Payment for Unattended Sessions?
Why Do We Pay for Sessions Not Canceled on Time?
One of the common principles in therapeutic work is charging for sessions that are not canceled within the agreed-upon timeframe. This topic often evokes a range of emotions among clients. It is important to understand that this practice is not merely an organizational matter – it holds significance for both the therapeutic process and the therapist-client relationship.
First, it helps foster a sense of responsibility and consistency in therapy. Regular sessions and adherence to arrangements strengthen the client’s engagement and reflect a fundamental principle of the therapeutic contract: mutual respect and predictability. Literature emphasizes that financial boundaries are part of relational boundaries, and consistently maintaining them contributes to safety and clarity within the therapeutic relationship.
Psychotherapist • psychologist
Secondly, charging for missed sessions protects the therapist’s time – every unused hour is time that cannot be offered to others in need if it was not cancelled in advance. In practice, this means paying for the reservation of a specific time slot that remains available exclusively for the client.
Additionally, in many therapeutic approaches, especially psychodynamic ones, this time is still dedicated to the patient – the therapist may use it to review notes, reflect on the meaning of the absence, or simply think about ongoing process. The fee therefore applies not only to the face-to-face meeting itself, but to the entire therapeutic space that the professional consistently maintains.
Importantly, irregularity in scheduling or paying for sessions may reflect patterns of avoidance, distancing, or difficulty in keeping commitments – all of which can become valuable material for therapeutic exploration. Consistency in upholding these arrangements gives the client an opportunity to experience new forms of responsibility and stability, both essential for change.
Although this rule can be challenging, its purpose is not to punish but to support the therapeutic process and safeguard its stability. In this way, therapy remains more predictable, effective, and secure.
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