TERMINATING PSYCHOTHERAPY

   

   

   

      

by William Donohue and Michael Cuccaire

Published by Routledge/Taylor Frances at £31.00 (www.routledge.com). 550+ pages. ISBN 978-0-415-95436-3.

AS A BELIEVER THAT that every client leaving their therapist should first have a ‘grief’ session, I welcomed this book and wanted to learn more.

These 23 chapters with contributions from 43 experts certainly offered to meet that need.

The book is divided into two sections. The first concerns issues, controversies and strategies. It covers terminating managed-care sessions, forced and premature terminations, therapeutic procedures, interruptions in intermittent psychotherapy throughout a life cycle, terminations at each Stage of Change – by James Prochaska himself – and ethical issues.

The second section describes termination in the context of various treatment models, populations and patient problems. These include cognitive-behavioural therapy, behaviour therapy, children, adolescents, older adults, people with depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, personality problems and even psychotic disorders. It addresses inpatient and residential settings. And, importantly, it also gives helpful advice on ending psychotherapy with suicidal patients. Finally, there is a specialist chapter on japanese clients.

This is a weighty read in every sense. But keep it on your reference shelf to reassure yourself that you are implementing good practice.

FRED RICHMOND trained as a BACP-accredited integrative counsellor.