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After the workshop-group discussions on the morning of the second day, the meeting continued in the afternoon with a further plenary session, chaired by Dr S. Abrams. Contributions from the panel, consisting of Mrs H. Kennedy, Dr A. Kris, Mr J. Novick and Dr A. Valenstein, were followed by discussion from the floor, and the Colloquium ended with a final statement and summing up by Prof. R. Wallerstein.
S. Abrams: First, I'll make a brief introductory statement; then each member of the panel will speak. None of us knows what any of the others is going to say, so we'll see how it goes.
I confront a paradox, in making this introduction. For the topic of termination is endless. ‘Termination’ is such a conglomerate word and I considered ways of differentiating its components, as a first step to greater integration and coherence. So my talk is entitled ‘Differentiation’. It contains three sections: 1. Description and Conceptualization; 2. Adult and Child; 3. Words and Meanings.
Fabricius and Green's presentation was intended to highlight the descriptive (they said descriptive not prescriptive). They explained they were examining empirical procedures which could be used to help decide when to call a halt to therapeutic help. However, since the title of their paper contained the word ‘termination’, this led to considerations of a conceptual sort as well. Description in the text, conceptualization in the title. Joc Sandler also noted that we ought to distinguish clinical goals from process goals. Clinical goals are closer to the empirical although they do not rest entirely comfortably in that category, while process goals involve the conceptual. And conceptually, the word ‘termination’ implies the natural conclusion of a therapeutic process harbouring a specific therapeutic action. In that frame of reference, termination addresses working models of mind and pathogenesis and change. The paper described several different forms of therapeutic he