Have you ever cancel a session? Is cancellation common for a T?

emmaleemochizuki · Nov 12, 2020 at 10:08 AM

Just wondering how common cancellation is.

Personally in the so many years I have been in therapy I have hardly ever cancel probably just once or twice and it is something agent. Like my father dying in hospital, he did pass away few days after.

My T charges for any appointments scheduled whether I show up or not. I know some T has like a 24 or 48 hour window to notify them and you won't be charged. does cancellation actually happen in a therapy practice on a day to day basis.

what sort of reasons lead you to needing to cancel?

stopdog · Nov 12, 2020 at 10:39 AM

I cancelled all the time. I would not have hired one who tried to charge me for cancelling after being given adequate notice. I cancelled when I did not feel like going for any reason.

nottrustin · Nov 12, 2020 at 11:14 AM

I have only ever canceled twice in 12 years. Once I had a migraine. The other time I had been in the hospital the day before with a horrible UTI they thought I was septic and debated keeping over night but decided to send me home. Between that and not being able to drink coffee so the with real headaches. I cancelled my appointment. I actually ended up in the ER again later that day because of sleep paralysis.

Both Ts have always said they do not charge clients if they are sick, have emergency issues with their kids, or even needs a break unless it becomes a regular occurance. They do require a phone call though. I have called them a couple of times because I just didnt feel up to going emotionally. they have both said if that is what I needed they would support my decision. However they wish I would attend so we could gently work through what was happening or just have a low key appointment. They say this because I have cancelled so rarely

ChickenNoodleSoup · Nov 12, 2020 at 11:16 AM

I have only ever cancelled when being sick. We did a short phone call each time in those cases. I wouldn't have been charged anything if I didn't do the call though. I think it is quite silly to charge people if they cancel, since that gives them the incentive to show up even though they are ill.

My T has mentioned multiple times that sometimes people cancel their sessions and that he might be able to fit me in if that happens. So pretty sure it happens from time to time for him. It probably also depends on the population a therapist works with. I could imagine certain types of people to cancel more often and could also see the possibility of less cancellations for example in private practice, since people usually choose to be there themselves.

ElectricManatee · Nov 12, 2020 at 11:21 AM

My therapist doesn't charge if I'm ill or if I give 48 hours notice. Usually we'll reschedule if possible (sometimes she would squeeze me in by shifting her paperwork time around). This happened a lot when I was having last-minute schedule changes because of the timing of fertility appointments. I have only canceled once because I was angry and didn't feel like I could engage with her while also hanging onto my mental stability. I gave enough notice so she didn't charge then anyway.

zoiecat · Nov 12, 2020 at 11:23 AM

I have cancelled occasionally because of work committments but that is usually a week in advance. I have also cancelled for cancer surgeries again, well in advance. My T has a 24 hour notice or I would have to pay. I have cancelled about 3-4 times when he has done something that upset me in a session and I didn't want to see him or talk to him. I needed time to cool off and think through my feelings. In those cases I will send him an email usually the day after the session and tell them I need to cancel for the next session. I will usually not give a reason for those times.

That is me. In answering the broad question, yes. People cancel all of the time. I'm sure each practice is different depending on the clientelle but it is a problem that T need to deal with. That is why they have their own cancellation policies and most will charge without adequate notice.

*Beth* · Nov 12, 2020 at 11:28 AM

In 2 1/2 years I've cancelled twice. I can't remember why the first time. The second time I was struggling with sleepiness from a med and literally could not stay awake. So I cancelled and went to sleep.

My T cancels not infrequently. She has some health issues and is almost 70 years old, so there's that. I'd say she cancels 1 out of every 10 sessions.

My therapy is at no cost, so the financial problem isn't there.

I think the "pay whether you come or not" is BS. I know almost every professional does that now, though.

It's like yesterday...I had an appointment with a stylist to get my hair cut. If I cancel less than 24 hours ahead the salon charges a fee. But my stylist cancelled on me 3 hours prior to my appt. Where the fairness in that?
Apparently, my time is not as important as hers is.

Mountaindewed · Nov 12, 2020 at 12:42 PM

She used to cancel all the time before we went virtual. I sometimes reschedule for the next day or day after but I never outright cancel. I almost did a couple weeks ago. I’m going to have to cancel completely for the week of Thanksgiving since I’ll be out of town. It will be one of the few times I’ve not done a session because of another obligation.

