There’s lots of reasons you need to make a plan for pause or closure. Some are just for you, like knowing you’re organized. Others are relational; you want to take care of your loved ones and clients. Still other reasons relate to ethics. Your state licensing board likely requires you to have this kind of plan, but they may not tell you how to make one. Whatever mental health professional license you hold, there’s rules about your client records dictated by state, local, and federal laws.