Direct Scheduling FAQ: What It Is and How It Helps Your Therapy Practice

There’s a lot involved when meeting new clients, from finding an appointment time that meets yours and your client’s availability to rescheduling or canceling if timing doesn’t work. SonderMind takes the hassle out of meeting new clients by offering a comprehensive suite of tools that simplifies scheduling.

Direct scheduling allows you to connect with clients faster and takes out the back and forth of finding the right time to meet. This feature enables clients to simply select an appointment time from your set availability and directly schedule a session on your calendar.

Learn more how direct scheduling works at SonderMind and why this feature may benefit your therapy practice.

What is the purpose of direct scheduling?

It’s important to set boundaries for when clients can schedule time on your calendar. A healthy work-life balance is vital to continue the important work that you do. Direct scheduling gives you the flexibility to control how soon or far out into the future clients can schedule time on your calendar. It allows new or existing clients to schedule directly onto your SonderMind calendar based on your availability.  

How soon or far out can clients schedule?

You can allow your clients to schedule 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours ahead of time and limit how many weeks into the future they can schedule (1, 2, 3, 4, or 8 weeks). You can return to update these settings at any point in time, giving you total control over your schedule and when clients can schedule time with you.

What availability will be shown to clients?

Your availability will be used in combination with scheduled events on your SonderMind calendar and any scheduled events on calendars connected to your SonderMind portal. You can also sync your external calendar to ensure your most up-to-date availability.

How does direct scheduling work for clients?

Once you accept a new client match, the client will see the option to schedule a session. The client will then be prompted to choose which type of session they would like to schedule (video telehealth or in-person). 

Once the client has selected their preferred session format, they will be taken to a calendar view of your available appointment times.

Direct scheduling appointments will always be the standard 60-minute session and will only be scheduled on the hour or the half-hour. Clients will be prompted to confirm the details of their appointment time with you before scheduling. 

Clients can schedule up to 24 hours in advance of a session. You will never receive a client-scheduled session on your calendar less than 24 hours in advance.

What if the client or I need to cancel or reschedule?

If a session scheduled by the client does not work for you for any reason, you may cancel or reschedule in the same way that you typically do so. 

If a client wishes to cancel or reschedule the session, they will need to contact you directly (as they do today). Our same cancellation policy applies to clients who schedule via the direct scheduling function.

If you are a SonderMind provider looking to implement direct scheduling, check out this resource to learn how to: 

• Turn on direct scheduling
• Change how soon or far out a client can schedule with you
• Adjust your notification settings for direct scheduling appointments 

Get access to more resources

SonderMind’s evidence-based approach to care gives you the additional tools you need to provide the best possible support to even more people in need. When you join SonderMind, you get access to free tools (like direct scheduling), plus free or discounted CEs, case consultation, and an exclusive online forum for SonderMind therapists. See all continuing education and training opportunities available to SonderMind providers here. 

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