A Costly Measure

Bookings of counselling sessions are down across the board. Certainly, this is something I’ve noted in my private practice as some previously regular clients have come less due to financial constraints and new inquiries have dipped. Speaking to colleagues, I’ve learned not to take it personally. With the cost of living crisis enduring, it’s quite understandable that people prioritise paying their bills and filling their fridges.

And however much value people can derive from therapy, it’s not cheap anyway. Too often, it’s only the middle classes that can afford to take it on. This disparity in income might once have been eased by the free services provided by the NHS. I liked working with people who might never have been in a position to otherwise afford it so money never became an awkward subject of conversation.

I spent ten years working for a charity providing 6 to 10 sessions in London, but in a pattern sadly repeating itself across the country lack of funding has meant that many of these services – particularly the specialist ones – have been put on hold or dropped altogether.

That company lost its contract despite providing a good services for many years with waiting lists of around 2-3 weeks – far shorter than most. Sadly, we were undercut by a company with neither experience in counselling, premises, or counsellors! Unsurprisingly, it didn’t last.

Some of this gap has been taken up by new services – often US-owned – that offer counselling at lower rates. While the professionals they hire may be qualified and competent they are often overworked and underpaid, factors that are likely to compromise the quality of care. And by underpaid, I mean that they often receive as little as a quarter of those working in private practice.

My own rates are fairly average though most with a similar level of qualifications and experience generally charge significantly more. I’m neither complaining nor blowing my own trumpet – I’m simply aware that with sufficient clients I’m able to pay my way through life without needing to add a premium. I also give a range of concessions for those who would otherwise struggle to pay.

One word of warning I would offer – and I think it’s quite a positive nugget: paying top dollar does not mean you’re necessarily getting the best treatment. Or to say that more positively: some of the best therapists I’ve met often charge relatively low rates. It doesn’t mean they are worryingly ‘cheap’! Perhaps a more significant factor to look for is to look at how long they’ve been practicing and what qualifications they have.

But most important of all is whether you have a good relationship with your therapist. Many offer a free or discounted taster session. And studies confirm that a strong therapeutic relationship is consistently the best indicator for good outcomes.    

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash