Are your sessions really 45 minutes?

Val12 · Apr 01, 2020 at 10:29 AM

I have noticed this with my last 2 Ts and this current one. At least half of the time, they will take me into their office a few minutes later than my appointment time, but always end the session on time. It has always annoyed me, but, as someone with anxiety issues, I never felt like I could say anything.

Being cut short on time has been thrown even more into my face now that we are doing video calls. I can see my call logs with my T and they're like 41:32, 42:13, 41:59, etc.

Has this been your experience? Did you say anything?

Omers · Apr 01, 2020 at 11:28 AM

Typically a therapy “hour” is 50 min. My T usually runs late and sometimes we get out on time sometimes late or early. I figure it balances out in the end.

Lonelyinmyheart · Apr 01, 2020 at 11:29 AM

Mine are an hour.

Salmon77 · Apr 01, 2020 at 12:02 PM

My sessions are 50 minutes. They almost always begin and end on time. I understand being a couple minutes off now and then, but if my T were consistently late, I'd be upset about it.

I think you should definitely let your T know that you've noticed this and that it bothers you.

Merope · Apr 01, 2020 at 12:03 PM

Mine are an hour (60 minutes) but sometimes he goes over by 10-15 minutes, which I really appreciate. I tend to be the last appointment of the day so he doesn’t often have anyone after me.

I can understand why your situation annoys you, it would irk me too if my T ended earlier than the agreed time, especially since you pay for every single one of those minutes. Given my personality, I think I’d be too anxious to bring it up though. Would you find it easier to email your T about this rather than saying it face to face?

LonesomeTonight · Apr 01, 2020 at 12:27 PM

Mine are technically 50 minutes, I think, though I'm usually in there about 55 minutes, when billing and scheduling are considered (I pay T directly and also schedule with him). We've occasionally gone a full hour. He's generally on time to get me, but the other day he was about 7 minutes late to a telehealth session, and he asked if I was able to stay a few extra minutes to make up for the time, which I appreciated. I would definitely tell your T this bothers you, especially now that you can see the exact times for telehealth.

ScarletPimpernel · Apr 01, 2020 at 12:30 PM

Mine are 45mins. They sometimes run a few mins over.

SlumberKitty · Apr 01, 2020 at 12:31 PM

My sessions with regular T are right around 55 minutes to 1 hour. My sessions with Pastor T tend to be around 35 to 40 minutes. (Note: I do not pay Pastor T for therapy, but I do tithe to his/my Church, so I don't really care how much time he spends with me as it is free. Secondly Pastor T usually asks me if there is anything else I'd like to discuss. It is me who says, nope, I'm good. But if there were something I wanted to discuss, we could take up to the whole hour.)

zoiecat · Apr 01, 2020 at 01:50 PM

My T told me it depends on your insurance. I was contemplating switching insurance companies at work and he said the other company would only pay for 45 minute sessions.

comrademoomoo · Apr 01, 2020 at 02:08 PM

My sessions are 60 minutes and it is one of the few boundaries about which she is very vigilant. In three years of working together, there have been less than a handful of times where we have run over and in those instances by only 5 minutes. It is really interesting to me that she upholds the time boundary, even if I am distressed or we are finishing on a disturbed note (which is common). There are many other boundaries which she does not uphold.

CharlieStarDust · 04:09 PM

Mine used to be 60, but over the last couple of years, they’ve been 50. Which sort of ticks me off - since I’ve been seeing her for almost a decade... but them’s the rules, I suppose.
In a situation where I felt shorted, I’d probably email and express my dissatisfaction (and provide evidence. For example: on date X we started at Y and ended on Z).
Good luck!

ChickenNoodleSoup · Apr 01, 2020 at 04:05 PM

Depends, sometimes it's 40 minutes, sometimes 50 or 60. We've gone up to 1 hour and 15 minutes once. It depends on how I'm doing and how much I have got to talk about.

nottrustin · Apr 01, 2020 at 06:16 PM

Do you know what time she bills for? If she bills for 45 minutes the requirements are not actually 45 minutes. These are the requirements.
90832 – Psychotherapy, 30 minutes (16-37 minute)
90834 – Psychotherapy, 45 minutes (38-52 minutes)
90837 – Psychotherapy, 60 minutes (53 minutes and above)

T use to bill for 50 minutes. We always went 60 or more. Emdr T is 60 minutes and we have never gone only 60 minutes. Usually it has been 75 or so...twice only 65 because she had someplace to be.

0Smile0 · Apr 01, 2020 at 08:09 PM

I have always has really generous therapists in terms of time and have been spoilt looking back. However the last therapist I had we were meant to have 50 mins sessions and I enjoyed the strictness of that 50 minutes but it was never really 50 minutes. By the time we walked to her room a couple of mins past by the hour and she would always finished before the 50 minutes were up and I started to notice by the time I completely left the building I was still in my time. I mean we are talking 2-5 minutes per session but I still think that's a lot. I wouldn't have minded if occasionally we overran but even if I was in a complete state and dissociated we would still stop before the time was over. This was one of the reasons I left.

