Running a practice

Your guide to creating a therapist parental leave plan

Learn how to plan your therapy parental leave with confidence using this step-by-step guide and client communication template.

August 22, 2025

11 min read

Congratulations! You’ve got a baby on the way.

While this is an exciting time of personal growth and change, it also poses a professional challenge. Everyone deserves time off for parental leave — but being away from your therapy practice for months on end will inevitably stir up some difficult conversations with clients and force you to think carefully about their continuity of care. Here’s how to start planning for maternity or paternity leave as a therapist.

Why planning your parental leave as a therapist matters

Mental health isn’t the kind of field where you can put up an out-of-office message for a few months and be done. As a therapist, planning an extended leave — or even just some time off — requires careful thought.

Leaving clients in the lurch could affect their mental health and the efficacy of their treatment, not to mention compromising your professional and ethical duty to provide thoughtful, continuous care during planned absences. And you, as their therapist, might experience guilt or stress if you’re worried about your clients while you’re away (or if you end up fielding client calls and emails when you’re supposed to be bonding with your new baby). All parties benefit from a carefully planned parental leave.

Maddie Tong, a licensed social worker and Headway’s senior associate of clinical education, recently returned from parental leave herself. For her, good preparation went a long way. “Entering parental leave felt easier knowing I had spent plenty of time communicating with my clients about this, ensuring they felt supported — however that looked — and had clear expectations of what my return to work would look like,” she says.

When to start planning for parental leave

In short: the earlier, the better. As soon as you know a baby is on the way, start thinking about how you’ll handle parental leave. There’s a lot to consider, from your client communication plan to the outside referrals you’ll offer, so you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time.

When to actually tell clients is a more complex decision. Many people choose not to announce a pregnancy until 12 weeks in — but if you are experiencing pregnancy symptoms that lead to frequent or unexpected appointment cancellations, you may choose to explain the situation to clients earlier. In addition to considering your own scheduling constraints, your timing and approach should be also shaped by the client’s unique needs and the dynamics of your relationship. For example, clients with attachment injuries, a history of trauma, or those currently experiencing acute or heightened symptoms may benefit from earlier, more gradual conversations to help them process the news and prepare for the transition.

Exact timing will come down to your personal comfort and the therapeutic relationship, but make sure to share your exciting news months in advance of your planned leave so you have ample time to discuss details and address client questions and concerns. If new clients reach out during the pregnancy, you should also be open with them about the fact that you’re planning to take leave in the near future.

How to prepare your clients for your absence

Communicate with your clients early and often, Tong advises. “Communicating about upcoming leave is not a one-time thing, but should be discussed and revisited as much as is appropriate or feels helpful for each client,” she says.

Welcoming a new baby is exciting, and many of your clients will be happy for you. But prepare yourself for a range of reactions to the news. Some clients may struggle with disruptions in care, while others may have complicated reactions to pregnancy in general — perhaps if they’ve struggled with infertility or are unsure about whether they want to have children. Leave the door open for clients to discuss whatever they need to, as often as they need to, Tong says.

By the time you break the news to clients, you should have the major details of your leave figured out, at least tentatively. Before announcing the pregnancy, consider the answers to likely client questions, such as:

When will you stop holding client sessions and/or answering texts/emails?
When and how will you return to work?
Will you be available at all during your leave? What about in emergency situations?
How will clients continue their care while you’re gone? (More on that below.)

Options for client care during your leave

Ensuring continuity of care is one of the biggest challenges that will come up as you plan your parental leave. Solutions are not one-size-fits-all, but should instead be tailored to each individual client, Tong says. It’s not a “nice to have” to help clients feel set up while you're out, but a key way clinicians fulfill their ethical and professional responsibilities to their patients.

Depending on symptom severity and treatment status, it may be appropriate for some of your clients to take a break from therapy while you’re away. But others will likely want or need to keep up with treatment during your absence.

Many therapists make temporary referrals to trusted peers, doing their best to match clients with providers who will suit their treatment needs and preferences. If you’re part of a group practice, you could also ask colleagues to step in and cover your sessions during your leave. In either case, many therapists like to offer “warm handoffs,” meaning they’re personally involved in introducing clients to their interim therapists to facilitate smooth transitions.

