Good Enough Endings

<P>In the relational literature, the subject of termination - the ending of an analysis - has received scant attention, and traditional Freudian or ego-psychological criteria are not always enough to assess the readiness to terminate therapy in the coconstructed, intersubjective analytic relationship. <EM>Good Enough Endings </EM>seeks to remedy this gap, bringing together contributions from contemporary relational thinkers, while at the same time engaging with ideas from other psychoanalytic perspectives. Topics given consideration include:</P><UL><LI>Can there be a relational criteria or paradigm for termination, and what would it include?</LI><LI>How do treatment goals of the analyst and/or that of the patient affect the decision to terminate?</LI><LI>How do recent developments in attachment theory and research influence the preparation to end analysis?</LI><LI>What occurs for the patient after termination, and how do we assess the need for follow-up?</LI></UL><P>Integrating elements of existing psychoanalytic theory with the fruits of the relational turn, <EM>Good Enough Endings </EM>expands and expounds upon the relational considerations in ending analysis, providing a resource for reflection and insight into the final - and perhaps most difficult - aspect of psychoanalytic treatment. </P>