From Termination to the Evolution of a Relationship: A New Understanding

Abstract

Much of the psychoanalytic literature on termination is steeped in ideals of autonomy, independence, and permanent cessation of contact. Although more recently some modified perspectives on termination have been offered, literature from various fields including contemporary psychoanalytic models, infancy research, and neuroscience supports a more extensive reconceptualization. After reviewing the literature, this article proposes replacing the concept of termination with the more flexible idea of multiple possible evolutions of the analytic relationship depending on the particular pair and their context. A clinical illustration is offered to support this perspective.