Clinic patients who did not drop out of psychotherapy had significantly more access to nonprofessional, informal, alternative counsel, such as friends and parents with whom they could discuss their problems, than did patients who discontinued psychotherapy against medical advice. If the need arose, the patients who did not discontinue could talk about their problems informally with the alternative counsel. Patients who discontinue do not drop out because they have found alternative help; they do not utilize alternative help, for whatever reason.