In the steps of practice, what is typically the last stage?

The last stage in the steps of practice is typically closure. This phase focuses on summarizing the work done throughout the process and ensuring that all aspects of the intervention or therapy are wrapped up satisfactorily. It includes discussing with clients the progress made, reflecting on the overall therapeutic journey, and providing a space for clients to express their thoughts and feelings about the conclusion of the therapeutic relationship.

Closure is essential as it helps to reinforce the work that has been accomplished and ensures that clients leave with a sense of completion. It can also help maintain a positive outlook for future endeavors and transitions. In therapy and other therapeutic practices, closure serves as a critical step in ensuring that clients have the tools they need moving forward and are clear about the outcomes of the interventions used.

The other options—implementation, evaluation, and documentation—are important steps in the broader process but are not typically the final stage. Implementation involves putting the intervention into action, evaluation assesses the effectiveness of the work done, and documentation is about recording the details of the process. Each of these stages plays a critical role in the progression of practice, but closure specifically marks the end of that process and the opportunity for reflection and resolution.