Attendance & Cancellation Policy — Updated 2026
Regular and consistent attendance supports meaningful progress in therapy. Encompass Counseling provides in-depth, collaborative therapy, and this work is most effective when sessions are attended consistently.
Recurring Appointment Times
Encompass Counseling intentionally maintains a limited caseload. This allows us to remain fully present, authentic, and engaged with the clients we serve while supporting a sustainable clinical practice and reducing the risk of therapist burnout.
Because we intentionally limit the number of clients we serve, a canceled appointment cannot simply be filled by another client. When you reserve a recurring appointment time, that time is protected specifically for you.
To reserve a regular weekly or every-other-week appointment time, Encompass require the following attendance and cancellation policy outlined below. Your recurring appointment time is reserved specifically for you and is held as part of your ongoing care.
Clients may instead choose to schedule sessions on an as-needed basis. As-needed appointments are scheduled according to current availability, and a particular day, time, or future appointment cannot be guaranteed.
Cancellations With 48+ Hours' Notice
When possible, please provide at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment.
Clients with recurring appointments are provided a limited number of cancellations per calendar year without a fee:
Weekly recurring appointments: Up to 6 cancellations per calendar year, divided as follows:
January–April: up to 2
May–August: up to 2
September–December: up to 2
Every-other-week recurring appointments: Up to 3 cancellations per calendar year, divided as follows:
January–April: 1
May–August: 1
September–December: 1
Unused cancellations do not carry over to the next four-month period.
Once the allotted no-fee cancellations for the current four-month period have been used, additional cancellations with 48+ hours' notice are subject to the full session fee unless the session is successfully made up within the same week.
Cancellations With Less Than 48 Hours' Notice
A cancellation made less than 48 hours before the scheduled appointment time is considered a late cancellation and is subject to the full session fee, regardless of whether you have remaining no-fee cancellations available.
If the canceled session is successfully made up within the same week, however, no cancellation fee will be charged. The client is responsible only for the regular session fee for the make-up session.
Late cancellations do not count against your allotted no-fee cancellations because the full session fee is charged.
Make-Up Sessions
A canceled session may be made up within the same week when there is mutual availability between the client and therapist.
Encompass Counseling allows up to 2 make-up sessions per four-month period, subject to mutual availability. Therapist availability is not guaranteed. If there is no mutually available appointment time within the same week, the session cannot be made up and the applicable cancellation fee will apply.
Make-up sessions are intended to support continuity of care when scheduling allows. They do not require the therapist to create an additional opening or alter their regular schedule.
If your regularly scheduled appointment time no longer works for you, please discuss this with your therapist. We will make a reasonable effort to identify a recurring time that works for both you and your therapist.
If there is not a mutually workable recurring time, we may discuss transitioning to an as-needed schedule or providing referrals to another therapist or practice.
Illness, Travel, and Teletherapy
If you are ill, traveling, or unable to attend in person, teletherapy may be an option when clinically appropriate and available.
If teletherapy is offered as an alternative to an in-person appointment and you choose not to attend by teletherapy, the appointment will be considered a cancellation and will be subject to this policy.
If you are experiencing a contagious illness but feel well enough to participate in therapy, please contact your therapist to discuss whether teletherapy is an appropriate alternative to attending in person.
Travel, vacations, and personal plans are still considered cancellations and are subject to this policy.
Emergencies and Unexpected Circumstances
We understand that unexpected circumstances and emergencies happen. Please communicate with your therapist as soon as possible if an emergency or unusual circumstance affects your ability to attend a scheduled appointment.
Once your allotted no-fee cancellations have been used, additional cancellations will be subject to the full session fee, even when the circumstance was unavoidable. Encompass Counseling may use discretion in unusual or extraordinary circumstances.
Extended Time Away
If you anticipate being away from therapy for an extended period, please discuss your plans with your therapist in advance.
Available no-fee cancellations may be used subject to the limits outlined above. However, a recurring appointment time is not guaranteed to remain available during an extended absence unless this has been discussed and arranged in advance.
If Your Therapist Needs to Cancel
If your therapist needs to cancel a scheduled appointment, you will not be charged a cancellation fee. The session may be rescheduled based on mutual availability.
As-Needed Scheduling
Clients who do not wish to maintain a recurring weekly or every-other-week appointment may schedule sessions on an as-needed basis. As-needed appointments are scheduled according to current availability, and a particular day, time, or future appointment cannot be guaranteed.
Payment
Any applicable cancellation fee is due at the time of the regularly scheduled appointment.