I agree with all of this. I feel like the fee can be meant as a deterrent for frequent no-shows or last-minute cancellations. Like, "Eh, I don't feel like going to therapy in an hour," as opposed to a health/family/weather/transportation/work issue.


I also think there's a difference between letting the therapist know as soon as you're able, as opposed to waiting until the last minute. Basically if you show that you respect their time. (Of course, if you got a flat tire or starting feeling really ill on the way there, then it would have to be last minute, but still letting them know when you can.)

I really think that the best policy might be that clients get a certain number of cancellations in a certain amount of time. Just throwing out an arbitrary number here, but a client gets two free last-minute cancellations in a year, then if there's a third one, they have to pay (and then it would reset the next year).