Termination is the phase of psychotherapy when therapy comes to a close. Termination may be the result of a unilateral or a bilateral decision. It takes place on a unilateral basis when the patient decides to leave therapy without consulting with the therapist on this decision. More rarely, it is derived from a therapist’s unilateral decision, but in most cases this is discussed with the patient beforehand, except in cases of sudden illness or death. When therapist and patient together decide to terminate therapy, either because of the natural course of the therapeutic process or because of the design of the treatment, the decision to terminate is considered bilateral. This entry discusses termination by design versus termination by default, conceptualizing termination as a loss or ...