By business · Health

Instagram auto-replies for therapists

A therapist often cannot pick up a phone for fifty minutes at a time, and the people messaging are nervous about asking at all. Comment-to-DM answers the practical questions: fees, slots, how a first session goes. It gives no advice and never responds to a crisis, and this page says where that line sits.

Updated 6 October 2026

Start free See the set-ups

Comment words for therapists and counsellors

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

FIRST: What the first session is like: how long it lasts, what you will be asked, that you can say as little or as much as you want, and how to book.
FEES: Your session fee, any lower-cost places you hold, how and when payment is taken and your late-cancellation terms, set out in plain words.
WAITLIST: How the waiting list works: how long people have waited lately, what you need from them to join and when you will next write to them.
ONLINE: How video sessions work: the app you use, a private room, what to do if the connection drops and which countries or regions you can see clients in.
COUPLES: How you work with two people: a joint first session, whether you also meet each person alone and what the fee is for a longer hour.
CRISIS: Phone numbers for local emergency and crisis services, and a clear note that you do not offer an emergency service by message.
WORKSHEET: A general-information worksheet from your post, labelled as such, with a line on when to book a session instead of working through it alone.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

Waiting-list sign-ups from a “spaces open” post
Someone comments on your post
WAITLIST
Public reply under their comment
Thanks, I've sent the details to your DMs
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for getting in touch. Are you looking for weekday daytime, evenings or weekends, and would online sessions work for you? Reply and I'll send how the waiting list works and what happens next.Yes pleaseJoining the waiting listSee how it works
Therapists work to a fixed number of weekly slots, so times matter more than anything. The question lets you see which slot is needed before a reply is written, and says nothing about the person's reasons for seeking help.
First-session questions from a Q&A Story
Replied to your story
FIRSTThanks for asking. Have you tried counselling before, or would this be your first time? Reply and I'll send what a first session is like and how long it takes.What the first session is likeRead what to expect
A question box on Stories lets people ask what they would never type under a public post. First-timers get the gentle walk-through, and anyone who has been before gets the shorter version and the booking page.
Fees and terms when someone asks the price
FEESThanks for asking. Are you looking for individual sessions, or sessions for you and a partner? Reply and I'll send the fees, how payment works and what happens if you need to cancel.Fees and booking termsSee the fees
Cost is the question many people ask first and find hardest to ask. A one-line sorting question gives the right fee card, and putting the cancellation terms in writing early avoids awkward conversations later.
Crisis routing for anyone who writes the word
CRISISThank you for writing. I can't offer an emergency service by message, and I may not see this for hours. If you or someone else is in danger right now, please call your local emergency number. Reply here and I'll send phone lines for support at any hour in your country.Urgent support linesSee the numbers
A keyword reply only fires when the word appears, so it will not catch every distressed message. Use it as a signpost, add words such as HELP and URGENT, and read your inbox daily. Never rely on it as a safety net.

Freebies worth commenting for

A what-to-expect guide for a first counselling session, from booking to the final five minutes
A short list of questions to ask any therapist before you start, such as registration, approach and how endings work
A plain guide to the kinds of therapy people ask about, with a note that a therapist will explain what suits you
A one-page grounding routine for anxious moments, labelled as general information and not treatment
A weekly mood and sleep diary page to bring to a first session if you want to
A checklist for choosing between online and in-person sessions, covering privacy at home and a stable connection
A guide for people who feel nervous about asking a friend or relative for help, with some ways to start the conversation
A list of local and national support lines, kept up to date, for the times between sessions

What people ask a therapist before they book

Most first messages are about logistics because logistics are easier to type than feelings. Fixed answers can cover the logistics. Anything where a person starts describing how they feel needs a human to read it, and soon.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
How much is a session?	The FEES card	They say money is tight: a person decides on a reduced place
Do you have space?	The WAITLIST card, with how long it has been	They ask for a specific day or time you cannot offer
Do you do video calls?	The ONLINE card	They live abroad: the rules on practising across borders vary
Can you help with anxiety?	A line about the issues you work with, and an invitation to book a first session	They describe symptoms: reply personally and kindly
What will you ask me?	The FIRST card	They mention a past experience that went badly
I can't keep doing this.	Nothing automatic: send support-line details straight away	Always, by a person, as soon as you see it

Where the automation stops

An automatic reply is not a therapist and not a crisis line. Keep every message to practical facts about your practice. Do not let it assess anyone, comment on what someone has told you or suggest what they should do. If someone may be at risk, a person should contact them or point them to emergency services.

Tip: If you use AI replies (Growth and Business plans), write into your instructions that any mention of self-harm, abuse or danger gets the support-line message and a note that you will reply personally. Test it with a dozen difficult messages before it goes live.

Posts that earn comments from a practice

A calm Reel of your consulting room, with the chair, the tissues and the clock where the client can see it, with FIRST for what happens inside.
A post announcing two new evening slots, with WAITLIST in the caption.
A text post explaining what you do and do not do in a session, with FEES for the price sheet.
A Story with a question box, “what do you want to know before starting therapy?”, and replies handled by FIRST.
A post about online sessions for people who live far from a clinic, with ONLINE.
A worksheet announced as general information, with WORKSHEET. Do not show a client's name, story or likeness.

Enquiries often rise in January, around exam seasons and after the summer break, and some therapists see a wave of couples enquiries after the holidays. Check your own records before deciding which words to switch on, and test each one from a second account.

Privacy, ethics and advertising

Confidentiality. Instagram is not a confidential channel. Ask people to use your booking page or phone for anything sensitive, and keep notes, histories and intake forms out of DMs.
Testimonials. Many professional bodies restrict or ban client testimonials and reviews on a therapist's own pages. Check your body's current code before you repost a kind comment.
Titles and registration. “Counsellor” and “psychotherapist” are protected or regulated titles in some countries and not in others. Use yours only as your registration allows.
Dual relationships. Be careful before replying to people you already know, such as friends of clients or other clinicians' patients.
Records. A message from a client may form part of your records under local rules. Check your regulator's guidance on how long to keep it.
Meta's rules. One private reply per comment within 7 days, and automated messages only within 24 hours of someone's last message.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Should an automatic reply respond to someone in distress?

Not beyond sending a message you wrote in advance. A keyword reply cannot tell how serious a message is, and it only fires on the word you chose. Read your inbox every day and treat the automation as a signpost to support lines, never as care.

Can it book the first session?

No. It sends your message and a card with your booking link or phone number, and you confirm the slot yourself. It does not connect to practice software, hold a diary or take notes. In India, the store can take free or paid 1-on-1 calls, such as a short introductory chat.

Can the first message include a link to my booking page?

Not after a comment. The first private message to a commenter must be plain text, so it asks one gentle question and the link follows when the person replies. A person who sends you a DM or replies to a Story can get the card at once.

Can I message former clients to say I have a space?

Not through Instagram. Automated messages go only to people who wrote to you in the last 24 hours, and official tools cannot send mass DMs. Contacting former clients is also a professional-ethics question that your regulator may have a view on.

Does it work for my practice's Facebook Page?

Yes. Comments on Page posts and Messenger messages get the same keyword replies. Story replies and the follower gate are Instagram only, and Instagram needs a Creator or Business account, not a personal one.

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