A crisis intervention perspective on the termination process

Recognition of termination as a crisis of separation/individuation supports a crisis intervention approach to work during this phase, with guidelines derived from Mahler's theory of separation/individuation, Bowlby's theory of attachment and loss, and James Mann's notion of the subjective meaning of time. The social work literature on the topic is reviewed, and case examples illustrate varying responses to termination depending on the perception of the experience as a threat, loss, or challenge.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the NASW Professional Symposium Washington, D.C., November 1983.