As a counsellor in private practice I am in a very different position. I have many more overheads. Supervision. Membership of  a professional body. Going to conferences. Personal Indemnity insurance. And so on. Nobody pays for these essentials. That’s before I’m paid for my knowledge and training. When I’m sitting quietly in my chair listening to you talking, I’m working. Very hard. I’m processing your words. how you speak them. What you don’t say. And how you don’t say it! I’m also thinking about how I’m feeling. why am I feeling this way? What might that reaction tell me about you? And about us-since there’s always an Us in the room.

How do I put a financial value on this? Do I charge you nothing -because you are so needy and damaged? Do I charge you a large amount of money for the same reason? How much is my “hoard” of knowledge and experience worth? Who decides? If I charge too little will you think I must be useless and not see me? If I charge too much will you choose another therapist who will charge you less? Who decides what I’m worth?

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