Would you/do you pay for therapy?

I wondered if anyone here pays privately for therapy/counselling?

I have done so in the past but found myself becoming stressed out by the cost. €70 a week isn’t cheap.

Lately I’ve really been feeling I could use some therapy again, but I keep thinking about the cost. Low cost options usually include a long waiting list and may not match you with a counsellor you feel comfortable with. I do have a therapist I really like and could return to however. She may be able to offer a discount but not much.

I know there should be no price put on mental health but I also have to be practical. I can afford it just about, but it’s a dent in my monthly wage and means I can’t save much. So I’m in two minds about what to do.

Just thought I’d put it out there to see what people think? Can’t seem to decide myself. Thanks.

Smee_Again

No point saving money if you’re too ill to spend it.

Baby01032012

Hey,

Well done for reaching out and seeking help. I’ve gone back to therapy. I pay 120 a session and usually do it every second week.

All I would say is look at alternatives that might help. It’s good to touch base with a professional but they are only there to steer you in the right direction. I know my therapist has suggested a number of things to help. Maybe yours has made recommendations? Changing your lifestyle, talking to friends, yoga or meditation or a hobby. I don’t know your situation so none of these may be relevant but your counsellor should have made suggestion specific to your situation.

Baby01032012

Baby01032012 wrote: »

Hey,

Well done for reaching out and seeking help. I’ve gone back to therapy. I pay 120 a session and usually do it every second week.

All I would say is look at alternatives that might help. It’s good to touch base with a professional but they are only there to steer you in the right direction. I know my therapist has suggested a number of things to help. Maybe yours has made recommendations? Changing your lifestyle, talking to friends, yoga or meditation or a hobby. I don’t know your situation so none of these may be relevant but your counsellor should have made suggestion specific to your situation.

Thanks for this.
I’ve actually got a number of supports in place now and I try to actively work on improving my mental health. I’m going through some difficulties at the moment though and I think individual therapy is what’s missing. I asked my therapist before would she see me fortnightly but she told me she wouldn’t work that way with me and needs to see me weekly, I thought this was odd but she was very clear on that.

Airyfairy12

There are cheaper options available, at the lowest ive paid 15 euro for counselling - waste of money as the counsellor wasn't fully qualified or experienced but was on placement, the sessions didnt help me in the slightest, I actually left feeling worse. I was once paying 60 euro for a fully qualified psychotherapist who was equally as time and money wasting as the 15 euro counsellor.
I went to a therapist who charged 30 and was the best out of the 3 id seen, she wasnt as qualified as the physiotherapist but had lovely attitude. I think often the counsellors who charge middle of the road prices are much better counsellors, it's like theyre not just in it for the money, they genuinely care.
Shop around your area and see what is available to you.

leggo

The IACP website is a great resource for this: it lets you know all qualified, accredited counsellors in your area, gives you direct contact details that allow you to have a quick phone consultation with them and assess if they’re a good match for you, plus gives you pricing. I’ve seen prices as low as €50 per session but many will allow you to talk to them about pricing and work with you on a plan that suits your needs/means. So maybe go every fortnight etc.

Remember that:
1) Therapy is an investment in yourself. As someone already said would you rather save money and be sick or pay and be happier? It’s someone qualified to deal with whatever is bothering you and guide you to a better place, plus also a good way to let you cope with daily stresses as you now have a place you can openly discuss them every week if you like.

2) Finding a therapist that suits you is kinda like an easier version of finding someone compatible to date. Not everyone who’s qualified will suit you because they’ll have their own personality/style/method of therapy, but that doesn’t make them ‘bad’. So if you try one and it’s not for you, that’s fine, but it doesn’t mean therapy as a whole isn’t for you.

HildaOgdenx

Contact the therapist, that you are happy with, is my advice.

Tell her that you cannot afford weekly therapy but would like to try doing fortnightly. It's good that you have found someone that you are comfortable with, and I think it's important to restart.

All the best.

antix80

€70 seems to be the rate where i am, but many are willing to give reduced prices for students, the unemployed, etc.

If you view counselling as a 6 week stint you're likely to get a lot more out of it than viewing yourself as someone who will need counselling as a crutch indefinitely. 6 * €70 = €420.

€420 for health and wellbeing.

It's usually a manageable amount, considering some people may be using alcohol, treats, spending splurges, etc to cope.

If you progress during this short time you could continue counselling more infrequently, e.g once a month. You should also continue investing in your wellbeing through reading, youtube videos, retreats, seminars etc.

Febreeze

Hi.

I've been attending counselling sessions for the last 5 years and I would happily pay all I need too if I have too. I've attended the same person and of course, they could reduce it if they wanted too but out of that, if they are renting a room they need to pay for that as well. Unfortunately some are pricier than others. Mostly due to the fact that they are paying rent in rooms if they are privite and also if they are with a company, they also have to pay their fees and they keep half. That's what my councellor was doing anyways but all are different.

I used to attend twice a week, this was years ago and that was 60quid each time. It killed me financially but mentally I had no choice. Thankfully I have the option to go once a month and it's €60. It took me years to finally be able to go once a month. I will happily pay €60. But I know some have plans in place for those who are struggling financially.

Understandably you say you can't afford it. There's plenty out there that are willing to help but personally it's about finding one you're comfortable with. If you're not comfortable then you automatically think it's not worth the price you're paying. Obviously some are way over priced and often I see that as someone working on their own which is fine but make sure you find one that's willing to let you know they are with a practice as you can look into the practice. I've seen many online who say they work from home and have all their degrees etc but I would still be weary as if it doesn't work for your or you're not comfortable, who do you go too?

My counsellor works for a place in Drumcondra and I can never fault them. They are in the building beside Quinns pub. They are so quick to email back and also when you ring them, they help immediately. In the 5 years, I've never had a problem. I could stop going for a month or two and then ring them and tell them I need to come back and they are quick on the ball. Google Drumcondra Councelling service and their name will pop up as I know I'm not allowed to advertise on Boards.

Good luck.

Hi all, OP here. Thank you for the advice. I have decided to see if my original therapist will see me fortnightly, failing that I may find a new one who can accommodate me.

Thanks again!

Any time I went for any it was once a month at the most.. only once a week strikes me as a therapist trying to keep the money rolling in..

PoisonIvyBelle

I've been going for years and I pay 70e weekly now. My therapist has put his rates up over that time but never told me, it was only when I asked myself maybe 2 years ago that he said they had but that he didn't expect me to pay extra. I felt I should so I met him in the middle on it. I automatically add this into my budget as part of my outgoings and I don't see it as a discretionary or extra expense now, it's just like paying my rent - it's an essential expense and just as important.

I don't agree that if you go weekly the therapist is trying to make a quick buck. My therapist is a counselling psychologist who trained for 7+ years to qualify, so I'm happy to pay him given the difference it makes to how I manage my life. I've also had times where I've scaled back to every 2 weeks for a few months, so it really depends on where I'm at and what's going on.

I would say you're better to go to someone qualified and experienced and pay the extra than pay less for low cost counselling with a trainee, in terms of what you get out of it. Obviously you might only need to go for a short while, a lot of people do, but I'd still say to go for quality over the cheapest available option. Also, some qualified therapists do have a sliding scale so definitely ask about that.