Creating a Client

This guide walks you through the different ways to create clients in Sessions Health, whether you’re adding an individual, setting up a couple, family, or conjoint chart, or creating a chart for a minor.

In this article:

• Video Tutorial
• Adding a New Individual Client
• Creating Couples, Family, or Conjoint Clients
• Adding a Minor Client
• Completing the Client Setup Wizard
• Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Resources

Video Tutorial

Learn the main ways to create individual, conjoint, and minor client charts in Sessions Health.

Adding a New Individual Client

You can create a new client from several places in Sessions Health.

Creating a Client From the Sidebar

1. Select New Client in the left sidebar.
2. For accounts with multiple practitioners, select the provider under Assigned Practitioner.
3. Enter the client’s First Name and Last Name.
4. Optionally add an Email address.
5. Select Create.

Creating a Client From the Clients List Page

1. Go to Clients in the left sidebar.
2. Select + New Client in the upper right corner.
3. For accounts with multiple practitioners, select the provider under Assigned Practitioner.   
4. Enter the client’s First Name and Last Name.
5. Optionally add an Email address.
6. Select Create.

Creating a Client From the New Appointment Popup

1. Select New Appointment in the left sidebar, or click any open spot on your Calendar.
2. Under Client, enter the client’s first and last name.
3. Select + Add [Client Name] as a new client.
4. Change the client type (Individual, Minor, or Couple / Family / Conjoint) if needed.
5. For accounts with multiple practitioners, select the provider under Assigned Practitioner.   
6. Confirm their First Name and Last Name.
7. Optionally add an Email address.
8. Select Create.

Creating Couples, Family, or Conjoint Clients

Sessions Health supports group charts for couples, families, and other multi‑member therapy arrangements.

Creating a Group Chart

1. Select New Client in the sidebar, or go to Clients and select + New Client.
2. Choose Couple / Family / Conjoint.
3. For accounts with multiple practitioners, select the provider under Assigned Practitioner.
4. Enter a Name for the group's chart (such as the family or couple's surname).
5. Select New Client or Existing Client and enter the member's information.
6. Select Add Member to add additional clients to the chart as needed.
7. Designate one member as the Identified Patient and one as the Billing Contact.  
8. Select Create.

Understanding the Identified Patient and Billing Contact

• The Identified Patient is the person whose insurance will be used.
• The Billing Contact is the person who will be billed and receive billing documents.
• For private pay, the Identified Patient selection does not affect billing.

Managing Members

After saving, you will land on the Members tab. Conjoint charts do not include a Details tab. To view or edit demographic information, open the individual member’s record.

Configuring Member Settings

In the Members tab, you can configure whether each member:

• Receives appointment reminders
• Receives session bridging questionnaires

Configuring Portal Access

Use the Portal tab to manage portal access for each member. Portal access is controlled separately for the individual chart and for the family chart. A member can have access to their own individual chart, the family chart, both, or neither.

Adding a Minor Client

Adding a minor client includes setting up the parent or guardian contacts who help manage the client’s care.

Creating a Minor Client

1. Select New Client in the sidebar, or go to Clients and select + New Client.
2. Choose Minor.
3. For accounts with multiple practitioners, select the provider under Assigned Practitioner.
4. Enter the minor’s First Name and Last Name.
5. Optionally add the minor's Email address.
6. Add at least one New Contact or Existing Contact.
7. Select Billing Contact if the contact should receive billing documents.
8. Select Receive appointment reminders if the contact should receive reminders.
9. Select Create.

Managing Portal Access for Minors

Minor portal access is completely optional, and you can choose whether the minor, their parent or guardian, or both should have access based on your practice’s needs. See the Client Portal for Minors article for full details.

Completing the Client Setup Wizard

After creating a client, a New Client Setup alert will appear at the top of their chart on the Details tab. New charts remain in an incomplete state in your Needs Attention list until setup is completed.

Select Start Setup to walk through remaining chart settings, including demographics, portal invitations, billing preferences, and contacts.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients

Sessions Health is designed to help you support LGBTQ+ clients with respect and clinical accuracy. By separating identity information from administrative requirements, you can provide a more affirming experience for each client.

Recording Pronouns

You can add a client’s pronouns so they show up clearly for anyone in your practice who works with them. This ensures the client is addressed correctly and consistently.

In the client's chart, go to the Details tab > Account Information > Pronouns.

Chosen Name and Legal Name

The name you enter in the main Name field appears throughout the client’s everyday experience, including the Calendar, Dashboard, and Client Portal. Legal Names are used only on forms that require them.

In the client's chart, go to the Details tab > Account Information, then select Add Legal Name. Select Save to add a legal name to a client's chart.

Legal Sex and Gender Identity

You can tailor what you collect based on your practice needs.

From the Client's chart under the Demographics section, Sex and Gender Identity are separate fields.

If you are a private-pay practice, you can remove the legal Sex field from your portal intake settings so that clients provide only information relevant to their care. This setting can be found within your Account Settings > Portal > Client Information > Request Client's Legal Sex Designation. Disabling this toggle removes the field from the portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bulk import clients instead of adding them one by one?

Yes. If you are transitioning from another EHR, Sessions Health can import your client list. For file preparation and instructions, see our guide: Importing Your Data into Sessions Health From a Different EHR or Importing Your Client List via Spreadsheet.

Why am I getting an error that an email cannot be used?

Each client chart requires a unique email address. If someone needs to be associated with multiple charts (like a parent with multiple children), add them as a contact on the chart rather than creating duplicate client records.

Why do I see an Assigned Practitioner field when creating a client?

In accounts with multiple practitioners, Admins and Schedulers must select an assigned practitioner during chart creation. This assigns the client to the correct provider immediately. Solo practitioners and standard practitioner roles creating their own clients will not see this field.

Can I change a client's assigned practitioner later?

Yes. Open the client's chart, select the three-dot menu in the upper right corner, and select Reassign Practitioner.

Can more than one practitioner work with the same client?

Each client chart has one primary assigned practitioner. However, you can grant chart access to other providers in your practice for collaborative care or scheduling. For step-by-step instructions, see our guide on Clients: Sharing Clients With Other Practitioners.

Can I convert a chart type after it has been created?

No. Chart types cannot be converted once created. To move an individual into a group, create a new Couple / Family / Conjoint chart and use Existing Client to link their profile without losing past clinical notes.   

Do you support group therapy sessions?

Group therapy is not currently supported with shared billing. If you conduct group therapy, you will need to create an appointment for each individual client at the same time.

Related Resources

For more help with client setup, these resources are a good next step:

• Manage Client Information
• Client Setup
• Client List
• Managing Minor Client Records and Parent Access in Sessions Health
• Clients: Sharing Clients With Other Practitioners