Ending Therapy with Clients

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Constructing the Processes Involved in Ending Therapy with Clients – Rosie Noyce (2014)

Ending therapy is a critical phase that often receives less attention than the beginning or middle stages. In her doctoral dissertation, Rosie Noyce (2014) explores how therapists and clients experience, construct, and navigate the process of ending therapy. Her research sheds light on the emotional, relational, and practical elements involved in termination and argues that how therapy ends can significantly influence its overall effectiveness.

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Key Themes and Insights

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Endings Are a Process, Not a Moment

Noyce emphasises that the end of therapy isn’t just the final session—it’s a gradual process that begins as early as the initial stages of therapy. Ideally, it should be planned, talked about openly, and co-created between therapist and client.

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The Emotional Weight of Goodbye

Therapy endings often stir up strong emotions for both client and therapist. Feelings of loss, sadness, anxiety, relief, pride, and even abandonment can arise. These emotions are not signs of failure but part of the natural unfolding of a meaningful therapeutic relationship.

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Unfinished Business and Repetition

One of the key findings is that the way therapy ends can re-enact or repair past relational experiences. For clients with histories of unresolved endings (e.g. abandonment, rejection), a conscious and respectful closure in therapy can be healing in itself. Conversely, rushed or unclear endings can replicate past traumas and leave clients feeling destabilised.

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Therapist’s Inner Experience

Noyce also explores how therapists manage their own responses—such as ambivalence, grief, or uncertainty—when letting go of a therapeutic relationship. She suggests that therapists need space to reflect on endings and that supervision can support this process.

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Practical Strategies for Healthy Termination

The study outlines practical ways to support a healthy ending:

• Flag the ending early in the process.

• Review the journey and highlight the client’s progress.

• Explore how the relationship is ending and what it means.

• Help the client identify supports and strategies post-therapy.

• Leave space to acknowledge gratitude, grief, or hope.

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Why This Matters

Ending therapy well is not just about good manners—it’s a therapeutic intervention in itself. It models a healthy goodbye, supports autonomy, and allows space for both closure and continuity. Noyce’s work highlights how therapy endings are deeply human experiences that deserve attention, care, and emotional honesty.

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Reference (APA 7th Edition)

Noyce, R. (2014). Constructing the processes involved in ending therapy with clients (Doctoral dissertation, Lancaster University, UK). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/openview/878b777d6b9fefbd63605df927426cbe/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=51922