It is true that it is your right to stop counselling any time you decide to, and you are not obligated to come up with an explanation. I think that more people start therapy and then just stop going back than actually complete all of the stages including termination and followup. So that is an option, however, I would suggest that it isn't the best option.

If you do let your counselor know that you need a break or are having trouble finding the time, money, energy, etc., or you just don't want to do any more, or whatever your reason is, then they can help you to get things wrapped up a little more smoothly so that it's not all just left hanging. I know that I'd rather complete that process, and review and understand what has been accomplished and what I still need to work on, and know what options I have if I decide that I need to do more work in the future. Sometimes they will even have you check in a few weeks later to make sure that you are still doing okay. There are a lot of benefits to proper followup, because it helps you to maintain what you have worked on in your therapy.

I've never had anyone do the termination process with me appropriately though. There were a few times that I just stopped making appointments, and didn't say anything at all (but I wished that they would have cared enough to notice and check on me), and other times that it just ended - I was told that it had been long enough and I didn't need to come back. I my classes I have been learning about the final stages of counselling (termination and followup), and I wish that my past therapists had done a much better job with that.

When I begin to see clients, I will make sure to tell them that they can just tell me if they want to stop, and that their wishes will be honored, but I would appreciate the opportunity to talk to them about it so that we can wrap things up. As a therapist, I would appreciate being told that they want to stop and not to be left hanging and wondering what happened.