Location
Counselor Roles and Relationships (Session 1 Breakouts)
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Counseling is a process that evokes often evokes strong emotions in clients. When counseling is effective and rapport is established correctly, clients become attached to their counselors in deep and meaningful ways. The depth of attachment in this dynamic can lead to negative affect when approaching the termination stage of this relationship; these endings can also provide opportunities for clients to experience growth and transformation. Elements of grief can surface with the dissolution of relationships; further, cultural influences impact experiences of grieving and the continuation or finality of those bonds. Few studies have explored clients’ subjective experiences with the ending of this profound connection, and fewer still have discussed the impact of cultural differences in conceptions of attachment and grief and their role in the experience of termination. Herein, the literature will be reviewed and the current author proposes a phenomenological research agenda to address the gap in the research.
Keywords
termination, termination stage, counseling relationship, attachment, grief
Professional Bio
Colin is a skilled counselor with over 6 years of direct client care experience in working with substance use disorders. Colin holds an undergraduate degree in psychology with an emphasis in positive psychology and counseling from Life University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was the recipient of the Learning Theory and Critical Thinking Award for the undergraduate class in 2017. Colin now holds a 4.0 GPA in Mercer University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Recently, he was recognized as the master’s student of excellence by the university’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an international counseling honors society.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Freeland, Colin F., "The Impact of Client Culture on Termination of the Counseling Relationship" (2020). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 5.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2020/2020/5
Included in
The Impact of Client Culture on Termination of the Counseling Relationship
Counselor Roles and Relationships (Session 1 Breakouts)
Counseling is a process that evokes often evokes strong emotions in clients. When counseling is effective and rapport is established correctly, clients become attached to their counselors in deep and meaningful ways. The depth of attachment in this dynamic can lead to negative affect when approaching the termination stage of this relationship; these endings can also provide opportunities for clients to experience growth and transformation. Elements of grief can surface with the dissolution of relationships; further, cultural influences impact experiences of grieving and the continuation or finality of those bonds. Few studies have explored clients’ subjective experiences with the ending of this profound connection, and fewer still have discussed the impact of cultural differences in conceptions of attachment and grief and their role in the experience of termination. Herein, the literature will be reviewed and the current author proposes a phenomenological research agenda to address the gap in the research.
