When Therapy Gets Cancelled…(Inclement Weather)
Wow, what a start to the New Year, snow and ice warnings on the first day back for most workplaces and schools. I was meant to be writing about not buying into the “New Year, New you” mantra plastered all over socials, instead I’m sitting writing this just as the first grumblings of an amber warning for Storm Goretti are announced.
After two weeks off on leave, enjoying the festivities, the first week of January is usually busy, with fewer cancellations or gaps in the diary, and looking at the weather reports and trying to make a decision becomes ethical. Cancelling or switching online, where possible, is going to be a difficult decision to make.
Close-up of a delicate snowflake resting on soft snow, captured in sharp detail against a blurred background. The scene evokes a sense of winter tranquility.
Over the years of working at Phoenix Counselling and its predecessors, Oldbury in the snow is, in all honesty, is dangerous. So when I hear the warnings or even wake up to snow, my first instincts are:
🚨Safety - for both clients and myself
🚨Travel - Will either party have difficulty getting to and from sessions
Common Practice for Therapists
I can’t answer for every therapist out there, as specific arrangements will depend on each therapist's/centre’s policy, but safety will always be the priority!
🚨 Safety - means that neither party should risk attempting to travel to an in-person appointment if roads are icy.
🚨Communication - We will contact you as soon as possible if centres have decided that safety is an issue. If you haven’t heard from us, then contact us, e.g. some therapists live in different districts, which may not be impacted and are potentially unaware (this could also happen vice versa, with a therapist unable to travel as their district is impacted but Birmingham is not)
🚨Alternative Options (Telehealth) - Many therapists and practices in the UK are now potentially able to offer the option to switch to an online service in cases of bad weather.
🚨Rescheduling: If an online session isn't possible, rescheduling the appointment for another time, usually without a penalty if the cancellation was genuinely due to unsafe weather.
Why Switching Online Isn’t Always Possible
What the pandemic provided for the face-to-face people I work with is the ability to continue their therapy sessions, and if contracted to work online (an online addendum will need to be signed if you are not contracted for online working), switch in the event of inclement weather.
However…..
What most people do not realise is that for some people working for 6 plus hours online can be a huge health and safety risk, which has to be factored in, e.g. working with display screen equipment. This means that, depending on the individual:
🚨An automatic switch is not guaranteed
🚨Day or time may need to be adjusted
For both parties
🚨Can confidentiality still be guaranteed - school closures, working from home
AND
🚨 An online addendum or new online counselling contract will need to be signed prior to an online appointment to ensure that both parties are in agreement, and clients are fully aware of the platform's privacy policy.
We Understand Your Feelings.
Unexpected cancellations can be disruptive, especially if you were looking forward to the session or needed support that day, and it would be unrealistic for any therapist not to, at some point, need to cancel an appointment due to:
🚨Inclement Weather
🚨Sickness
🚨Family emergencies
🚨Bereavement
Therefore, it is important that when we are let down or even struggling, we:
✅ Acknowledge Feelings: It is normal to feel disappointed, frustrated, or even a sense of abandonment when a session is cancelled. Acknowledge these feelings rather than dismissing them, and speak about them in the next session
✅ Practice Coping Skills: Engage in self-care strategies that work for you, such as exercise, mindfulness, writing in a journal, or making a hot drink. You can even write down what you had planned to discuss in your session and email it to your therapist if they allow it.
✅ Reach Out for Urgent Help: If the cancellation leaves you feeling distressed, unsafe, or experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out for immediate support.
The Samaritans -116 123
Black Country Mental Health -08000086516
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health - 08009159292
Safety is Subjective
Every single one of us will be influenced by our past experiences, and even just talking to a few colleagues this week snow at some point, has had a negative impact, the most recent events of:
🚨2004, when the whole of the UK froze
🚨2012 - 2013, when we had many snowstorms from November until the end of March
🚨2018 - Storm Emma - Beast from the East
All of which have left a mark, abandoning cars, broken bones and a 20-minute journey taking 4 hours. For this reason, although it may not be particularly bad in parts, we do need to recognise each person as an individual, and their experiences may influence any decision to offer or attend an in-person appointment. My version of “it’s only a dusting” could be someone else’s worst nightmare due to their experiences of falling, crashing or even sleeping in their car overnight, and this is for both therapists and the people we work with.
Stay safe, and if you haven’t heard from your therapist as yet, drop them a message.
