Setting up a session on It's Complicated is straightforward. Once you have found a practitioner you would like to work with, you can request an appointment, and they usually respond within 48 hours. You will need a free account to message a practitioner or book a session, which takes just your name and email. This article covers the different ways an appointment can come together, and how to confirm or cancel one.
Book a time yourself
If your practitioner has shared their availability, you can book a time directly. There are two places to do this: the calendar icon at the top of your chat with them, or the availability calendar on their profile. Choose the service you want, pick a timeslot and a format (online or in person), then send the appointment request.
Your practitioner can accept it, propose a different time, or decline if that slot does not work for them. If they have not shared an availability calendar, you can still message them directly to agree a time.
Confirming an appointment your practitioner sends
Your practitioner can also send you an appointment, either in response to your request or as a new proposal. It appears in two places, as a card in your chat and on your Sessions tab, and you can act on it from either. How you confirm depends on how the session is paid for.
Invoice later: check the details and select Confirm. Your practitioner will invoice you for the session afterwards. If the time does not suit, you can decline instead.
Prepay: check the details and select Pay & Confirm. You pay securely through Stripe before the appointment is booked, so the session is confirmed as soon as your payment goes through.
You can find receipts for anything you have paid under Settings then Receipts. There is more detail in Paying for your sessions.
Recurring appointments
Some practitioners set up a recurring series, for example a session every two weeks over several months. Each appointment in the series needs to be accepted individually before it goes into your calendar. The easiest place to do this is your Sessions tab, which lists your upcoming sessions in date order so you can work through them.
Free introductory calls
Some practitioners offer a free introductory call: a shorter, more informal conversation that is a good way to get a feel for working with someone before you commit to a full session. You can see who offers one under the At a glance section of their profile. You book it just like a normal appointment, by choosing a timeslot or messaging them to arrange it. If you are still weighing up who to work with, our Choosing your practitioner may help.
Booking for someone else
It is usually best for the person who needs support to reach out themselves, but practitioners can often take an enquiry on someone else's behalf. If you would like to do this, speak to the practitioner directly, and please make sure you have the other person's full consent before sharing anything about them.
Reminders and your calendar
Once an appointment is confirmed, it appears in your It's Complicated calendar as well as your practitioner's, and we send you an automatic reminder 24 hours beforehand to help avoid last-minute clashes. When it is time, a Join call button appears on the appointment. For more on getting into the session, see Joining an online appointment.
Cancelling an appointment
If you need to cancel, you can do it from the appointment in your chat or on your Sessions tab. Each practitioner sets their own cancellation policy, which includes a minimum notice period. You can cancel yourself any time up to that point. Once the notice period has started, you will need to message your practitioner directly to sort out the cancellation with them.