Anyone ever gone into therapy sick because you still have to pay if you miss an appointment, then wonder if you have transferred germs to T, then thought that maybe it's justice for having to pay even if you miss an appointment?

Enjoy my germs, T.

[PeeJay]

Shouldn't there be an exception for last-minute cancellations due to illness?

[nottrustin]

I haven't for a couple of reason...1) I am never sick 2) T doesn't charge for missed appointments regardless of the reason...if you are sick she would rather you stay home...if you are visually sick with something contagious and you show up she will send you home without seeing you....

T has told me if something comes up with my kids (illness, activities, etc) to just let her know and she will cancel the appointment

[CameraObscura]

Yep.

One time a long time ago when I was still with my ex-husband, I'd pushed hard for us to get into couple's counseling. It took me months to get him to agree, and of course when the appointment rolled around, I had a nasty cold. I knew if I canceled, I'd never hear the end of it from ex-h, and he'd never go with me again, so I went.

Turns out that T was just terrible. She decided on sight that she didn't like me, and was very open about it (like, really open about it). I apologized for being the bearer of the germs, but after dealing with her for a second (and final) session, I didn't feel so bad.

I fired her in writing, with a CC to her clinic director. She was *bad*.

Wow, way to tangent. I haven't figured out how to handle the mild illness/24-hour cancellation policy, either. I'd probably call and ask what T wanted to do in that situation.

[HazelGirl]

I have showed up sick once or twice. My T was also sick on one of those occasions, haha.

[RTerroni]

This is one of the main reasons why I don't like to shake hands with my Therapist.

[confused and dazed]

I have on a few times woken up very sick on T day. I always called T and let him know. I always let him know I would go in if T wanted me to (T's response was always, stay home and get better),I stayed home and was not charged. This has only happened 2x in 3 years.

I have gone a couple of times when I was sick, but not because I would be charged, because I only found out very recently that T charges a fee for cancelled sessions (other sessions are not charged, but all cancellations incur a fee, even if the session is cancelled many months ahead). On those occasions when I've been ill I have not shaken hands with T. I have asked him whether he would rather I didn't show up when I'm ill but he has said that as long as I am able to come, he prefers that I do show up.

[Raging Quiet]

My t doesn't have a sickness cancellation policy; which is good. I've cancelled quite late and she's never asked me to pay. She's seen me when she's bad a virus and doesn't mind if I'm ill. I have turned up with a rash once and yesterday with a heavy cold. She's still touched my shoulder goodbye and wished me well.

[someone321]

Hmm... actually I am not sure what the cancellation policy of my current T is... The previous one had 48h - after this deadline he would charge the full price... I guess that my current T has something similar, here people are really strict and I really do not think that any T would use the sliding scale for any client...
Coming back to the topic - I think I would go to the session with a small cold (if I could hide from my T) as I don't want to miss any session! But if I was pretty ill, I would let know my T about it because I would be too embarrassed that if I came with a flu, she would think that I am so selfish that I don't even think that I could infect her...

T had a cold today and didn't shake hands Made me feel better for coming to see him when I have a cold.

[Mactastic]

I've never had to cancel for being sick but I'm pretty sure he has a last-minute sick policy. He would charge me for not giving 24 hrs cancellation but I don't think that applies to being sick. I'm sure it's honor policy and I would abuse it.

For me it would depend on the illness, too. If I had a stomach flu I would stay at home. Since I have to take the bus to get to T, I would potentially be spreading a very unpleasant illness to lots of people on the bus, as well as to T - besides, being sick to my stomach usually leaves me too weak even to walk to the bus stop. Fortunately, I don't get stomach bugs very often, and not while I've been seeing this T.

A common cold on the other hand, that's not something that keeps me home. Ok, it's not nice to get a cold, but it is a relatively mild illness for most people, and T has told me that he doesn't want me to stay home if my concern is only with his not getting ill.

[nottrustin]

With my T I have had a couple of times where I had somewhat minor colds. Knowing that my T would rather people call out if they are sick and sends them home without a session if they are really sick, I email her in the morning and describe what I am dealing with and let her decide. Both times she was fine with seeing me.

I wonder though for those with a T with very strict policy about paying if you don't cancel before a certain point, is your T part of a large practice, hospital, clinic, etc or do they have a private practice...I wonder if there is a difference because the place they work for has requirements??

[Purpledaze]

My T has a policy that if you cancel 24 hours or less before your appt, you have to pay. No exceptions. So sometimes if I am sick I have to decide 24 hrs before the appt whether I will be better the next day. Usually I cancel in advance just in case. If I wake up sick on the day, I go if I feel well enough to drive. She is always coming in with colds. Maybe she catches them from her patients who don't want to be penalised for being sick!

[elaygee]

For me it depends on how sick. A lot of my "sick" may be a migraine, where I literally cannot drive/move so going 30 miles is not going to happen. My T is also the type if I am contagiously sick (stomach, flu, cold) she'd prefer I not come in, as she is the type that catches everything and has a son at home But she ultimately leaves it up to me. But I usually cancel. I don't want to "spread the wealth"

[RTerroni]

Originally Posted by Mastodon

I have gone a couple of times when I was sick, but not because I would be charged, because I only found out very recently that T charges a fee for cancelled sessions (other sessions are not charged, but all cancellations incur a fee, even if the session is cancelled many months ahead). On those occasions when I've been ill I have not shaken hands with T. I have asked him whether he would rather I didn't show up when I'm ill but he has said that as long as I am able to come, he prefers that I do show up.

WOW so in other words you can't even take a vacation without having to pay for a missed session.

[elaygee]

Originally Posted by RTerroni

WOW so in other words you can't even take a vacation without having to pay for a missed session.

Agreed... that sounds extreme that you can't cancel months ahead time! Geez. Can HE/SHE cancel months ahead when THEY go out of town

Originally Posted by RTerroni

WOW so in other words you can't even take a vacation without having to pay for a missed session.

I don't normally take holidays outside the normal holiday times - Christmas/New Year, Easter, and over the summer months, when T is away as well. I don't have to pay for not coming to sessions when he is not working, obviously.

But yeah, I had to pay for the session I missed due to a work trip two weeks ago, which I had told T about two months in advance. But seeing as I don't have to pay for the sessions I go to, I'm not complaining

[IndestructibleGirl]

I wouldn't go if I was really sick and infectious, nope - however, with things like a bug, often you are infectious before you are symptomatic. So no foolproof way to make sure you don't spread germs when you get sick, really. Hasn't happened to me yet, luckily.