Literature and Conceptual Framework
Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on termination specifically in the correctional setting; however, other research can be consulted to draw parallels. At first, the researcher will review the literature on the topic of termination, its history, and the issue of forced termination. Then the researcher will explore why therapy in the correctional setting is important.
Historical Overview of Therapy Termination
All psychotherapeutic work has to end because it is the most fundamental goal of therapy to make itself obsolete. Ideally, a patient and his or her therapist realize at the same time that the treatment goals are achieved to a sufficient degree and are ready to terminate; however, this does not always happen. Often, one of the two, the patient or the therapist, will want or needs to stop treatment, while the other thinks that the time is not right. One of the reasons for such a situation may be forced termination.
In the past, the termination phase of psychotherapy has been mostly neglected in psychologists’ training and research, although it already found considerable attention in psychoanalysis in 1917 and 1928 in Freud’s and Ferenczi’s work (Auld, & Hyman, 1991). However, in the early days of psychoanalysis, termination was not a major concern. The main reason was Freud’s idea of the never-ending analysis and Ferenczi’s belief that truly cured patients will free themselves from analysis and will seek gratification elsewhere (Auld, & Hyman, 1991). However, Freud eventually recognized the traumatizing effect discontinuation of therapy could have on the client (Bass, 2009).
The termination phase became a discussion point once again in the 1950s. At a symposium, it was ack...
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...l Institute of Justice, 265, 22-25.
Someda, K. (2009). An international comparative overview on the rehabilitation of offenders and effective measures for the prevention of recidivism. Legal Medicine, 11, S82–S85. doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.01.064
Sun, K. (2012). Correctional Counseling: A Cognitive Growth Perspective. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Todd, D. M., Deane, F. P., & Bragdon, R. A. (2003). Client and therapist reasons for termination: a conceptualization and preliminary validation. Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 59(1), 133–147.
World Report 2012: United States (2012). Retrieved from http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-united-states
Wormith, J. S., & Olver, M. E. (2002). Offender Treatment Attrition and its Relationship with Risk, Responsivity, and Recidivism. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 29(4), 447–471. doi:10.1177/0093854802029004006
This essay begins with the introduction of the Risk-Needs-Responsivitiy Model which was developed to assess offending and offer effective rehabilitation and treatment (Andrews & Bonta, 2007). The R-N-R model “remains the only empirically validated guide for criminal justice interventions that aim to help offenders” (Polashek, 2012, p.1) consisting of three principles which are associated with reductions in recidivism of up to 35% (Andrew & Bonta, 2010); risk, need and responsivity. Firstly, the risk principle predicts the offenders risk level of reoffending based on static and dynamic factors, and then matched to the degree of intervention needed. Secondly, the R-N-R targets individual’s criminogenic needs, in relation to dynamic factors. Lastly, the responsivity principle responds to specific responsivity e.g. individual needs and general responsivity; rehabilitation provided on evidence-based programming (Vitopoulous et al, 2012).
Wormith, J. S., Althouse, R., Simpson, M., Reitzel, L. R., Fagan, T. J., & Morgan, R. D. (2007). The rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders: The current landscape and some future directions for correctional psychology. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(7), 879-892.
Some complication of the ending phase mention in the text is that the relationship can be ended to early or the client can become angry or sad. I think that it is more likely that the client will become sad, because they have built a strong bond with their therapist.
In today’s society, many people commit crimes and illegal behavior is nothing new. Society knows that there are criminals and they have criminal intentions. The question today is not if people are going to commit crimes, it is finding the most effective method to help those criminals reenter society as productive citizens, and preventing new people from becoming criminals. Department of corrections around the nation have implemented a program that identifies the most effective method. The “what works” movement outlines four general principles that are implemented in the rehabilitation of criminals; and, these principles are risk principle, criminogenic need principle, treatment principle, and fidelity principle.
