Therapy, Illness, and Professional Wills: Our Policy
What happens if a therapist gets sick or passes away? Learn how professional wills and transparent policies protect continuity of care and client trust.
Therapists are human, too—so when serious illness or death affects them, it brings complex emotions and important questions for clients. A recent New York Times article courageously shines a light on how therapists and practices handle such delicate circumstances, where vulnerability, ethics, and care must intersect.
Why This Matters to Clients and Therapy
For many clients, therapy is a cornerstone of safety and healing. So when their therapist becomes ill—or, in the most profound cases, passes away—it can feel destabilizing, withholding, even like a secondary loss. It raises important issues around trust, continuity, and emotional processing.
What the Article Highlights
The article discusses how:
Therapists and practices communicate about serious illness or incapacity.
Clients often feel fear, abandonment, or grief when illness interrupts therapy.
Professional wills and continuity plans help ensure that care is not abruptly cut off.
This isn’t just theory—it’s something we take seriously in our own practice.
Our Policy on Illness, Death, or Unexpected Events
We believe in transparency and want our clients to know exactly what to expect.
If something happens to your therapist, you will hear directly from practice owner, Rachel Liles. She will explain the situation, provide emotional support, and help you transition to another therapist in the practice or outside referrals if you prefer.
If something happens to Rachel, you will hear from our trusted colleague, Deanna Fusco. She will ensure that you are contacted with care and that your therapy continues smoothly with another clinician in the practice or with a referral.
By planning ahead in this way, we safeguard both continuity of care and your emotional well-being.
Why It Matters
Therapy is built on trust, and part of that trust is knowing that—even in hard-to-imagine situations—your care won’t simply stop. Our commitment to professional wills, back-up plans, and transparent communication reflects our core values: honesty, compassion, and continuity.
Final Thought
Talking about illness and death isn’t easy. But naming it openly is one way we honor the depth of the therapeutic relationship. If you have questions or concerns about this, please bring them up—we welcome the conversation.