Managing time in therapy sessions is important both for you and your clients and it’s one way of setting boundaries. But constantly looking at your watch is going to give the impression that you’re bored or want the client to go, so how do you keep time? Whether you use a clock, a buzzer or a gadget, every choice has its pitfalls so, in this blog, I’ll be looking at the pros and cons of different options.
Why is timing important in therapy sessions?
- So you don’t finish too early, leaving your client wondering if you have any real interest in them, or if your sessions provide value for money.
- So you stick to the topic and don’t go off meandering in every direction. (If this frequently happens to you, there’s an article in my book, The Hypnotherapist’s Companion, on respectfully managing over-chatty clients. Click the book title for more information.)
- So you don’t keep the next client waiting.
- So that clients aren’t late for whatever comes next – whether that’s picking up children from school or overrunning the time on their parking ticket.
- So you can tailor the session length to match the client’s needs, especially if you offer varying session lengths.
- So you don’t end up working unpaid time. If you feel that’s a bit mercenary and don’t feel a few extra minutes here and there are important, keep reading. I’ll come back to this point in my conclusion.
There are some caveats to this of, course. I don’t let clients leave if they are upset, and I might choose to overrun a few minutes if a huge revelation comes to them right at the end of the session. Or, as in one case, the client reveals they are at high risk for suicide in the last five minutes.
In any of these situations, it seems wrong to say (however politely or tactfully), "Sorry, your time's up. Let's look at this next time." Even a few moments to make things calm, plan where to pick up again at the next session, or keep your client safe, can be vital.
To make this clear, I have a notice on my therapy room door along the lines of “I generally keep sessions on time but occasionally they might overrun because of the nature of therapy. I appreciate your patience if this happens.” I also leave a gap between sessions which means that, in practice, one session overrunning a little doesn’t tend to impact the start time of the next one.
How to keep track of time in therapy sessions
A clock, of course, doesn’t have to be a literal clock. It could include anything that helps you keep track of the time. Here are a few other options, though where you place them is still probably down to your choice.
- Your internal clock: after a few years of working in one-hour blocks (or whatever you use), you may start to “just know” when the time is up.
- Your laptop clock if you are working online.
- An alarm or buzzer: these can interrupt mid-thought or sentence and have always seemed a bit harsh for my liking. (If your experience – as a client or a therapist - is different, do post below and let me know!)
- A smartwatch: set it to silently vibrate, giving you a warning that time is coming to an end, or perhaps to emit a gentle chime that both you and your client can hear.
- A sand timer: you can get these for 45 or 60 minutes.
- A TimeQube: this changes colour to indicate passing time – see https://timeqube.com/get/mind
Where should you place a clock in your therapy room?
I have my clock on the wall behind my clients. It means they can rely on me to pace the session without worrying about the time themselves. And I can glance at it in my peripheral vision without being too obvious.
Some therapists prefer to put the clock where the client can see it, so they can self-pace and prioritise what they want to talk about. It has the added advantage of giving clients an element of control over the session.
Of course, some therapists have multiple clocks in the room so that both they and the client can keep an eye on how time is passing. But I think there’s a difference here between psychotherapy and counselling on the one hand and hypnotherapy on the other.
As a hypnotherapist, I tend to have a chat with my clients first, to see how things have progressed since our last meeting, and check that their goals for this one are still the same. Then we get down to the hypnosis, which is the biggest single part of the session.
I bring them out of trance around five to ten minutes before the end which allows time to give me feedback or comment on what was going on in their thoughts, and to make the next appointment. So, they know that being counted out of trance is the signal that things are winding up.
In psychotherapy, where the entire session is a waking conversation between the therapist and client, clients are better able to take some responsibility for timekeeping. Having nonverbal signals, like any of the devices discussed above, that encourage them to do so can be a useful thing.
However, I do most of the formal hypnotherapy after an induction and with the client’s eyes closed, so having a clock placed so that they can see it would be rather wasted. In those circumstances, it is down to me and not the client to pace the session and make sure things run on time.
Timekeeping and professional boundaries
Now, I promised to end with a look at the unpaid time you might be putting in by allowing sessions to overrun so let’s put it in perspective.
Let’s say you see an average of five clients a week and each one overruns by an average of fifteen minutes. That might not seem like much but, over a year, you are putting in SIXTY-FIVE HOURS of unpaid time. What else could you do with that?
Now multiply it by your hourly rate and see what it comes to. What could that extra income do for your practice?
This little exercise should remind you that, although you became a therapist to help people, your practice is also a business. Timekeeping isn’t just about schedules or payment, it’s also a boundary that helps to keep things on a professional footing with your clients.
Good timekeeping helps clients get the support and structure they need whilst providing a clear distinction between professional rapport and friendship. It allows you to be effective and compassionate within a framework that respects the value of both your client’s time and your own.
So, how do you ensure your sessions run on time? Let me know in the comments below.
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Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of Anxiety to Calm: a Practical Guide to a Laid-Back Life, The Hypnotherapist's Companion, Their Worlds, Your Words, and The Metaphor Toolbox, all available from Amazon or direct from the author. Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi-accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision
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