Plan-Compatible Termination in Psychotherapy: Perspectives From Control-Mastery Theory

Termination processes in psychotherapy vary widely across patients, therapists, and therapies. While general guidelines on termination can inform ethical and responsible termination practices, termination decisions and processes are likely optimized using a case-specific approach. Control-mastery theory (CMT) provides a framework for considering the unique ways individual patients work in psychotherapy and can be applied to help therapists understand and facilitate optimal terminations. The present article provides a brief overview of CMT and outlines perspectives regarding the decision-making and discussion of psychotherapy termination, the processing of termination, and the final session of therapy. Question: How can psychotherapy termination be considered and responded to in a case-specific, personalized way? Findings: Control-mastery theory provides a framework for considering the patient’s adaptive goals, pathogenic beliefs, traumas, and tests in determining individualized clinical responses to termination-related issues in psychotherapy. Meaning: Clinicians can help patients disconfirm pathogenic beliefs—through passing their tests—throughout the termination process, including during the final psychotherapy session. Next Steps: Further research is needed to understand patients’ testing strategies specifically in the context of psychotherapy termination.