Do you have to pay for missed sessions?

I'm in the UK and where I live it seems to be standard that the client pays whether they go or not, even if they are on a planned vacation that they gave notice of weeks before. I'm not happy about it. I wonder if it relates to the fact that therapy is much less common over here and it is really hard for a T to make a living out of it. I kind of get that there is an issue that they keep the slot open for you.

It is unfair and there is no way in the world I would sign up for such arrangement as a client.

Personally, I've never paid for a missed session although I let her know in advance. A few weeks back I cancelled about 10mins before the session was due to start as I was exhausted but my t wasnt too concerned about payment. I know my situation is rare though...

That seems unfair, unless your t works in 'working weeks'' and only physically saw your cancellation then. I still think it's unfair, no wonder you are mad!

I cancelled right before the appointment too and never had to pay

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Really? Have you found this the standard?

I am in London and only encountered this attitude once, with a potential therapist I spoke to on the phone a few weeks ago. She said if I booked to come see her, that would be it - I would have to pay every week from then on, but that we could negotiate holidays in advance. I said, would the first session not be more of a chemistry meeting or assessment or whatever, and then we decide whether to go forwards or not? She said no, you are committing if you book today. I was having none of it - utterly ridiculous. Why commit like that to somebody if you have no idea you can work with them?

Anyway, most others I have called have the standard 24 hour cancellation. Maybe it's because in London therapists have to be competitive? I don't know.

I decided to go to my cancelled session because I dont want to pay for nothing.
I cancelled session because I wanted to take a break and I feel that therapy makes me feel worse and I told this to my T but I better go to session not to pay for nothing.

So what exactly is your T's cancellation policy?

I guess if you want to take a break then it would be best not to make any further appointments until you're sure you want to continue.

No, my T texts me the night before to confirm. If I can't make it we just reschedule.

He said I have to pay if I dont cancel session week ago.

Ask to see the cancellation policy in writing that you should have been shown from the very beginning. If he can't produce that, then he really can't be charging you for a policy you didn't know about from the beginning. You should be able to say you would like to take a week off or take a break for a few weeks without penalty if you give some notice. Is cancelling a habit for you? The only reason I can think he would be this hard-nosed about it is if you have a habit of cancelling sessions and he's trying to get you to stay committed to your therapy appointments, but you didn't indicate that is the situation.

My T policy is 24 hours notice but she is very good with me If I cancel because therapy is pissing me off or I just want to give up she still holds my spot because she knows I get black and white thinking and often end up coming in but doesn't charge if I dont show I've only missed once in a year though.

Wow. That seems like plenty of notice. Does your T have a written policy somewhere? Or did they discuss with you what the policy was when you started?

I have only heard of the 24 hour notice rule and it seems reasonable. It's not uncommon for T's to charge if there is a no-show. This is a block of time set aside - that can't be filled at late notice. So that's lost revenue.

My partner got charged once because she completely FORGOT her session. The T explained to her that he used that time to review her file and make notes. So he was still working for her. She took his word for it and accepted that it was her responsibility. I agree with that sentiment. (She can be a bit absent minded when she's stressed- but I think she 'blocked' it because she was out of sorts with her T at the time. He was strict and she terminated with him not long after this.)

My partner and I recently had a late cancelation with our Couples Counselor. It was a little less than 24 hours in advance (because of a funeral that I received a late notice for.) We were both panicked about the late notice, however, it was still one business day ahead and only a few hours later than the actual time. We were just about 3 hours under the 24. She accepted our notice and didn't say anything about charging us. Even still, I was prepared to pay for that session if I had to. I guess we still might but we will find out on our makeup session.

Personally, I've only had ONE no-show once with my current T but I was actually admitted to the hospital for a heart-attack that same day and it was the first session I'd ever missed. I felt bad about forgetting the appointement (which is kinda LOL considering I was on a operating table at scheduled time of my session) and I was prepared to pay for it, but my T forgave me on that one.

No I never seen it written and I doubt it is written.

Then I'd call him on it.

I do think he can legally charge you if it isn't written down.

A week's cancellation notice policy? That seems excessive. I'd like to know what happens if your T needs to cancel a session within a week's time.

Maybe it is different in London. That sounds ridiculous what that one T said to you - who would agree to that?

In the agreement I signed before seeing T for the first time, it said in there that she requires 24 hours notice or, yes, it comes out of my pocket (not insurance, but my pocket!) However she does give some leniency as far as emergencies, illness or bad travel conditions. I have not canceled a session yet.....but honestly there were times I considered it, and watched for that 24 hour mark to go by. But I have two permanently scheduled sessions per week, same days and times. I think it's fair. FIrst offense, perhaps I'd cut a break....but I'm sure they have to have that rule for people who don't follow their requests. I think her request is fair.

He called me on Sunday to tell me we can't have session on Monday.
He called me 5 hours before session and told me he is ill and can't see me.

When I was at hospital I asked nurse can I take a walk and went to see him and when I had fever I also saw him. Nice isn't it?

I'm in the north of England and both Ts I've seen have 24h cancellation policies, in fact the one time I cancelled with T1 it was less than 24h notice and he never asked for payment. It could be that your T just has an unusually rigid policy on this.

Unreal! I feel for you.