7) When the client is a No Show.


A Series of "short introductions" to Mental Health.

By Peter Thompson Dip.Couns. MNCPS (Acc.)


7) When the client is a No Show.

In many areas of self employment, when a client has booked in for a meeting or some form of communication with you but then doesn't show up without any notice or very short notice more often than not you are justifiably a little peeved and maybe even showing your frustration and disappointment via words of profanity. Sometimes even to the failed attendees.

However when this happens within a counselling relationship just how should the counsellor react. After all, do we not live lives of Non-Judgementalism and UPR (Unconditional positive regard)?

I obviously can only speak for myself here but I consider myself to be fairly representative of counsellors in general. So when this occurs a few things may go through my mind. 

  1. As per our contract I choose to NOT insist on payment for cancelled or missed sessions. So long as it's not a repetitive issue.

  2. Our contract will state that if a session is missed and I hear nothing in seven days it will be taken that the relationship has ended.

  3. Most importantly if a client merely forgets a planned session it can be a positive event in that the need to attend no longer carries the importance that it once did. Therefore the client is finding improvement which should be encouraged.


Yes obviously it's annoying when you consider that this is actually your income that people are reducing by not attending. And you've spent time prior to the session or even since last seeing them, reflecting upon their situation. But to chastise in some way could undo any good already done. 

So where do we prevent ourselves from being taken as a soft touch?

What would you do?

Please let me know ....

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