The Cost of Therapy: Is It Worth It?
When I started having therapy at the beginning of 2017, I had no idea of the journey I’d go on, and certainly wouldn’t have expected to end up becoming a therapist myself! Therapy has helped me to work through so many things that have weighed me down throughout my life, and I’ve been able to unpack much deeper layers than I ever would have imagined.
For me, therapy has been - and continues to be - one of the best investments I’ve ever made in myself. I expect that I will be in and out of therapy for the rest of my life, and I feel a huge sense of relief to know that I can access that support, even when things are generally going really well.
I recognise that choosing to work with a therapist in private practice is a significant investment and commitment, not just financially but personally, and in time and energy. In light of this, I think it’s important to understand what therapy involves, how therapists in private practice calculate their fees, and to weigh up whether the cost is worth it for you.
In this post, I’ll explore this further, and I hope that reading it will give you some useful things to consider if you’re thinking about having therapy with a therapist in private practice.
What does therapy involve?
At its core, therapy is about people meeting in a shared space to explore what it means to be human, and how to navigate the challenges that come with it. It’s somewhere to talk about your hopes and fears, the patterns that are holding you back, and to be supported and encouraged to grow and change.
The thing that every person who goes to therapy has in common is that they want something to change. This could be about shifting the dynamics in a relationship; building confidence and self-esteem, or having the time and space to process their thoughts and feelings about past and present experiences.
Therapy can be delivered on a one-to-one basis, as couples or family sessions, or as a group with several clients and usually one therapist (but sometimes more) facilitating. There are pros and cons to all of these approaches, and finding the best one for you will usually depend upon what you’d like to work on.
In order for sessions to have any chance of being effective, you need to be prepared: to commit to attending regularly; for the therapist (and other group members if you’re having group therapy) to be curious about what goes on for you, and for them to offer gentle challenge and feedback.
Each therapist will have their own way of working, depending on the training they’ve done, the philosophy underpinning their work, and the issues they work with. This is why it’s important to be honest if it’s not working for you; not every therapist is right for every client and vice-versa, and that’s okay.
How do therapists in private practice calculate their fees?
Some people are a bit taken aback when they see the fees for private therapy (usually between £40-£100+ per session, depending on area), and I can understand why! What’s often misunderstood is that when you pay to see a therapist, you’re not just paying for the session time.
Unlike therapists who are employed by a service like the NHS, those of us in private practice work on a self-employed basis. This means that when we’re setting our fees, we have to factor in covering for things like:
Training and CPD;
Professional registrations, including membership and regulatory bodies;
Insurance, ICO registration and DBS certificates (if applicable);
Room costs;
Clinical supervision;
Personal therapy (if applicable);
Admin and marketing;
Holiday and sick pay.
Therapists offer a professional service, and we have extensive training and experience that means we will help you to identify and explore patterns of thought and behaviour that are no longer serving you, and support you to make positive changes that will enable you to move forward in life. We make investments in ourselves by taking time to undertake opportunities for continuing professional development so that we’re up-to-date on the latest research and developments in mental health.
If you needed to buy or sell a house, it’s highly unlikely that you’d give it a go yourself and see what happens; you’d instruct a solicitor to give you professional advice and support, and to ensure that the process is legally compliant. Although the fees may be high, it will be more cost-effective in the long-run because you won’t risk having to go through the whole process again to correct any mistakes.
Getting input and support from any professional means that you have the reassurance of being able to benefit from their professional knowledge and skills. When a professional does their work day-in and day-out, they are used to the processes involved, and can provide clients with the best possible support.
Every therapist will also be accounting for their own living expenses, as well as what they want and need to earn to live well. This will be different for each individual therapist, so there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” fee that you can expect to pay for therapy.
Is therapy worth the investment and commitment?
I’ve been having regular therapy myself for 7 years, and even if I hadn’t decided to train as a therapist myself, it’s likely that I would still be having therapy anyway. For me, therapy has been life-changing both personally as well as professionally, and I believe that it has absolutely been worth the investment and commitment.
When I started having therapy, I was in a very dark place. I was burnt out, my anxiety was in overdrive, and I was so overwhelmed with life that I couldn’t see a way out. Having a regular space to talk about my thoughts and feelings helped me to identify the changes I needed to make to get better and move forwards, and to recognise my own agency to make it happen.
Over the years, I’ve been able to let go of many of the beliefs I’d clung on to about who I am and what others expect of me. I’ve unlearned many of the coping mechanisms that have kept me safe but were no longer serving me, and been able to take the leap into a career that I love.
I believe that therapy has something to offer everyone, and that it’s about finding the right therapist and therapeutic approach for each person. Don’t get me wrong, the NHS is amazing and has some incredible strengths, not least because so many services are free at the point of use for everyone.
However, I believe the biggest drawback with the NHS’ therapies that can be accessed through the NHS can sometimes seem very limiting, and this is why I would argue that being open to looking into private therapy can be helpful.
Therapy isn’t “just a chat”; it’s a deeply complex process that seeks to unpack and understand the very essence of what it means to be human. In my sessions with clients, we talk about anything and everything, and this includes “taboo” subjects like sex, death, rage and the meaning of life. There is no other dynamic that’s quite like therapy!
I hope that this post has given you some food-for-thought about the cost of therapy and if it’s worth it for you. It may be that it’s confirmed that therapy isn’t the right choice for you, and that’s okay. And perhaps it’s given you the encouragement to seriously consider looking into therapy options. Either way, I hope that you’ve got what you need.
As ever, if you’re struggling and think I might be the therapist for you, feel free to get in touch and let’s see if we can work together. You can contact me: using the form below; via email to emma@emmapooleytherapy.com, or on Facebook and Instagram @emmapooleytherapy.