Getting set up - from signup to your first session

This guide walks you through everything you need to do before seeing your first client on Counselling Buddy - from creating your account through to booking your first session. Each section has a short video if you’d rather watch than read.

The recommended order is: sign up → subscribe → set up communication templates → create session types → add clients → book your first session. You can do things in a different order, but this sequence means everything is configured correctly before you need it.

Sign up and verify your email

If you haven’t already, follow these steps to sign-up for a Counselling Buddy account, and verify your email.

1. Go to app.counsellingbuddy.com/signup and enter your email address
2. Choose a password and submit the form
3. Check your inbox for a verification email and click the link inside
4. Your account is ready - log in to continue

Subscribe

A subscription is required before you can use the platform. After verifying your email you will be prompted to choose a plan.

1. Select the plan that suits your practice
2. Enter your payment details, any promo or referral codes you may have, and confirm your purchase
3. Once confirmed, your account is fully active

If you’re not sure which plan to choose, see the pricing page or book a demo call and we’ll help you decide.

Set up your communication templates

Communication templates control the content of the emails and SMS messages your clients receive - reminders, confirmations, and cancellation notices. Setting these up first means they’re ready to attach when you create your session types.

1. Go to Settings → Communication Templates

2. Placeholders are available, which will be filled in by the system every time an email is sent. You can use placeholders like %CLIENTNAME%, %SESSIONDATE%, and %SESSIONTIME% to personalise each message automatically. You can see a full list of available placeholders under the “Available Placeholders” dropdown in the communication template editor.

3. Create separate templates for each type of communication you want to send - reminder, confirmation, cancellation. It is useful to give them a meaninful name, like Standard Reminder Template so you know which one is your standard template (useful if you create custom templates for things like CBT sessions)

Create your session types

Session types define the different kinds of sessions you offer - their duration, price, and which communication templates to use. Create one for each format you offer before booking any sessions.

1. Go to Settings → Session Types
2. Click Create Session Type
3. Give it a name - e.g. Individual Therapy, Initial Assessment, Couples Session
4. Set the duration and your fee
5. Attach your communication templates - choose which template to use for reminders, confirmations, and cancellations
6. Save and repeat for each session format you offer

Add your first client

1. Go to Clients in the main navigation
2. Click Add Client
3. Fill in the client’s name and contact details - every field is optional, add what you have
4. Save the profile

If you have an existing client list, you can import it in bulk via CSV - see Importing your client list for a step-by-step guide.

Book your first session

1. Open the client’s profile
2. Click Book Session
3. Select the session type, date, and time
4. Confirm the booking - a confirmation email will be sent to your client automatically if you have configured this in your session type settings

From this point on, reminders will fire automatically on your configured schedule.

Ready to get started? Sign up free or book a 20-minute demo call - no obligations, no contract.