As a Helpspace therapist, it is important to have a clear understanding of how payments are processed, how fees are applied, and the best practices for managing transactions and refunds.

This guide aims to provide clarity on the flow of funds through Stripe Connect, our chosen payment processor, to ensure transparency and confidence in the financial aspects of your practice on our platform.

How Payments Are Processed

When you create a Follow-Up session for a client using your Helpspace calendar, your client's payment method on record is charged 48 hours before the session start time. It is charged immediately if the session start time is within the next 48 hours.

This payment is processed through Stripe Connect directly into your Stripe account.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the flow of funds from the moment a client pays for a session to when you receive your earnings:

  1. Client's Payment Method is Charged: The total session fee is charged to the client's payment method via Stripe Connect.
  2. Stripe Processing Fees: Stripe deducts its transaction fees from the charged amount. These fees are for payment processing services and are a standard part of using Stripe.
  3. Deposit into Your Stripe Account: After Stripe's fees are deducted, the remaining amount is deposited into your Stripe account. This happens almost instantaneously with the transaction.
  4. Helpspace Service Charge: From the amount deposited into your Stripe account, the Helpspace service charge is then deducted. This is the amount the client pays on top of your session fee (you will see this added to your session fee when entering your session types in your Helpspace profile. The lion's share of this platform fee is reinvested in marketing to generate a consistent stream of clients. A small amount goes towards platform maintenance.
  5. Net Amount: The final amount you receive is the initial payment from the client minus Stripe's processing fees and the Helpspace service charge. This net amount is what's available to you in your Stripe account after all deductions.

Managing Refunds and Transactions

When you created a Stripe account through the Helpspace onboarding process, the Stripe account you created is fully functional. This means that it is possible (though not desirable) to log in to your Stripe account, and use Stripe to process transactions, refunds, etc. However, we strongly discourage you from doing so, since it is definitely not in your interests.

Instead, we recommend handling all refunds and payment-related adjustments through the Helpspace platform, rather than logging in to your Stripe account, and doing this directly via your Stripe dashboard. Here’s why:

  1. Automated Refunds: When issuing refunds through Helpspace, both Stripe's processing fees and the Helpspace service charge are automatically refunded to you (in line with our refund policy), ensuring a smooth and accurate financial process. If you log in to your Stripe account and use the Stripe dashboard to do this, your account will not automatically be refunded for these fees, leaving you at a financial disadvantage.
  2. Client & Therapist Notifications: When you cancel a session (which automatically triggers a refund) using your Helpspace calendar, both client and therapist are automatically informed via email. If you log in to your Stripe account and use the Stripe dashboard to issue a refund, nobody is informed.
  3. Accurate Records: Using Helpspace to manage transactions and refunds ensures that your transaction history on Helpspace reflects true and accurate information, aligning with your Stripe account records.
  4. Client Experience & Expectations: Remember that clients on Helpspace expect automated payments and refunds for cancelled sessions, in line with the Helpspace policy. Logging in to your Stripe account to process payments and refunds from there bypasses this automation, which is a large part of what makes Helpspace an easy way for both clients and therapists to manage their sessions.

Best Practices

  1. Use Helpspace's Automated Payment & Refund System: For payments & refunds use the Helpspace platform. Do not log into your Stripe account to process payments and refunds from there, as this can bypass Helpspace's automatic payment and refund processes. Remember: Creating a session for a client in your Helpspace calendar automatically charges the client's payment method for that session. Cancelling an appointment automatically refunds the client for that session, if necessary. So you can focus on therapy with clients, rather than fees.
  2. Communicate with Helpspace Support: If you encounter any issues or have questions about payments, our support team is here to assist you every step of the way.

Conclusion

Our goal at Helpspace is to provide a platform that supports the important work you do, with transparent and straightforward financial processes. Understanding how payments are processed, how fees are applied, and following best practices for managing transactions can help ensure a smooth experience for both you and your clients. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.

Thank you for being an essential part of the Helpspace community. We're here to support you in providing exceptional care to your clients.