Salmon77 · Nov 12, 2020 at 12:48 PM

Sometimes I have a scheduling conflict and I cancel those days well in advance (or reschedule if possible). 3-4 times over the years I have cancelled last minute due to illness. So I have not cancelled frequently but now and then it happens. T has only cancelled last minute once, due to car trouble.

ScarletPimpernel · Nov 12, 2020 at 12:59 PM

I've only canceled a few times in all my years of therapy. I have never canceled just because I didn't feel like going. My reasons for canceling have always been for sickness or surgeries.

Sometimes I threaten canceling, but both T and L know I won't. I remember one time I emailed T I was canceling and her reply was see you at session. Lol. She already knew I'd show, and I did.

L and T have a cancelation policy, but I'm not sure exactly what they are.

ArtieTheSequal · Nov 12, 2020 at 01:34 PM

Over 9 years with current t I've rescheduled on a few occasions, which has never been a problem. I've quit a couple-3 times via email then ended up calling and un-quitting and getting back on her schedule. That's always fun times.

ArtleyWilkins · Nov 12, 2020 at 02:26 PM

I cancelled on occasions when I was sick or some other unpredicted issue came up - not terribly often. Official policy was 24 hours notice, but I was never charged because it was such a rare thing for me to do. My husband was notorious for forgetting his appointments (in his defense, we are about to have him evaluated for early-onset dementia which had probably started in its early stages back then). In my husband's case, T found him a regular day and time slot to help him remember his appointments better, but he would have charged him if it happened too frequently.

SlumberKitty · Nov 12, 2020 at 02:54 PM

I cancelled a couple of times in the ten years with former T, once about an hour and a half before because I had gotten in a car accident and my car wouldn't go! But never too frequently that she charged. If for some reason I couldn't come she would generally try to get me a phone appointment to cover sometime that week. I have cancelled twice with current T. Once I just didn't feel like going (but I gave her a week's notice) and once I was going to be out of town, gave her two weeks notice that time.

SlumberKitty · Nov 12, 2020 at 02:55 PM

Oh and I cancelled on Pastor T once in the 9 months I saw him. I couldn't deal with him that day and I didn't give that much notice. Maybe 3 hours. He didn't charge.

divine1966 · Nov 13, 2020 at 06:33 PM

When I saw a t she never charged if I cancelled. I’d just reschedule or skip it

Reasons I cancelled were: snow storm started on my way home from work and no way I could drive to therapy-I could barely get home, work meeting went on too long and I couldn’t make it on time, got sick, throwing up because of migraine, when my mom had cancer I sometimes had to cancel if she needed something etc

Now these things happened maybe once or twice a year. So not like regularly cancelled. My t never had an issue

My husband cancels his appointments quite often because he has crazy work schedule and it’s often just not doable or something else happens. His t cancels herself often so she has no issues with that. She never charges for cancellations either

I’ve never had a doctor or a t who charged for cancellations. I heard people deal with it. I’d not see anyone who charges for cancellations. It wouldn’t fit into my life style

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Have you ever cancel a session? Is cancellation common for a T?

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Salmon77 Poohbah Member Since Mar 2014 Location: PNW Posts: 1,394 10 106 hugs given	Nov 12, 2020 at 12:48 PM #9 Sometimes I have a scheduling conflict and I cancel those days well in advance (or reschedule if possible). 3-4 times over the years I have cancelled last minute due to illness. So I have not cancelled frequently but now and then it happens. T has only cancelled last minute once, due to car trouble.
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ArtieTheSequal Writing my way through... Member Since Feb 2020 Location: In the desert Posts: 7,398 (SuperPoster!) 4 5,854 hugs given	Nov 12, 2020 at 01:34 PM #11 Over 9 years with current t I've rescheduled on a few occasions, which has never been a problem. I've quit a couple-3 times via email then ended up calling and un-quitting and getting back on her schedule. That's always fun times.
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SlumberKitty Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jul 2018 Location: CA Posts: 27,329 (SuperPoster!) 5 117.7k hugs given	Nov 12, 2020 at 02:55 PM #14 Oh and I cancelled on Pastor T once in the 9 months I saw him. I couldn't deal with him that day and I didn't give that much notice. Maybe 3 hours. He didn't charge. __________________ Dum Spiro Spero IC XC NIKA
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