2 Termination in Social Work Author’s Name: Institutional Affiliation: Course No and

2

Termination in Social Work

Author’s Name:

Institutional Affiliation:

Course No and Name:

Instructor’s Name:

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Termination in Social Work

All therapeutic work must end because therapy aims to enable clients to address their issues on their own and develop effective coping mechanisms. The termination phase is the final phase of treatment. It entails the conclusion of the intervention process between the social workers and the client. It is shorter than the other stages of the therapeutic relationship but has a significant impact on promoting clients’ future growth. Skipping this phase can undo the progress made during therapy (Micsky, 2022). As such, social workers must have the skills for successful termination. This paper will expound on the process of termination.

Why Termination is an Important Part of Social Work

Termination has several benefits in social work. Initially, it promotes the identification of clients’ growth and progress. Compelling evidence has shown that the process involves assessing clients’ progress in achieving their goals (Alfonsson et al., 2023). Doing so can help them recognize skills they have acquired or positive changes they have made throughout the therapeutic process. Evaluating clients’ progress enables them to acknowledge their achievements and efforts in facing their issues. It enables them to consolidate these gains and plan how to incorporate them into their daily lives after therapy.

Evaluating progress also involves reflection that empowers clients to identify areas of growth. For example, a client’s goals may shift as their therapy ends. Termination enables them to discuss these goals with their social worker, which is helpful in their future growth. Evaluating a client’s progress during the termination phase also enables social workers to assess the effectiveness of their interventions. Doing so enables them to identify their strengths and areas of improvement, empowering them to improve the quality of their future interventions (Berg-Weger & Tyuse, 2023). Therefore, termination allows clients and social workers to reflect on how their personal growth has unfolded throughout the therapeutic process, giving insights into their progress, changes, strongholds, areas of improvement, and growth.  

Termination also enables both the client and social worker to get closure. An effective therapeutic relationship relies on both parties connecting to get the best outcomes. As such, termination enables them to say goodbye and get closure (Mooney & Dale, 2022). It facilitates emotional resolution, enabling them to acknowledge this professional relationship’s end and prepare for upcoming transitions. Termination is also an essential process for empowering clients to improve their independence. The therapeutic process entails helping the client develop skills to handle their challenges. The termination phase highlights that the client is now adequately prepared to face these challenges without the social worker’s support. It shows clients can now take their path and make independent choices that align with their goals. It creates a sense of self-efficacy by showing the client is prepared to handle their life challenges independently. Termination also involves discussing how clients can resolve and predict future problems. Social workers also enlighten their clients on how they can find additional resources for their future needs, promoting long-term self-sufficiency.

Selection of a Client/ Case

One case that stood out in my current field placement was that of a client who expressed her intention to discontinue therapy. The case was unique because I had never experienced a case where the client wanted to halt therapy. In my previous experiences, termination occurred after we agreed with the client that they had achieved their treatment goals. The client, Sarah, had confidence issues in her professional and personal life. She expressed that she consistently felt inferior to her friends and workmates. She often felt like she needed to prove herself. Besides, she did not have a supportive home environment. She expressed emotional disconnection with her critical mother. Her father also engaged in verbal and emotional abuse. However, her supportive older siblings helped her through this challenging family situation.

Factors that Led to the Termination

One of the factors that contributed to the conclusion of Sarah’s therapy was her new job. She stipulated that the new occupation comes with many responsibilities, making it challenging for her to continue with treatment. The job was an external factor because it was an aspect outside our therapeutic relationship. However, as a social worker, I ensure clients do not feel abandoned despite initiating termination. As such, I conducted further exploration to understand whether other factors prompted her decision.

I discovered other factors that contributed to Sarah’s decision to terminate. She had previously told me that she felt like I did not understand her. As a social worker, I know these feelings can hinder an effective therapeutic relationship. As such, I invited Sarah to help me comprehend her better. I engaged in active listening and reflected on her words and emotions. Rodat (2020) has shown that this helps clients feel understood and validated. Sarah made an effort to communicate her experiences and emotions. However, despite our efforts, she believed I did not understand her. The feeling of not being understood was an internal factor contributing to Sarah’s termination decision. The termination was unplanned because we had not agreed to end the therapeutic relationship at that time.

Termination Introduction and Response

Introducing termination to the client was a delicate process. The process was unplanned. I was surprised when she expressed her desire to terminate therapy because we were making good progress. I was also concerned and thus explored whether there were other reasons for her decision other than articulated job responsibilities. Doing this was essential to address any unresolved issues during the termination session.

The termination process involved assessing Sarah’s progress. She thought about what she gained, liked, and disliked in the therapeutic process. For example, she remembered how she resented her sister, who used a wheelchair when starting therapy. She often felt like her sibling was taking advantage of the situation. However, Sarah’s feelings have changed throughout the therapeutic process, enabling her to become more empathetic and compassionate toward her sister. The transformation depicted the client’s growth and progress in the therapeutic process. Sarah also said that despite feeling like I did not understand her, she liked that I supported and encouraged her to pursue her desired job. She said it was good to have someone who motivated her to go after her dream job instead of succumbing to the pressures from her colleagues, friends, and parents. Knowing that I impacted her life and seeing her gains and growth instilled a sense of pride in me.