Again, remember that some clients may struggle with the idea of seeing a new provider. Hold space for any emotions they may be feeling about the change, and leave plenty of time to talk about it together.

How to write a therapist parental leave notice for clients

You’ll certainly discuss your upcoming leave with your clients face-to-face, probably more than once. But it’s also important to send out written materials containing all of the relevant details, so your clients have something they can refer back to if needed. You can send a note by email (probably followed up with reminders as time goes on) and/or post a reminder in your office.

Your written notice should include:

The planned dates of your leave
Next steps for client care, such as referrals to other clinicians or the option to temporarily pause care
Information about who clients can contact if they have urgent mental health needs during your leave
A reminder that clients can — and should! — talk with you if they have any questions or concerns before you begin your time away

As always, you should aim to communicate this change with a mixture of warmth, empathy, and professionalism.

Therapist parental leave email and notice template

Below is a template that you can tweak to help communicate your upcoming parental leave. Remember that you will likely need to send multiple emails, including reminders as your leave gets closer. Don’t forget to update your voicemail and email auto-reply on your last day at work, too.

Subject: Upcoming Parental Leave

Dear [client’s name],

I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing to let you know that I will be going on parental leave beginning [start date] and will be away from the practice until [anticipated return date].

During this time, I will not be available for sessions or regular communication. If you would like continued support during my leave, I’m happy to provide referrals to trusted colleagues. Please let me know as soon as possible so I can help you find a good fit.

If you experience a mental health emergency or need immediate support while I’m away, please contact your local emergency services or reach out to [appropriate emergency resources — e.g., a 24/7 crisis line, local hospital, or community mental health center].

I understand that changes like this can bring up questions or concerns, and I encourage you to bring those to our upcoming sessions so we can talk through anything that’s on your mind and make a plan that works for you. I am here for you, whatever you’re feeling about this transition.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this time. I look forward to returning and reconnecting with you after my leave.

Warmly,

[Your full name, credentials]

[Your practice name, contact information]

Practice logistics to handle before you go

Communicating with clients is among the most important — and emotionally complex — parts of preparing for leave, but there are plenty of other logistics to think about, too. Just to name a few:

Make sure that billing is completed and claims are submitted.
Finish progress notes and other records, and coordinate with your EHR provider if necessary.
If you referred clients to colleagues, ensure those introductions have been made and relationships are progressing smoothly.
Set up an email auto-reply and change your voicemail so anyone trying to reach you knows you are on leave.
Update your website and online listings so prospective clients know you will not be taking on new cases for a while.
If you use practice management software or other subscription-based platforms, check whether it’s feasible to pause your subscriptions for a few months to save money.
If you have a physical office space, make sure it is ready to be vacant for a few months.
Send a final email reminder to all of your clients so they know your leave is beginning and when it will end. Reiterate how to reach emergency services during your leave, just in case.

Planning your return to practice

There are a million things to do when planning for the start of parental leave. But, in some ways, it’s even harder to plan for your return to work. Especially if you’re expecting your first baby, you may not know when you will be physically and mentally ready to return to practice.

Many people feel physically recovered within six to eight weeks of giving birth, but everyone is different. And, of course, physical recovery is only one piece of the puzzle. You’ll also need to consider your finances, personal circumstances, and professional obligations when deciding on the duration of your leave.

However long you plan to be away, the most important thing is to communicate openly with your clients and colleagues. If you can, it’s best to include a tentative return date in your initial announcements about leave. If circumstances change after the baby arrives, try to communicate those changes clearly and with plenty of advanced notice.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to return to 100 percent right away. You could start just by checking emails and reaching out to clients to schedule return sessions. Then, gradually ease into virtual appointments before returning to the office for in-person sessions. Be kind to yourself as you navigate this major personal and professional transition.

Grow your practice with Headway

There’s a lot to juggle when you’re planning a parental leave. Headway helps keep all of your balls in the air, whether you’re prepping for time away or simply keeping your practice growing and thriving. When you can manage practice marketing, scheduling, documentation, billing, and networking all in one place, the balancing act feels far easier.

Talk to a practice consultant

This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.

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