Therapy cancellations: how to set a missed-session policy

A missed-session policy works when it is written down, shared before the first session and applied the same way every time. Decide how much notice you need to cancel without charge, what happens when a session is missed or cancelled late, and which exceptions you accept. Put it in your service descriptions so clients see it before they book, remind them of it in the first session, and treat each absence as something to talk about in the therapy, not only as an admin issue.

A regular session is a time held for one person, often at the same hour every week. When it's cancelled the same morning, it's rarely possible to offer it to someone else. Over a month, a few late cancellations can make a real difference to your income.

There's a second reason, specific to therapy: absences can mean something. A missed session after a difficult one, repeated lateness, cancellations that cluster around certain topics. A clear, stable rule keeps the practical question simple, so the conversation can focus on what the absence might say.

There's no single right answer. Some psychologists charge every missed session; others waive the first one, or decide case by case. What matters is that the rule is yours, that you can explain it, and that the client knew it before committing.

A policy discovered after the fact feels like a penalty. The same policy read before booking is simply part of the agreement. On Book, each type of session is a service with its own price and optional description, shown on your booking page. Add a short paragraph with your cancellation rule to each service description, in plain words.

Then bring it up again in the first session. It takes a minute, and it avoids a first uncomfortable discussion weeks later.

When a client cancels in time, cancel the booking from your bookings list and the slot becomes available again on your page. When they want to move the session, reschedule it from the same list. Book doesn't email the client when you change or cancel a booking, so confirm the new time yourself.

Book doesn't take payment, deposits or cancellation fees. If your policy says a late-cancelled session is due, you handle it the way you usually handle payment, for example at the next session. Book also doesn't send reminders; if you want clients to have one, send your own message the day before.

A clear policy helps, but so does a stable rhythm. A session at the same time each week is easier to remember. At the end of each session, you can book the next one yourself from your calendar, which removes that slot from your page and gives the client a fixed time. For clients who come every week, you can book several sessions ahead in the same way.

When a client's schedule changes, for example a new job or a new term, review the time together rather than letting cancellations pile up.

The hardest part of a policy is applying it consistently. Writing down the exceptions you accept, and sticking to them, protects you from having to decide under pressure each time. If you change your policy, tell current clients before it applies to them, and update your service descriptions the same day.