Enable online payments for appointments in Theravo

1. Use online payment only where it fits the practice workflow

Not every session has to be paid online. Possible use cases include:

• a self-pay initial consultation
• a privately paid individual session
• a couples or family appointment
• a paid introductory consultation
• a workshop or clearly defined advisory service

For ongoing therapy, another payment process may be more suitable. The important point is that patients understand the arrangement before booking.

For every appointment type, decide:

• Should a price be displayed?
• Must payment be completed before confirmation?
• Which currency applies?
• What happens after a cancellation within the permitted deadline?
• What happens after a late cancellation?
• Should appointment credit be available?
• Would a session package be more appropriate than paying for one session at a time?

Payment is an administrative arrangement. It should not be presented as a measure of motivation or commitment to therapy.

2. Connect Stripe to Theravo

Theravo guides the practice through Stripe Connect. For most practices, this is the simplest and safest route. Manual credential configuration is intended only for technically experienced users who can manage secret keys and webhook settings securely.

Recommended process:

1. Open the payment settings in Theravo.
2. Start the guided Stripe connection.
3. Sign in to Stripe or create the required account.
4. Complete Stripe's business and payout information.
5. Return to Theravo and confirm that the connection is active.

Keep Stripe credentials private. Use only the practice's own Stripe account and never include secret keys in documents or screenshots.

3. Prepare a product and one-time price in Stripe

A suitable Stripe product with a one-time price must exist before Theravo can assign it to an appointment type.

Example:

• product: Psychotherapy session, 50 minutes
• price: €120.00 one time
• currency: EUR

Use names that will remain understandable in payment records and account summaries. Avoid internal codes.

Once the product and price exist, load the Stripe products and one-time prices in Theravo. Select the price that matches the appointment duration and service.

Do not accidentally assign a session-package price to a single appointment.

4. Assign the price and currency to the appointment type

Open the appointment type and review:

• displayed price
• currency
• linked Stripe product
• linked one-time Stripe price
• “Payment required” setting

The amount displayed on the booking page and the amount used by Stripe must match. Conflicting information can undermine trust and create unnecessary enquiries.

Where an appointment type displays a price but does not require online payment, make sure the payment requirement remains disabled.

5. Require payment before confirmation

When payment is required, the appointment is confirmed only after the payment journey succeeds.

The patient:

1. selects an appointment type, date and time;
2. sees the price, currency and booking conditions;
3. provides the necessary administrative details;
4. is redirected to Stripe Checkout;
5. completes payment;
6. returns to the confirmation page;
7. receives confirmation once the payment has been processed successfully.

During checkout, Theravo temporarily holds the selected time to reduce the risk of it being booked by someone else.

6. Understand what happens in the background

Stripe securely informs Theravo whether the payment succeeded, failed or was abandoned. The practice does not need to update the status manually.

Payment states can include:

• successful
• failed
• cancelled
• expired
• action required
• refunded

If checkout is not completed, the temporary hold expires after the configured period and the time can become available again.

Patients can see payment status in the patient portal and retry an incomplete payment.

7. Test the complete journey before publishing

Before enabling live payments, complete a test booking in Stripe test mode using only fictitious data. Test one successful payment, one abandoned checkout and one payment retry.

Check:

• Is the correct price displayed?
• Is the correct currency used?
• Does the booking open the expected Stripe Checkout?
• Does the selected time remain held during checkout?
• Is a successful payment confirmed correctly?
• Is an abandoned payment shown clearly?
• Can an incomplete payment be retried?
• Does an expired hold release the time again?
• Do the confirmation and patient portal show the correct payment status?

Complete the full test in Stripe test mode. Enable live payments only after successful, abandoned and retried payments all display the expected status.

8. Define cancellation, credit and refund handling clearly

Theravo does not automatically issue a refund when a paid appointment is cancelled.

An eligible paid cancellation can instead create appointment credit. The credit can:

• remain linked to the original payment and appointment type;
• be visible in the patient portal;
• be used for a later eligible booking;
• have an expiry date;
• remain restricted to the same appointment type by default.

The practice should explain before booking what counts as a cancellation within the permitted deadline and how late cancellations are handled.

Theravo does not issue refunds automatically. Where a refund is required, the practice processes it through its own Stripe account.

9. Treat session packages as a separate product

A session package is not the same as a single paid booking. It provides a fixed number of prepaid sessions for one appointment type, with its own validity period and usage record.

For a four-session package, use the separate guide:

How to offer a four-session package in a psychotherapy practice

Do not use a package price as the ordinary price for one appointment.

Example: paid self-pay initial consultation

A practice offers a 50-minute self-pay initial consultation for €120.

Configuration:

• appointment type: Self-pay initial consultation
• audience: new patients
• displayed price: €120
• currency: EUR
• Stripe product: Self-pay initial consultation, 50 minutes
• Stripe price: €120 one time
• payment required: yes
• cancellation deadline: according to the practice's policy
• rescheduling deadline: according to the practice's policy

The patient sees the price before booking. The time is held during checkout and confirmed only after successful payment.

This is an example, not a price recommendation.

Checklist before enabling payments

• The relevant appointment type is fully configured.
• The Stripe account belongs to the correct practice.
• The Stripe connection is shown as active.
• The product name and one-time price are understandable.
• Amount and currency match in Stripe and Theravo.
• The correct price is linked to the correct appointment type.
• Payment is required only for the intended appointment types.
• Cancellation, rescheduling and credit rules are explained clearly.
• The complete journey has been checked with safe test data.