Therapy & Finances
QUESTION:
Why do I have to pay for Therapy?
Answer:
the basic point that one needs to understand about therapy is that it’s not a vague exercise. Anything that happens when you go to therapy is a part of a set of methods and techniques that have been tried and tested over time to lead to the best conclusion. Even merely talking is a part of an important procedure that is important to establish rapport between the patient and her therapist. Secondly, you are paying for your therapist’s time, not their compassion. It is a massive misconception among people that therapy should be free. But just like any other resource that we pay for, therapy is an environment that provides you holistic resources for your own development. It is also important to understand that paying for therapy actually helps you value it more and work harder. Another thing to keep in mind is that a therapist is a trained expert whose role it is to support you by getting to know you completely. When we say "trained expert" we are referring to both educational and experience-based training that every mental health practitioner has to go under in order to be able to objectively and systematically approach the various needs of a patient. Just like a medical practitioner. Considering your therapist to be a friend is obviously inappropriate and highly discouraged. Because you are paying your therapist, it means their entire focus will be on you, and to help you. It is not necessary that like friends and family, you will have to return their ‘favour’ by listening to them in exchange for them listening to you. It is your therapy, the focus will be on you, that’s what you’re paying for.
QUESTION:
How can I talk about finances with my therapist?
Answer:
For a variety of reasons, the majority of us are reluctant participants in conversations about money. When it comes to therapy, talking about the financial component of it might seem difficult, which makes many want to avoid the subject. It's crucial to be open and honest about your financial condition and needs from the start if you want the therapist to be completely forthright with you because failing to make your wants and expectations clear to your therapist in the first session can cause you further stress. It is the therapist's responsibility to lead the way toward openness, honesty, and sensible limit setting when financial difficulties come up in therapy.
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We at Purple Space can assist you in bringing up the subject of money with your therapists because we recognize how uncomfortable it can be to do so.
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We can offer you professional guidance on how to approach this issue and arrive at a mutually satisfactory conclusion with your therapist.
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While it may be hard to talk about finances with your therapist, it is necessary, nevertheless. When approaching your therapist for a talk about finances, it’s best if you start with an open-ended conversation, putting forward your concerns.
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While talking finance to your therapist, there are a few things you need to make sure:
a) Make sure you are aware about the customary, and standard price range of a session in your area. As a result, you'll have a better idea of what your therapy will cost.
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b) Be clear about what pay scale suits you and bring it up earliest in the conversation; there is no point to therapy if you’ll end up stressing about its cost.
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c) Politely ask if your therapist is offering sliding scales. If so, then make sure to determine a fee with your therapist at the beginning itself.
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d) Make sure you work out the frequency of sessions in order to make sure you are getting sufficient sessions while also managing your finances.
Fundraising
One of our main objectives is to make therapy accessible and inexpensive, and for our friends who struggle to pay for expensive therapists, we can give them a list of therapists who offer counseling for very little money. It would also be our goal to raise funds for those who desperately need therapy but are unable to afford it. We can’t however, guarantee anything for the same.
Also, please note that the extent of our assistance would be restricted to giving you the choice of affordable therapists; we would not, however, be liable for anything that transpires after you choose to consult a therapist.