The client had a mixed response to the termination process. She identified the positive outcomes of the therapeutic relationship. However, she also had some concerns about terminating therapy, worrying about her ability to face future challenges with therapeutic support. I empathized with her problems and discussed the possibility of future sessions. I emphasized and expressed pride in the skills she gained throughout the therapeutic process, showing her that she can cope with life challenges independently. However, I reassured her that she could always return to therapy if needed. I also provide her with resources and tools for continued support.

Social Worker Skills for Successful Termination and Pitfalls

Empathy and active listening are some of the skills that social workers need for successful termination. These skills enable social workers to create a comfortable environment, facilitating open communication. It encourages clients to voice their needs or concerns. Active listening goes beyond physical hearing as it entails the listener responding to the speaker’s message (Friston et al., 2021). It shows that the social worker listens attentively and values the clients’ experiences and perspectives. It encourages clients to open up about resolved issues or express their fears or doubts about ending therapy. Empathy involves the professional putting themselves in the client’s shoes to comprehend their feelings and experiences. It enables them to validate their clients’ feelings and perspectives, creating a sense of closure.

Emotional intelligence is also another necessary social work skill for successful termination. The conclusion of therapy can evoke various emotions like pride, sadness, satisfaction, or a sense of loss (Bischoff et al., 2020). Social workers should understand these feelings. They should allow clients to express these feelings. Doing so creates a sense of validation that increases their satisfaction with therapy. Emotional intelligence also empowers social workers to manage emotions to create a supportive atmosphere. Social workers should also know how to set boundaries (Szczygiel & Emery-Fertitta, 2021). Some clients may view the end of a positive therapeutic relationship as an invitation for a personal one. Setting boundaries can help reinforce the professional relationship between social workers and clients, eliminating confusion. Social workers must also have collaboration skills. They must work together with the client to set termination goals. It empowers them to take an active role in their well-being even after therapy ends.  

Premature termination is one of the pitfalls that social workers experience in this process. It entails concluding the therapeutic relationship before the client has achieved the expected outcomes. It occurs when there the ending has not been agreed upon by the client and social worker. Ending therapy prematurely can leave clients feeling abandoned, affecting them negatively (Mooney & Dale, 2022). One of the reasons for this is the social worker undermining the clients’ challenges. It can cause them to end therapy without evaluating whether the client is ready. Such can lead to premature termination, which causes feelings of abandonment among clients.

Another potential pitfall around termination is avoiding having difficult conversations. From a liberal perspective, clients may have unresolved issues. Discussing these issues can cause discomfort or negative reactions from them. As such, social workers may decide not to discuss them because the client is ending therapy. However, failing to address these issues can hinder the client’s progress after therapy, increasing the likelihood of relapsing. Another mistake that social workers make during termination is failing to discuss the possibility of future sessions. Future issues may require clients to seek professional assistance. Some clients may also benefit from occasional follow-up support to transition to life after therapy (Alfonsson et al., 2023). Failing to discuss the possibility of sessions can make clients feel unsure about where to seek help if they face challenges in the future.

In conclusion, termination is a vital part of social work. It shows that the therapeutic relationship is coming to an end. It gives social workers and clients closure, enabling them to prepare for upcoming transitions. It enables them to reflect on the gains and areas for growth and improvement. Termination also improves clients’ self-efficacy, enabling them to handle life difficulties independently. For successful termination, social workers must have emotional intelligence, active listening, collaboration, and empathy skills. They must also know how to set boundaries. They should refrain from ending therapy prematurely, neglecting to discuss the possibility of future sections and unresolved issues. Sarah’s case shows that termination allows social workers to continuously learn and improve their therapeutic interventions.

References

Alfonsson, S., Fagernäs, S., Sjöstrand, G., & Tyrberg, M. J. (2023). Psychotherapist variables that may lead to treatment failure or termination—A qualitative analysis of patients’ perspectives. Psychotherapy.

Berg-Weger, M., & Tyuse, S. W. (2023). The practice of generalist social work. Routledge.

Bischoff, T., Krenicki, L., & Tambling, R. (2020). Therapist reported reasons for client termination: A content analysis of termination reports. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 48(1), 36-52.

Friston, K. J., Sajid, N., Quiroga-Martinez, D. R., Parr, T., Price, C. J., & Holmes, E. (2021). Active listening. Hearing Research, 399, 107998.

Micsky, T. J. (2022). Teaching note—Termination of the social work process: Field education and COVID-19. Journal of Social Work Education, 58(4), 802-808.

Mooney, H., & Dale, M. (2022). Facilitating closure. In Practice Skills in Social Work and Welfare (pp. 270–282). Routledge.

Rodat, S. (2020). Empathy and active listening in humanistic social work. Research Terminal in the Social Sciences, 9–25.

Szczygiel, P., & Emery-Fertitta, A. (2021). Field placement termination during COVID-19: Lessons on forced termination, parallel process, and shared trauma. Journal of Social Work Education, 57(sup1), 137-148.