[colorsofthewind12]

Is that a thing? Could a therapist replace a client if they take a break for a couple of months?

[Argonautomobile]

I think you'd have to ask the specific therapist. It's possible for a therapist to be booked to the gills with people wanting to see him/her, I suppose, but I can't imagine it would be that common. Probably depends whether they work for an agency, or clinic, or own their own private practice, or whatever.

I've gone months without seeing my T. He's never suggested that I must keep coming regularly or lose the opportunity to see him at all.

Why not ask?

ETA: that said, my day/time changes if I take a break, and he's not usually able to see me the same week I call. I think if you are gone for a while, there's no guarantee that your time slot--the day/time you usually come--will still be available to you. The idea, though, that there'd be NO opening at all seems not too likely to me.

[ruh roh]

You may lose your specific time/day, but I would think a therapist would consider you still a client and welcome you back. It might depend on how they run their business. I spoke to one who said she wasn't accepting new clients because she liked to keep openings for former clients to return as needed, which seemed to be a commitment she made to all of her clients.

You'd have to ask your therapist. I would guess much would depend on if you communicated your need for a break and left it understood that you would be returning or not. I would doubt they would keep a client's specific day and time open for weeks on end though. Unless you are paying for that time whether you are there or not, they are pretty free to fill that open availability.

[ScarletPimpernel]

If I take a 2 month break from my T (which in a sense I will), I will lose my time/day slot unless I pre-schedule it. If I don't and she has a waiting list, I will have to go on the waiting list.

Have you taken a break and are you now finding that you have lost your slot? If so you and I have something in common.

[stopdog]

I would think if I took a break longer than a week or two, that the therapist might not keep the time and date but fill it with another client. If a busy therapist, then they might no longer have a time available at all right away if I decided to go back. I don't think it is personal - I think it is business.

[Sarmas]

I can see that happening. It probably depends on the therapist and her availability. I know mine told ment hating I took a break that to expect like a one week turnover for her to give me my slot back. However now that I've been gone three months she might not even have an opening or perhaps if she does I would need to adjust to watch she has left. I've had my slot for 4 years. Although I understand the circumstances I know that if I tried going back and I didn't have my slot that I would get really upset.

[colorsofthewind12]

Originally Posted by Brown Owl

Have you taken a break and are you now finding that you have lost your slot? If so you and I have something in common.

No I have not taken a break. I was just curious how that works in case I would ever need to.

Sorry that you have lost your slot, I hope it opens up for you soon.

[Crook32]

I was in the hospital for a month but my T held my two slots a week for me. That doesn't mean she didn't use them while I was gone but they were waiting for me when I got back. I know this situation is different than just taking a break but she still could have given away my spots if she wanted to.

[mindwrench]

I almost got blocked out of my T's schedule by only scheduling the following appointment each week. I've since started scheduling a month ahead, but I had some weird appointment times for a few of them till I schedule farther out than anybody else.

[kecanoe]

I think that any of my ts would fill my usual time slot if I were to not come in for a while. In fact, if I am going to miss a session for some reason, they do see someone else at my usual time. If I wanted to be sure that a particular time/day was available after a break, I would go ahead and schedule appointments for when I wanted to come back. All of my ts have a waiting list, so I don't think it would be fair for me to expect them to keep my time open. How would they know if I decided to just not come back, even though at the time I thought it would just be a break.
If I did take a break without an end date, I would expect to have to wait a couple of weeks from whenever I called to get back in to see him/her. And it would probably take a few weeks for them to have a regular opening (same time, same day) for me.

[Jessica Hazlitt]

Originally Posted by colorsofthewind12

Is that a thing? Could a therapist replace a client if they take a break for a couple of months?

Possibly. I'm on a break for about 6 months and I have to start the application process from scratch when I'm ready to return. That includes a waiting list to get in, then probably a further wait if I specifically ask to see same T again. I think I just made myself sad.