Describe what kind of strategies you might use when the helping relationship is coming to an end.
The end of a helping should always be handled with respect and sensitivity, because if not, it can be
upsetting for both parties, if for example the relationship is ended too soon, particularly after a
longer relationship. With longer relationships, a well thought out plan should be implemented, and a
period of distancing is required once the relationship ends.
All helping relationships come to an end as the purpose of the Counselling is to bring a person to a
point where they no longer need the help and most strategies will have covered this at the start of
the process, for example, by outlining the duration of the relationship and the objectives during that
time frame.
Evaluating the progress of the Client against their initial evaluation is an important strategy when
ending the relationship, along with analysing how different problems were tackled, as this will
provide the Client with something positive to carry forward with them. On top of this, formulating an
aftercare or moving-forward strategy will help to close the relationship as well as give both the Client
and Counsellor confidence in ending the relationship.
Providing the Client with other sources of available help and suggestions on moving forward are
effective strategies to end the relationship in a positive manner; endings are rarely totally negative,
but it is important to put in place sensitive strategies to avoid this.
Describe what the possible impact of a helping relationship coming to an end on both you and the
client could be.
For both the Counsellor and the Client, when the ending of helping relationship is positive, the
impact could be that they have a more positive outlook, a sense of achievement knowing the goals
set have been met, new or grown confidence and new insights.
The Client may go on to lead a happier life without the need for further help and be content that
they have been able to move on, knowing they have faced their issues and learnt strategies to help
themselves if similar issues resurface or happen again.
The Counsellor may also learn and improve on existing Core Skills, having put them in to effective
use, or adapting their behaviours if a particular tactic did not have the desired results; the Counsellor
will be constantly learning and therefore all experience can have a positive impact on the
Counsellor's development.
When the relationship comes to an end in a negative way, for example, what the Client wanted to
achieve remained continually unrealistic, the Client may feel apathetic and think "What was the
point?". A Client may feel anger that their support is ending or even a sense of loss that a structured
relationship will be over; and some Client's may regress in order to continue the sessions.
For the Counsellor, the negative impacts could be that they feel inadequate and think they have not
done enough to help, or even anger at the system for only allowing a set amount of time for the
therapy. Furthermore, the Counsellor may lose confidence or lack it in the future and may feel a
sense of failure that they haven't succeeded.
The end of a helping should always be handled with respect and sensitivity, because if not, it can be
upsetting for both parties, if for example the relationship is ended too soon, particularly after a
longer relationship. With longer relationships, a well thought out plan should be implemented, and a
period of distancing is required once the relationship ends.
All helping relationships come to an end as the purpose of the Counselling is to bring a person to a
point where they no longer need the help and most strategies will have covered this at the start of
the process, for example, by outlining the duration of the relationship and the objectives during that
time frame.
Evaluating the progress of the Client against their initial evaluation is an important strategy when
ending the relationship, along with analysing how different problems were tackled, as this will
provide the Client with something positive to carry forward with them. On top of this, formulating an
aftercare or moving-forward strategy will help to close the relationship as well as give both the Client
and Counsellor confidence in ending the relationship.
Providing the Client with other sources of available help and suggestions on moving forward are
effective strategies to end the relationship in a positive manner; endings are rarely totally negative,
but it is important to put in place sensitive strategies to avoid this.
Describe what the possible impact of a helping relationship coming to an end on both you and the
client could be.
For both the Counsellor and the Client, when the ending of helping relationship is positive, the
impact could be that they have a more positive outlook, a sense of achievement knowing the goals
set have been met, new or grown confidence and new insights.
The Client may go on to lead a happier life without the need for further help and be content that
they have been able to move on, knowing they have faced their issues and learnt strategies to help
themselves if similar issues resurface or happen again.
The Counsellor may also learn and improve on existing Core Skills, having put them in to effective
use, or adapting their behaviours if a particular tactic did not have the desired results; the Counsellor
will be constantly learning and therefore all experience can have a positive impact on the
Counsellor's development.
When the relationship comes to an end in a negative way, for example, what the Client wanted to
achieve remained continually unrealistic, the Client may feel apathetic and think "What was the
point?". A Client may feel anger that their support is ending or even a sense of loss that a structured
relationship will be over; and some Client's may regress in order to continue the sessions.
For the Counsellor, the negative impacts could be that they feel inadequate and think they have not
done enough to help, or even anger at the system for only allowing a set amount of time for the
therapy. Furthermore, the Counsellor may lose confidence or lack it in the future and may feel a
sense of failure that they haven't succeeded.
