A. Fees

• All charges for sessions and services are outlined in our Fee Schedule, available on our website or as a downloadable PDF upon request.

• A complimentary first session of up to 30 minutes is offered to new clients. All subsequent sessions are charged at the published rates.

• Your appointment confirmation email will outline the fee for your booked session (business hours or after hours), or fees will be as discussed and agreed between you and your clinician.

• Fees are based on the allocated session length in the Fee Schedule. Sessions that end early at the client’s request are charged at the full session rate. If a clinician must end a session early for reasons unrelated to the therapeutic process, the session will be rescheduled without prejudice.

• Fees are payable before or at the time of the appointment via cash, credit/debit card, or EFT. Invoicing can be arranged with prior agreement. If you require alternative payment options, please discuss this with us.

• We encourage clients to reach out if experiencing financial stress. Fee reductions or alternative arrangements may be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.

• Fees for Professional Supervision, Training, Consultancy, Court Attendance, Specialist Briefings, and Report Writing attract GST at the current rate of 10%.

​

B. Payment Plans

Thoughtful Connections offers weekly or fortnightly payment plans for clients who prefer to spread the cost of their sessions over time or who may be experiencing financial pressure.

Eligibility: 

Payment plans may be offered to clients who:

• Are experiencing financial hardship

• Attend regular counselling or social work sessions

• Prefer predictable, scheduled payments

Eligibility is assessed individually.

Structure: 

Payment plans include:

• Minimum duration of 4 weeks

• Weekly or fortnightly instalments

• Payment via credit/debit card or bank transfer

• A written agreement outlining total cost, instalment amounts, and due dates

​​Attendance & Billing: 

Standard session fees apply unless otherwise agreed.

• Missed or late‑cancelled sessions follow the Cancellation Policy and are added to the plan.

• Additional sessions can be added to the plan or paid separately.

​​​​Late or Missed Payments

• A reminder is sent within 48 hours of a missed instalment.

• Instalments must be paid within 7 days.

• Two consecutive missed payments may pause or cancel the plan.

​​Hardship Adjustments

Clients experiencing unexpected financial difficulty may request:

• Temporary reduction in instalments

• Short‑term pause of the plan

• Review of session frequency

​​Ending a Payment Plan

A plan may end when:

• The balance is fully paid

• The client discontinues services

• The plan is cancelled due to non‑payment

Outstanding balances are invoiced and payable within 14 days unless otherwise arranged.

​​

C. Cancellations, Late Arrivals & Non‑Attendance

Our cancellation policy ensures fair access to services for all clients. We understand emergencies and unforeseen circumstances occur; please notify us as early as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule.

​Cancellation by Thoughtful Connections

• We may cancel, postpone, or reschedule appointments due to clinician or venue unavailability or unforeseen circumstances. Clients will be notified in writing.

• Pre‑paid sessions will be refunded in full if alternative dates are unsuitable. Refunds are processed within 30 days via EFT.

​​Cancellation by the Client

All cancellation requests must be in writing (email or SMS). 

• Cancellations 2 business days or more before the appointment:

  • No fee applies.

  • Credit toward future bookings may be considered at our discretion.

• Cancellations 1–2 business days before the appointment:

  • Prepaid sessions: 50% refund

  • Unpaid sessions: 50% cancellation fee Refunds processed within 30 days via EFT.

• Cancellations with less than 1 business day notice:

  • Prepaid sessions: 25% refund

  • Unpaid sessions: 75% cancellation fee Refunds processed within 30 days via EFT.

​Rescheduling

• If cancellation occurs 1–2 business days before the appointment, the session may be rescheduled. A maximum of two rescheduled appointments is permitted before the clinician reviews attendance and discusses alternative support options.

​​Non‑Attendance (“No Show”)

• If no contact has been received about the client's inability to attend the session, no refunds or transfers apply. Full session fees are payable.​​

​​Rebates

• Rebates are not available for cancelled sessions.

• Third‑party funders typically require clients to pay cancellation fees themselves.

​Late Arrivals

Reminder messages are sent prior to appointments. If you are late:

• The clinician will wait 15 minutes before considering the appointment forfeited.

• If you arrive within 15 minutes, the session will be shortened accordingly.

• The clinician may choose to wait longer or run the full session at their discretion.​​​​

​... continues below picture