“The one that got away”- therapists’ experiences when patients suddenly drop out from psychotherapy: a thematic analysis
Sudden treatment dropouts often elicit negative emotions such as guilt, shame, and sorrow. They may also bring a sense of relief. Abrupt termination of therapy can affect therapists both professionally and personally, with the impact sometimes persisting long after the client has dropped out from therapy.
Authors
- Niclas Kullgard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2445-0079)
- Gerhard Andersson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4753-6745)
- Rolf Holmqvist (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2093-2510)
- Johanna Carlsson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4800-9974)
- Melinda Börjesson
Institutions
- Linköping University (SE)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Psychology
- Published
- 2026-01-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-03958-z
- Primary Topic
- Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00