Billing & Cancellation Policy
(with the exception of Marathon Couples Therapy, see that contract for more details)
Ember Relationship Psychology values you, your time and your commitment to therapy. The time you book is for your exclusive use, and this time should be mutually protected by you and your therapist. It is the joint responsibility of both the client and the therapist to prioritize their work together and respect the time that both are investing in the treatment process.
This policy covers cancellation, technological failure, and payment.
Cancellation Policy
Why a 48 Hour Cancellation
When you cancel with less than 48 hours notice, or fail to attend, it is extremely difficult to book someone else into this time. When you cancel with less than a full 48 hours notice, you will be billed the full fee. This applies to same day bookings that are cancelled the day of.
How to Cancel
Clients can cancel their appointment by logging into their Owl Client Portal. Sign In, click My Account, and under next session press Cancel. Should you have difficulties or prefer to cancel by email you may contact info@emberrelationshippsychology.com, or use the Messaging feature in your client portal. There are the only three ways to cancel. Cancellation must be received by any of these three methods 48 full hours prior to your session time.
Frequent Rescheduling, Late Cancellations or Failure to Attend
Therapy requires an investment of time, energy and money. At times, even the most well meaning people have life circumstances that make ongoing therapy difficult to attend.
Clients who cancel/ reschedule/ fail to attend 2 or more consecutive appointments within the 48 hour window will be asked to take a six month break from therapy until a time when they can better commit.
Clients who late cancel or fail to attend and pay their fees, more than three times in any calendar year will be asked to take a six month break from therapy until a time when they can better commit.
Clients who cancel or reschedule appointments outside of the 48 hour window five or more times in a calendar year will be asked to take a six month break from therapy until a time when they can better commit. Note Saturdays are different.
Clients who have appointments booked on Saturdays that are cancelled/ rescheduled/ not attended 3 or more times within a calendar year will be asked to take a six month break from therapy until a time when they can better commit.
Invoices/ Receipts for Late Cancellations or Failure to Attend
You will receive an invoice and or receipt that are marked “late cancel” or “no show”. These markings cannot be removed as this is considered insurance fraud.
Late Cancellations and Failure to Attend: Upcoming Booked Appointments
If you have a late cancellation or you fail to attend, and you have pre-booked a series of upcoming appointments, you have 48 hours to pay the fees related to your session time, or your pre-booked sessions series will be cancelled.
If you have a late cancellation or fail to attend and you are not billed due to “Reasons You Will Not Be Billed For A Cancellation With Less Than 48 Hours Notice (see section below)” you have 48 hours to confirm your upcoming appointments, or your pre-booked series will be cancelled.
If you fail to attend or late cancel, and any of the conditions under “Frequent Rescheduling, Late Cancellations or Failure to Attend (see section above)” are met, all of your pre-booked series will be cancelled.
Your Therapist Cancels With Less Than 48 Hours Notice
To keep the cancellation policy fair, should your therapist cancel with less than 48 hours notice, your next session is free. Except for the same reasons as you will not be billed with less than 48 hours notice as outlined in the section “Reasons You Will Not Be Billed For A Cancellation With Less Than 48 Hours Notice”
Reasons You Will Not Be Billed For A Cancellation With Less Than 48 Hours Notice
Cancellations fees will only be waived in the following circumstances.
A medical emergency happened, and you require urgent professional treatment within the 48 hours prior to your appointment.
A medical emergency happened to a family member to whom you are the primary caregiver, and that family member requires urgent professional treatment, within the 48 hours prior to your appointment.
An acute illness is impacting your ability to function within the 48 hours prior to your appointment.
An acute illness is impacting the ability to function of someone you are the primary caregiver of 48 hours prior to your appointment.
A death in the family occurred within the 48 hours prior to your appointment.
A natural disaster occurred within the 48 hours prior to your appointment.
An act of the universe that has occurred at the time of your appointment (e.g. power outage, or system-wide internet outage).
Appointment Reminders
The client is ultimately responsible for keeping track of their own appointment times. Should they forget when their appointment is they can log in to their Owl Client Portal. When the client fills out their intake information, the client will be prompted to set their appointment reminder settings. While a client may choose not to get reminders, or deactivate the reminders, they are solely responsible for remembering their appointment time. In the case of technological failure and the appointment system not working, the client is still responsible to remember their appointment time.
Technological Failure / Secure Location
A risk of telemedicine services is a technological failure. You are assuming this risk by entering into psychological services delivered by telemedicine. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have access to these modes of communication at your session time.
In addition, it is your responsibility to ensure you are in a secure location where you are unlikely to be overheard and/or on secure internet. It is your responsibility to ensure you are in a secure environment at the time of your session.
There are two ways the practice offers telemedicine services:
Using secure video
Telephone
In the case that one of these methods is not working, we will use the other method. That means if you are a client who typically uses video, you agree that in the case of technological failure we can use the telephone to do the call and you are still billed the full fee for the appointment. In addition, that means if you are a client who typically uses the telephone and that does not work, we can use secure video (even just the audio to conduct your session), and you will still be billed the full fee for the appointment.
If you are having a telephone session, the therapist will call you one time, no more than 5 minutes after your scheduled session start time. Please note, your therapist will call from a blocked number. Please be available to answer your phone. If you do not answer this will be considered a failure to attend.
If you are having a video session, your therapist will wait on the video call for 15 minutes after the scheduled start time. If you do not arrive online within 15 minutes of your scheduled start time, this will be considered a failure to attend.
Payment
How to Pay
You can pay by sending an e-transfer to info@emberrelationshippsychology.com or uploading your payment details into your Client Portal, under My Account, Payment Details. Payment is due promptly at the end of each session time.
Consequence to Late Payment
If payment is not paid within 48 hours of your session, your upcoming appointments will be canceled.
If payment is not received within 48 hours of your session more than two times in a calendar year, you will be asked to take a six month break from therapy.
Courses
How to Pay
You pay on the payment screen linked to the course.
Refunds
You can get a refund within 30 days of purchase. You must also show proof you have completed the course videos and worksheets to get your refund. To do so, email team@emberrelationshippsychology.com with the subject line “refund”.
Updated August 22, 2024