407: Technique VI: Termination
Instructor
Alexander D. Kalogerakis, M.D.
May 18 – June 29, 2026
Mondays, 7:00 – 8:25 pm
No class: 5/25
Co-requisites
Candidates must have or have had at least two cases in supervised psychoanalysis to be eligible for upper level courses.
Course Description
The overall organizing theme of this course will be issues of technique as they relate to termination. The aim of the course is to familiarize you with the various factors that need to be considered regarding the process of termination of an analytic treatment and the wide ranging opinions about these issues in the literature. The course will begin with a review of the concepts of the goals of an analytic experience—insight vs. change, conflict resolution vs. deficit repair that affect the assessment of when the goals have been reached. There will be some review of the research on the termination phase and its characteristics, Various aspects of the technical handling of termination—setting the date, the analyst’s stance, “weaning” will be considered. There will be a class on countertransference reactions. The last class will consider an example of an alternative model of termination.
The sessions will be conducted as a study group. Reading assignments will be kept short so that everyone will have read the readings and be prepared with comments and questions to discuss. Each week one candidate will be asked to prepare some case material relevant to that week. Fourth year students only.
Educational Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:
- describe theoretical and technical issues around the ending of analytic treatment.
- listen for and respond to material relating to ending treatment in process notes.
Evaluation Method
Each student’s participation in class discussion and his or her demonstration of understanding of the course objectives and reading material is assessed in a written evaluation by the instructor(s).
Continuing Education
Psychologists
New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY – 0073.
New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education programs for psychologists. New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute maintains responsibility for this program and its content. DISCLOSURE: None of the planners and presenters of this CE program has any relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Social Workers
New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW – 0317.
These articles are protected under relevant copyright regulations. They are available in the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute Electronic Reserve for your convenience, and for your personal use.
READINGS FOR 2026 CLASS ARE NOT YET CONFIRMED.
I. Introduction
CLASS 1: May 18, 2026
REQUIRED READINGS
Freud, S. (1937). Analysis Terminable and Interminable, Standard Edition, vol.23, pp.211-253.
Arlow, J. A New Look at Freud’s Analysis Terminable and Interminable, in On Freud’s Analysis Terminable and Interminable, J. Sander, editor, Yale University Press.
II. Treatment Goals-Life Goals
CLASS 2: June 1, 2026
REQUIRED READINGS
Ernst Ticho (1972) Termination of Psychoanalysis—Treatment goals, Life Goals, Psychoanalytic Quarterly,vol, 41,pp.315-333.
Bergman, Martin. (2001) Life Goals and Psychoanalytic Goals From An Historical Perspective, Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 70/1, pp.15-32.
Easton, J. (2004). Life Changes, Analytic Changes Revisited: Current Perspectives on their Relationship. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 52:1025-1040.
III. The Termination Phase
CLASS 3: June 8, 2026
REQUIRED READINGS
Gilman, RD (1982). The Termination Phase in Psychoanalytic Practice: A Survey of 48 Completed Cases, Psychoanalytic Inquiry, (2):463-472.
Blum, H.P. (1989). The Concept of Termination and the Evolution of Psychoanalytic Thought, JAPA, (37): 275-295.
Abend, S. (1988). Unconscious Fantasies and Issues of Termination, in Fanatasy Myth and Reality, IUP, pp. 149-165.
IV. Technique
CLASS 4: June 15, 2026
REQUIRED READINGS
Reich, A. (1950). The Termination of Analysis, International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 31:179-183.
Robbins, W.S. (1975). Termination: Problems and Techniques. JAPA, 23:166-176.
Firestein, S.K. (1982). Termination of Psychoanalysis: Theoretical Clinical and Pedagogic Considerations, Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 2:473-497.
Loewald, H. (1988). Termination Analyzable and Unanalyzable, PSC, vol. 43:155-166.
Firestein, S.K (1978). ln Termination of psychoanalysis, NY, IUP,Substantive Conclusions, pp.203-215.
V. Countertransference
CLASS 5: June 22, 2026
REQUIRED READINGS
Levenson, L. (1998). Superego Defense and Termination, JAPA, .46:847-866.
Orgel, Shelley. (2000). Letting Go, Some Thoughts on Termination, JAPA, 48:719-738.
Novick, J. (1997). Termination, Conceivable and Inconceivable, Psychoanalytic Psychology, 13:145-159.
VI. An Alternate Model of Termination
CLASS 6: June 29, 2026
REQUIRED READINGS
Mendenhall, S. (2009). From Termination to Evolution of a Relationship: A New Understanding, Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 29:117-135.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Lafarge, L. (2019). Termination and repetition: The dissolution of the frame. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 100(6):1270-1285.
Lussana, S. (2018). Termination of a psychoanalysis: Some notes on theory, technique, and clinical material. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 99(3):603-626.
Schachter, J. Kächele, H. (2013). An Alternative Conception of Termination and Follow-up. Psychoanal. Rev., 100(3):423-452.