditions conceptualise endings in therapy. The session will then consider the various forms endings may take, including negotiated, unexpected dropout, rupture-driven endings, and high-risk discontinuations.

Particular attention will be given to the importance of facilitating thoughtful and structured endings, and to the challenges clinicians face when navigating premature or unexpected terminations. We will explore the impact of abrupt endings on both patients and therapists, including issues of attachment, loss, responsibility, and professional accountability. The webinar will also address the practical processes involved in ending therapy, including documentation and ethical considerations in high-risk situations.

Through two detailed case studies, participants will be invited to reflect on clinical decision-making, ethical dilemmas, and the use of endings as meaningful therapeutic interventions.