Texting Your Therapist Between Sessions
A guide from Bridget Moore, LCSW. General information, not medical advice.
The Short Answer
In my practice, clients can text between sessions for quick updates, such as celebrating a win, and scheduling changes. Texting is not for emergencies or a replacement for a therapy appointment. If you are unsure whether something belongs in a text, we can discuss it during a session. The policy is about keeping those brief messages within a clear purpose.
What a Quick Update Can Be
You might want to share that you tried a skill or completed a conversation you had been putting off. I welcome that kind of brief update. We can return to the details at our next meeting, including what was difficult and what you noticed afterward. Sending a win does not require you to describe the whole situation by text.
Scheduling Changes Belong Here
You can text about a scheduling change rather than wait until the next appointment to mention it. My cancellation policy requires 24 hours' notice, and a missed session without notice is charged $100. A request to change a time still needs coordination. Do not assume that sending a message automatically establishes a different appointment.
Save Longer Conversations for Sessions
An argument, a new worry or a decision may need more context than a short message can hold. I would want room to ask questions and understand what happened. You can note the topic for our appointment instead of trying to work through it in a string of texts. We can discuss how to remember the parts you want to bring back.
Do Not Rely on a Reply for Safety
My between-session texting option is not emergency care. Do not wait for a response from me if you need immediate help. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. Those instructions apply even if we already have an appointment scheduled or you have used texting for ordinary updates before.
I can welcome a quick win while keeping the longer conversation in our appointment.
Bridget Moore, LCSWAsk About Boundaries Directly
If you are unsure how brief an update should be or how scheduling messages are handled, ask me in session. I do not want you guessing from another therapist's policy. This guide does not promise a response time or continuous availability. We can talk through expectations so that texting does not become another source of second guessing.
When Messaging Becomes a Concern
Tell me if you keep checking for a reply, seeking reassurance or feeling that every difficult moment needs a message. We can explore that pattern without treating it as a failure. I wrote this as general information, not medical advice. Frequent distress between appointments deserves a conversation about your care, not an assumption that texting can meet every need.
Related Questions
Can I Share Something That Went Well?
I welcome quick wins. We can use the next appointment to talk about the fuller experience behind that update.
Is Every Therapist's Texting Policy the Same?
I describe my own policy here. Ask another therapist directly rather than assuming that their boundaries match mine.
More to Read
All Guides
Ask About Staying in Touch Between Meetings
My People Pleasing and Second Guessing page explains concerns that can also appear around messages. Use a free 15-minute consultation to ask about my practice, then discuss between-session expectations as part of planning care together.
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