termination phase
The final stage of psychoanalytic treatment involving working through separation issues and consolidating therapeutic gains.
Full Definition
The termination phase represents the concluding period of psychoanalytic treatment, typically lasting several months to over a year. This phase involves working through separation anxiety, mourning the loss of the therapeutic relationship, and consolidating insights and changes achieved during treatment. Patients often experience a recurrence of symptoms or regression during this phase as they grapple with ending the analysis. The termination process itself becomes analytic material, revealing patterns about how the patient handles endings, loss, and independence.
Usage
Usage note: Can be used with or without hyphen as compound adjective, but prefer hyphenated form.
In Context
- "During the termination phase, the patient's dreams increasingly featured themes of loss and abandonment." — Clinical case notes
- "The analyst carefully monitored the termination phase for signs of premature ending or flight from treatment." — Supervision consultation