Why Does Therapy Cost So Much? – Part 1

So, you saw the session rates and probably had several thoughts about it, right?.

You may have thought…
A) that’s fair
B) gosh that is a lot
C) who does she think she is
D) I wonder if I can use my insurance
E) there is no way I can afford that.

I am going to address all of these thoughts and concerns over the next few blogs.

First let’s discuss why this fee seems fair. Our community here in Texoma is quite special. We may be little but we love and support each other. We may not be fancy but we value our city and we value our neighbors.

Let’s look at how well we do in this area.

The annual median income for families living in Sherman is $61,654. We charge $150 for the initial session. Here is why. The first session is called an intake and is approximately 90 mins long. This session is a consultation and assessment to make sure we are a good fit and that we can best serve you and help you meet your needs. Every session following is $125.

Our recommendation is to have weekly therapy sessions initially, however after 6-8 weeks you will start to feel some relief. When it becomes necessary it is possible to consider biweekly sessions. It is difficult to put a time-frame on frequency of therapy because it depends on each individual and the challenges in your life.

For the sake of doing some math to determine why our fee is $125, let’s say you engage in weekly therapy for 1 year. That is a $6,500 investment. But let us also consider that things will come up, you will go on vacation, and you may miss sessions due to holidays and events, illnesses or emergencies, and you may only attend 45 sessions in a year. That is a $5,625 investment. This means you are investing less than 10% of your annual income if you are making the median income for our area – investing in the mental health of your life, family and/or relationships!

10%! Let’s think about this.

I did a quick search to see what we were spending our income on and discovered we spend over 5% of our yearly salaries on eating food away from home. We spend close to 5% on our pets and activities. We spend thousands of dollars shopping each year and even more on items that are not absolutely necessary for the survival or betterment of our lives and relationships.

Let’s consider how much money a purse costs. A Coach purse costs about $300. That is two therapy sessions. And although that Coach purse is really cute, how does that purse help you feel happy and grow as a person? It can’t, but therapy, on the other hand, can and will help you feel happier, mend relationships and problems, and grow as a person.

Something we all love is our cars, especially here in Texoma, we love our trucks. A vehicle is a necessity around here but the $400 plus dollars you spend a month on your car payment could just about pay for your therapy for a month. Cars, bags, clothes, toys, dinner out with friends, and experiences are fun and make life more enjoyable, but if you are suffering emotionally and mentally you cannot fully enjoy theses things and they become less important as the pain increases. My clients tell me they are miserable and struggle to have any fun, but after a few sessions they start to feel better. they start to relax and begin to enjoy life. They feel more confident and happy. Most of my clients dread these things because they feel so terrible. But after making an investment in themselves they feel less terrible and find they can enjoy things again.

These numbers tell me we find a way to spend our money and invest in things.

Are we investing in important things?
What are the priorities in your life?
What if you invested that money in yourself for a little while?
How would your life look different?

Imagine what life would be like if you were happier, more relaxed, and less obsessed with your body and your eating, or any other problem(s) in your life? What if you could enjoy friends and family and not have your mood interfere with the fun? What if you could lay down to sleep at night and not worry and obsess about your body and what you ate today, or what you have to eat tomorrow? What if you felt free and less anxious? These are things therapy can provide.

Therapy can help you find the happiness you always wanted. Therapy can help you find confidence. Imagine what your life would look like if you were more confident. Perhaps you would improve your relationship or find a supportive and loving relationship. Hell, you may kick so much ass at your job because of all your increased confidence that you get a promotion or a new job making more money! These things can and do happen. I see it everyday in the people that I work with.

When you consider how therapy can and will help you $125 seems fair.

OK so you might still be thinking damn $125 is a lot. Maybe it is. I get financial stress is a thing. It is something I struggled with for many years. This blog isn’t about me and my stuff but I could really go on and tell some tales of hitting rock bottom financially. It is scary to worry about how you will pay for a roof over your head. I do not want counseling to compromise your ability to feel safe, live, eat, and take care of your children.

When I set my fee I asked myself would I pay that much? I can honestly say I answered Yes!… but only if it was a good fit. Honestly I would not pay just any therapist $125. That does seem like a lot of money and it seems really scary. However if the therapist was right I would pay $125 a session. You go to therapy because you are hurting, because you are lost and scared, because you are struggling with something, and you feel hopeless and lost.

You seek a therapist to support you, guide you, and motivate you. There are a lot of therapists out there and there a lot of really good therapists out there, but sometimes not even the best therapist is best for you. You want a therapist that understands your pain, and can offer you hope to help you because the therapist knows how to help you. You want a therapist that has experience working with your issue but also one that you feel comfortable with. Do you want a therapist to listen to you or do you want a therapist to offer you feedback and direction?

Maybe you cannot answer these questions but you know you want someone that makes you feel heard, supported, and comfortable in their office, and one that can help you overcome the pain you are experiencing – you know you NEED RESULTS! If this were me and I found that in a therapist, I would spend $125 a session.
If you are ready for a change, and you are ready to feel heard and supported give us a call. Let us see how we can help you. Therapy is temporary for a lifetime of something better.

Check back next week for Part 2 of – Why Does Therapy Cost So Much?