Anyway now is the opposite so far we have run over a couple of minutes each time and it just makes me feel less pressured and it feels less clinical as a result. There is still an acknowledgement of the time but I don't feel like I am going to be ussured out the door 47 mins in.

Mountaindewed · Apr 02, 2020 at 06:47 AM

I usually get tired around 35 minutes and that’s the least amount of time that she can bill insurance for. So that’s when we end most of the time.

Taylor27 · Apr 02, 2020 at 02:56 PM

Mine are a full hour. She sometimes goes over 15 to 20 mins and it is nice. She works it in so every client has a full hour or more if needed

Under*Over · Apr 02, 2020 at 07:32 PM

Mine are anywhere from 35 minutes to 50. Im not really satisfied with my current practice, my last one was better and I used to always get 50 minutes plus. But Ive relocated and this is the best I can do right now.

Gettingitsoon · Apr 04, 2020 at 11:25 AM

Phone sessions right now and not loving them.
But live or phone at least 50 min, sometimes 60.

Christmas cookie · Apr 04, 2020 at 03:38 PM

60 minutes

stahrgeyzer · Apr 04, 2020 at 10:33 PM

With my psychologist they're 50, but she usually gives me 3 to 8 minutes extra. Today she wants to see me twice per week & offered half the price. I said that's not fair to her, so we agreed on 40 minute sessions at half price until I become more stable and no SI. She's always been very nice to me.

My psychiatrist only does 25 minutes now for my meds.

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Are your sessions really 45 minutes?

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Omers Grand Magnate Member Since Nov 2010 Location: Crimson cattery Posts: 3,512 13 3,133 hugs given	Apr 01, 2020 at 11:28 AM #2 Typically a therapy “hour” is 50 min. My T usually runs late and sometimes we get out on time sometimes late or early. I figure it balances out in the end. __________________ There’s been many a crooked path that has landed me here Tired, broken and wearing rags Wild eyed with fear -Blackmoores Night
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Lonelyinmyheart Poohbah Member Since Jun 2019 Location: Earth Posts: 1,093 4 1,732 hugs given	Apr 01, 2020 at 11:29 AM #3 Mine are an hour.
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Salmon77 Poohbah Member Since Mar 2014 Location: PNW Posts: 1,394 10 106 hugs given	Apr 01, 2020 at 12:02 PM #4 My sessions are 50 minutes. They almost always begin and end on time. I understand being a couple minutes off now and then, but if my T were consistently late, I'd be upset about it. I think you should definitely let your T know that you've noticed this and that it bothers you.
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ScarletPimpernel Wise Elder Member Since Nov 2013 Location: US Posts: 8,406 (SuperPoster!) 10 6,402 hugs given	Apr 01, 2020 at 12:30 PM #7 Mine are 45mins. They sometimes run a few mins over. __________________ "Odium became your opium..." ~Epica
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zoiecat Grand Member Member Since Apr 2017 Location: USA Posts: 916 7 409 hugs given	Apr 01, 2020 at 01:50 PM #9 My T told me it depends on your insurance. I was contemplating switching insurance companies at work and he said the other company would only pay for 45 minute sessions.
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ChickenNoodleSoup Grand Poohbah Member Since Apr 2017 Location: In a land far far away Posts: 1,574 7 1,304 hugs given	Apr 01, 2020 at 04:05 PM #12 Depends, sometimes it's 40 minutes, sometimes 50 or 60. We've gone up to 1 hour and 15 minutes once. It depends on how I'm doing and how much I have got to talk about.
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,129 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,748 hugs given	Apr 02, 2020 at 06:47 AM #15 I usually get tired around 35 minutes and that’s the least amount of time that she can bill insurance for. So that’s when we end most of the time. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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Taylor27 healing from trauma Member Since Dec 2017 Location: Alberta Posts: 30,425 (SuperPoster!) 6 24.3k hugs given	Apr 02, 2020 at 02:56 PM #16 Mine are a full hour. She sometimes goes over 15 to 20 mins and it is nice. She works it in so every client has a full hour or more if needed
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Under*Over Member Member Since Mar 2018 Location: USA Posts: 457 6 177 hugs given	Apr 02, 2020 at 07:32 PM #17 Mine are anywhere from 35 minutes to 50. Im not really satisfied with my current practice, my last one was better and I used to always get 50 minutes plus. But Ive relocated and this is the best I can do right now.
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Gettingitsoon Member Member Since Feb 2016 Location: Usa Posts: 160 8 22 hugs given	Apr 04, 2020 at 11:25 AM #18 Phone sessions right now and not loving them. But live or phone at least 50 min, sometimes 60.
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Christmas cookie Member Member Since Nov 2019 Location: Mars Posts: 122 4 58 hugs given	Apr 04, 2020 at 03:38 PM #19 60 minutes
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stahrgeyzer Magnate Member Since Feb 2018 Location: literally hell Posts: 2,331 6 5,648 hugs given	Apr 04, 2020 at 10:33 PM #20 With my psychologist they're 50, but she usually gives me 3 to 8 minutes extra. Today she wants to see me twice per week & offered half the price. I said that's not fair to her, so we agreed on 40 minute sessions at half price until I become more stable and no SI. She's always been very nice to me. My psychiatrist only does 25 minutes now for my meds.
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