The complex issues of dealing with offenders in the criminal justice system has been a point of ongoing controversy, particularly in the arena of sentencing. In one camp there are those who believe offenders should be punished to the full extent of the law, while others advocate a more rehabilitative approach. The balancing act of max punishment for crimes committed, and rehabilitating the offender for reintegration into society has produced varying philosophies. With the emanation of drug-induced crimes over the past few decades, the concept of drug treatment courts has emerged. The premise of these courts is to offer a “treatment based alternative to prison,” which consist of intensive treatment services, random drug testing, incentives
As the current prison structures and sentencing process continues to neglect the issues that current offenders have no change will accrue to prevent recidivism. The issue with the current structure of the prison sentencing process is it does not deal with the “why” the individual is an social deviant but only looks at the punishment process to remove the deviant from society. This method does not allow an offender to return back to society without continuing where they left off. As an offender is punished they are sentenced (removal from society) they continue in an isolated environment (prison) after their punishment time is completed and are released back to society they are now an outsider to the rapidly changing social environment. These individuals are returned to society without any coping skills, job training, or transitional training which will prevent them from continuing down th...
Explore and reflect upon your clinical skills and work in the termination stage with your client. Where were you successful and where were you challenged? Were there personal/professional struggles? Counter transference issues? Make sure to also mention any challenges to self on ethnocentric, racist, heterosexist, ageist, classist, and any other assumptions that we all bring and must be tempered with our professional knowledge base.
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the successful termination process with a client that was in counseling for 8 months. The counselor will disclose the successful goals the client was able to overcome during those 8 months. The counselor will also discuss the strategies that will help the client maintain change for post-termination.
Termination is where the program is able to determine if objectives were accomplished and whether the program was effective. The aggregated dated paints a primarily objective picture of where the clients are and what they have accomplished. It also provides an opportunity for the client to assess their growth based on the services provided by the worker. Compiled data from the PARQ from all participants at termination is also aggregated and it objectively shows where the client is now. This data can be compared to the baseline and questionnaire and many conclusions can be made from the indicated
The dynamics of clinical relationships and the client’s progress in therapy can vary based on theoretical or therapeutic approaches and individual client preferences. Therefore, the driving force behind successful or lack there of treatment is largely dependent on the client’s wants and what they hope to achieve or not in treatment. Therapy can be an ongoing work in progress for a client, that can last many years, can be said to be indefinite, while for others its short lived as they took what they needed out of therapy. Some clients may sporadically come and go from treatment. Some clients may enter treatment as resistant, unwilling, and uncompliant to various approaches. According to McCarthy & Archer (2013), Freud would attribute such resistance,
Autonomy is Essential to maintaining client focused psychotherapeutic structure, is to uphold a client’s autonomy. An individual’s ability to oversee and make choices concerning their treatment, as well as how to progress with therapy is pivotal to counseling. Although clients may initially look towards the counselor for advice regarding challenges, and possible solutions, it is a therapist's job to encourage self-efficacy, and high esteem, so that the client feels confident to resolve matters on their own. As an example, if a client decides that they would like to return home to their husband, despite his ferocious temper, a counselor may provide resources, and create a safety plan with the client, however, ultimately it is the client's
UK: Willan Publishing Co., Ltd. Verkaik, R. (2006) The Big Question: What are the alternatives to prison, and do they work? The Independent [online] 10 October. Available from: Johnstone, G. and Ness, D. (2007) Handbook of Restorative Justice.
More recently than Alfred Adler’s day (Adler lived from 1870 to 1937), is a study that demonstrates the importance of goal setting. In this 1983 study, clients who dropped out of therapy after one session were compared to those who stuck with therapy for a longer period of time (Epperson, Bushway, and Warman, 1983). One component of this research was the recognition that clients who stayed in therapy
Premature termination can be a big inconvenience for the helper and the client during treatment. “Frequently our issue is not how to exit the relationship but rather how to restrain the client from terminating until real progress has been made.” Young (2013) This quote resonates with me because I have dealt with this in some form working with juveniles and their parents. In some cases, the parents have had enough with services and believe counseling will not work. In other cases, the youth feel forced to participate and engage is lost after a month or so. I can imagine a counselor still face these issues even in outpatient counseling. In my opinion the main case of early termination is lack of engage between the counselor and the client. From my experience lack of engage can mean anything from the client prefer a female over a male or vice
Najavits, L., &Strupp, H. (1994). Differences in the Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Therapists: A process-outcome study. Psychotherapy, 31, 114-123.