A missed therapy session isn't just a missed hour. It's a $60 to $125 no-show fee, a break in your progress, and the kind of thing that makes you avoid rescheduling. Set a reminder days before your next appointment so you actually show up.
Done in seconds. No sign-up required.
The fee is just the beginning.
typical no-show fee charged by therapists for a missed session
SimplePractice, therapist billing survey
of therapy appointments are missed or canceled late
BMC Health Services Research, 2018
for missed therapy appointments is simply forgetting
Ramlucken & Govender, S Afr J Psychiatr, 2018
Therapy is usually the same day and time every week. That sounds like it should make it easier to remember, but the opposite happens. Repetition makes it invisible. Your brain files it under "routine" and stops actively tracking it.
It gets worse if the very thing you're in therapy for affects your memory. ADHD, depression, and anxiety all impair executive function. The people who need therapy most are often the ones least equipped to remember it without help.
A phone calendar ping 30 minutes before doesn't fix this. By then, you might already be in a meeting, on the road, or have forgotten to block the time entirely. A reminder that arrives a day or two ahead gives you time to plan around the session, not scramble when it's already too late.
It's not just the fee.
Most therapists charge between $60 and $125 for a missed appointment. Insurance won't cover it because the session never happened. That's money gone for nothing.
Therapy works because of continuity. Each session builds on the last. A gap means your therapist spends the next session catching up instead of moving forward.
Missing a session often triggers shame, which makes it harder to reschedule. Some people avoid calling their therapist for weeks after a no-show, turning one missed session into several.
Set it after your session. Show up to the next one.
After each appointment, set a reminder for the next one. It takes about 15 seconds. No account, no app.
You'll get an email 7, 3, and 1 day before your session. Enough lead time to block your calendar and prepare mentally.
Attend your session and tap "I did it" in the email. Then set the next one. Simple habit, zero missed appointments.
Set a reminder for 1 to 3 days before each session. A day-before reminder gives you enough time to prepare mentally and adjust your schedule, without being so far out that you forget again by appointment time.
If your therapy falls on the same date each time, you can set a yearly recurring reminder. For weekly or biweekly sessions that shift around, set a new reminder after each session for the next one. It takes about 15 seconds.
Most therapists charge a no-show fee between $60 and $125. The session can't be billed to insurance, so you pay the full out-of-pocket rate. Beyond the money, missed sessions break momentum and can slow your progress.
Therapy appointments are easy to forget because they're often the same day and time every week, which makes them blend into the background. Conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and depression also directly affect executive function and memory, making it harder to track recurring commitments.
Some practices send automated texts or emails 24 hours before. Many solo practitioners and smaller offices don't. Even when they do, a single day-of reminder is easy to miss. Having your own reminder days in advance is more reliable.
Yes. You can set a reminder with just your email address. You'll get notified days before your session, with follow-ups if you haven't acknowledged it. No app to install, no account to create.
Set a reminder now. Get notified before your next appointment, not after the no-show fee hits.
Set My Therapy ReminderLast modified: