ABSTRACT
Termination is an integral aspect of the treatment of any mental disorder. Careful consideration of the termination process, whether it is initiated by the clinician or by the client, is especially important for clients who come to treatment for substance use disorders. In fact, initial plans for termination of treatment ought to be included in the process of assessment of the patient, right at the beginning of treatment (Novick & Novick 2006). Clinicians who have treated clients with substance use disorders often have their clients drop out of treatment, not show up to appointments, or skip appointments and come back after a period of time. Doing research with clients with substance use disorders is also challenging for similar reasons. With this knowledge in mind, it is especially important for clinicians to address this issue with the client early in treatment.
