Should you charge for your first session with a client?

When a client comes for their first counselling session, do you charge them – or is it for free?

Well that depends on what has happened in the lead up to the meeting.

If you’ve had a 30 minute phone conversation, then you should charge for the first meeting.

But if you haven’t spent any time with them, the first meeting should be free.

But before you can charge anyone for your services, you should have sent them your letter of engagement.

This sets out what they will get, how much you will charge them, how they will pay, how long the sessions will last, and how many sessions there will be.

You also need to cover topics like:

Whether you would speak to anyone else about the client, and under what circumstances?
Where the sessions will take place.
What will happen if they don’t show up.