The Conceptual Mapping Task as a Structured Approach to Psychotherapy Termination: A Case Study

Psychotherapy termination is often conceptualized as a distinct clinical phase involving consolidation of gains, emotional closure, and preparation for posttreatment functioning. Despite its clinical importance, there is limited guidance on structured interventions to support this concluding phase. The present case study illustrates the use of the Conceptual Mapping Task (CMT), a semi-structured collaborative mapping procedure, as a structured approach to psychotherapy termination. CMT was implemented in the final session of outpatient psychotherapy with a 43-year-old woman in sustained recovery from substance use disorders and with a history of traumatic brain injury, traumatic loss, and chronic health sequelae. The mapping process allowed for reflection on treatment themes and the co-construction of a narrative of change. As the client described increased clarity about her growth, greater confidence in managing future challenges, and meaningful emotional processing of the therapy ending, the case illustrates how CMT may offer a clinically useful structure for supporting integration, meaning making, and continuity of therapeutic gains during termination. Implications for clinical practice as well as directions for future research on structured termination interventions are discussed.