Citation

Holmes J. Br. J. Psychother. 1997; 14(2): 159-171.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1752-0118.1997.tb00367.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Endings in psychoanalytic psychotherapy are often problematic, especially in publicly-funded therapies. Endings may be premature or delayed -?too soon?or?too late?. This paper looks at some parallels between endings in literature and endings in psychotherapy; considers the gender bias in Freud's?Analysis Terminable and Interminable?; introduces evidence from psychotherapy research; and puts forward an attachment-informed approach to ending, based on the distinction between avoidant and ambivalent attachment and how this may be played out by both therapist and patient in the transference-countertransfence matrix. A controlling therapist with an avoidant patient may end?too early?, an over-empathic therapist with an ambivalent patient may end?too late?. Clinical examples illustrate these theoretical points.