ABSTRACT
Little research has addressed the issues that arise near the termination of therapy where the therapist and client are aware that one, if not the only, putative active components of any therapeutic improvement is attributed to the eff ect of a psychotropic medication. How the therapy process unfolds and how termination is handled can be complex. Because there is considerable variability in how medications are integrated into treatment, it is diffi cult to predict what issues will emerge. Th e goal of therapy, whether psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy, is to maximize patient functioning, control, and adaptability. In optimal outcomes, maximizing patient function may result in a return to normal functioning plus learning new skills to enhance responses to new challenges. In other cases, the best realistic outcome may be helping patients learn to recognize when it is time to seek more help during recurrent episodes of a clinical problem. In any event, it is important that the treating professional and the client share similar understandings of the role of medication in the therapy process.
