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Not working for free is a perfectly good boundary to have, but either provide services, or don't. Who is the check-in for? Is it to ease your own feelings about how this client is doing? If so, do your own work on that rather that involving a former client. If you know you are not able to do free therapy how does she benefit from you reaching out? And what if you send a message "Just checking in" and she responds back with "Oh, just standing on the roof of a building thinking about jumping."
Find her a free or very low cost clinic and have her sign an ROI for continuity of care. But then like others have said she is no longer your client and there are no more check ins for either of you.
see flair but i think the bigger boundary crossing would be reaching out to her when she hasn't contacted you.
in cases like these where a client is in ***severe need*** where you think something really bad might happen w/o their attending therapy but can't afford it a few of our professors have told us to take whatever they can bring in, even a quarter they found off the ground, but never free.
reaching out like that seems like a legal/ethical quagmire though bc you're blurring boundaries. do you care enough to cut down even further on your fees to provide service if she was in need? if she was in a crisis, what would the implications be? etc.
I will say this is something that came up in debates a lot in my training too when I was getting my PhD. However, I ultimately disagree that paying a quarter is necessary or whatever. I actually have found that people feel it is a little insulting to do something like that.
I personally just negotiate rates and if that still doesn’t work (as in they cannot pay for anything) I will agree to pro bono. I always have it a set amount of sessions, but usually will extend those at my discretion. I often am personally willing to do so indefinitely. Again though I always have it in writing as a set amount.
I personally find it pretty rewarding to provide a few pro bono hours per week. It actually helps me feel good about the work I do on a more societal scale.
I don't, personally. For me, that would be crossing a boundary, feeling like I'm doing (or inviting) a therapy over text relationship or blurring what is and isn't a session.
I have had clients pause therapy when they have a payment issue (like a lapse in insurance coverage). My general policy is that if a client hasn't scheduled in two months (sometimes less) I send a form email asking if they want to continue and giving a timeline for discharge if they don't respond.
In a case like this, I might modify that if I thought there were other services they might qualify for and could afford. So for example, I might offer a referral for ARMHS if that was appropriate and I thought client could afford that (or it would be covered), or suggest support groups that might fit their situation, not as a replacement for therapy or kicking them out but as other options that might be more accessible until they are able to return for regular service. Basically, a way to maintain therapeutic contact without breaking my boundaries.
I DON'T ask how they are doing and, generally, don't address it if they reply and tell me.
I have checked in on clients before when we were working on Referrals and the like, and for other reasons too.
I will add though that I never text. Only call or less commonly send a secure form of communication.
I generally allow myself to have a few pro-bono clients per week. Not all by any means, but I try to keep a couple. It’s usually though only people who are already seeing me and then financial situations change. I have them and I agree on a number of sessions, I then reserve the right to decide if I will extend these or not. I almost always do indefinitely as I like to always have a few pro bono each week.
I will add I don’t typically check up randomly. Usually it’s because I have a concern or am wanting to follow up on a referral or some specific reason. Maybe a concern I had.
**Do not message the mods about this automated message.** Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other. **If you are not a therapist and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this. This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients. **If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not working for free is a perfectly good boundary to have, but either provide services, or don't. Who is the check-in for? Is it to ease your own feelings about how this client is doing? If so, do your own work on that rather that involving a former client. If you know you are not able to do free therapy how does she benefit from you reaching out? And what if you send a message "Just checking in" and she responds back with "Oh, just standing on the roof of a building thinking about jumping."
Find her a free or very low cost clinic and have her sign an ROI for continuity of care. But then like others have said she is no longer your client and there are no more check ins for either of you.
Adding to this, any university counseling center in the area would be a good place to refer for free counseling!
Checking in would not be appropriate.
see flair but i think the bigger boundary crossing would be reaching out to her when she hasn't contacted you. in cases like these where a client is in ***severe need*** where you think something really bad might happen w/o their attending therapy but can't afford it a few of our professors have told us to take whatever they can bring in, even a quarter they found off the ground, but never free. reaching out like that seems like a legal/ethical quagmire though bc you're blurring boundaries. do you care enough to cut down even further on your fees to provide service if she was in need? if she was in a crisis, what would the implications be? etc.
I will say this is something that came up in debates a lot in my training too when I was getting my PhD. However, I ultimately disagree that paying a quarter is necessary or whatever. I actually have found that people feel it is a little insulting to do something like that. I personally just negotiate rates and if that still doesn’t work (as in they cannot pay for anything) I will agree to pro bono. I always have it a set amount of sessions, but usually will extend those at my discretion. I often am personally willing to do so indefinitely. Again though I always have it in writing as a set amount. I personally find it pretty rewarding to provide a few pro bono hours per week. It actually helps me feel good about the work I do on a more societal scale.
I don't, personally. For me, that would be crossing a boundary, feeling like I'm doing (or inviting) a therapy over text relationship or blurring what is and isn't a session. I have had clients pause therapy when they have a payment issue (like a lapse in insurance coverage). My general policy is that if a client hasn't scheduled in two months (sometimes less) I send a form email asking if they want to continue and giving a timeline for discharge if they don't respond. In a case like this, I might modify that if I thought there were other services they might qualify for and could afford. So for example, I might offer a referral for ARMHS if that was appropriate and I thought client could afford that (or it would be covered), or suggest support groups that might fit their situation, not as a replacement for therapy or kicking them out but as other options that might be more accessible until they are able to return for regular service. Basically, a way to maintain therapeutic contact without breaking my boundaries. I DON'T ask how they are doing and, generally, don't address it if they reply and tell me.
I have checked in on clients before when we were working on Referrals and the like, and for other reasons too. I will add though that I never text. Only call or less commonly send a secure form of communication. I generally allow myself to have a few pro-bono clients per week. Not all by any means, but I try to keep a couple. It’s usually though only people who are already seeing me and then financial situations change. I have them and I agree on a number of sessions, I then reserve the right to decide if I will extend these or not. I almost always do indefinitely as I like to always have a few pro bono each week.
I will add I don’t typically check up randomly. Usually it’s because I have a concern or am wanting to follow up on a referral or some specific reason. Maybe a concern I had.