I know my T has a similar cancellation policy, I can’t remember if it is 24 or 48 hours notice. In that short a time the logistics of filling my time slot are difficult unless someone asked to be on a cancellation list (which I am not sure my T does). My T would state it as an always rule but I can see him telling me the following session that I didn’t have to pay if he filled it. He would much rather give someone good news (you don’t have to pay) than bad news. If he did not fill my spot and was going to charge me for it I believe he is the kind of T that would still use that time for me. I can see him reviewing my file, revising my treatment plan or reading something that connects to what we are doing. I am also confident that if I canceled and was willing to pay for the time slot because I didn’t want someone else in it he would do that as well. I am not very attached to my time slot but he would totally understand if I told him I didn’t want him thinking about (much less seeing) another client at “my” time slot. I cannot imagine a situation where he would charge me and someone else for the same slot even though legally I guess he could. Morally, to my T, he would find that cheating.