The Cost of Therapy

Therapy is expensive.

This is an uncomfortable truth.

And in therapy we don’t avoid, shy away from, minimise, or dismiss uncomfortable truths. We try to name them, sit with them, and then decide how we can act in line with our values in the context of that truth.

So, I wanted to talk about the cost of therapy. Why is it so much? What do you get for your money? And what can you do if it’s not affordable for you?

In this article, I’m talking about the cost of therapy with a Clinical Psychologist. This will typically be higher than some professional groups, and lower than others. I’m also talking about the financial cost. In addition to the financial cost, actively taking part in therapy means investing your time, your energy, and your effort. It costs the willingness to face discomfort and vulnerability. It’s a big investment in you and your future that is never easy, and not always possible to make. Yet it is an investment that can provide big and lasting returns.

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How much is therapy?

Let's start with how much it costs. At the time of writing, my rate is £110 per session which is in line with most Clinical Psychologists. That amount of money could probably get you:

·       A meal out for two in a mid-range restaurant, plus a weekday takeaway.

·       A good night out with friends (entertainment, drinks and a taxi home).

·       A meal deal and a coffee each weekday for 2 weeks.

·       A spa day with overnight stay.

·       A weekend return train ticket from Edinburgh to London

The number of sessions a person will need to reach their goals varies – as explained in my FAQs. Let’s assume you save for a block of 16 sessions (which is a number consistent with many CBT treatment protocols). That’s £1760. Not a small amount, but equivalent to an all-inclusive holiday abroad for 7nights for a couple.

These other things you could spend your money on will undoubtably provide a boost to your mood and well-being, but the benefits of therapy can last much longer.

What do you get for your money?

When you book a session with any mental health professional, you should be getting their full and focussed attention for that time. A good therapist will be doing their best to be present, to listen and to fully understand your experience and your perspective. How often does this happen in normal daily life? When people have their own agendas and busy lives?

In addition, therapists will bring any formal education and training with them and use this to help make sense of what is going on for you. Clinical Psychologists have a minimum of 7 years of higher education (usually a 4-year degree in psychology and 3 years of doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology). This means that they have lots to draw on when thinking together. They have also learned about models of common mental health difficulties and treatment approaches that work.

In session, you can also expect to be gently and compassionately challenged. We will not gloss over what feels uncomfortable and we will help you to do the same.  You’ll be invited to examine some of your thoughts or assumptions and supported to try doing things differently. Finally, you can expect lots of respect and celebration of the efforts you make along the way.

Outside of sessions, your psychologist will be working for you too. I personally spend at least the same amount of time again thinking about a session. We have a professional responsibility to keep notes of each session. I also spend time reflecting on what was discussed and preparing for the next time we meet. Sometimes this means doing some reading or research, reminding myself of models or treatment approaches that might be a good fit, or learning about new ones. And then there’s the everyday admin – responding to emails and booking appointments.

So why does it cost so much?

In private practice, we get paid per session, but as you can see, to be effective, there’s extra work we do in-between. Right way, this halves our hourly paid rate relative to our session rate. And of course we pay tax. If we’re self-employed we may pay into a pension or income protection insurance too, and we don’t get paid during holidays.

There are also costs to running a practice: things like room rental, subscriptions services, insurance, and registration with professional bodies. To maintain our registration, Psychologists have a professional responsibility to undertake continuous professional development; and to attend regular supervision (space with another psychologist to reflect on our work ensuring safe and effective practice). These are additional costs that allow us to show up to your sessions in the most effective way we can.

A final consideration is that, in my opinion, it is not healthy, or ethical to be running a full diary of back-to-back appointments. The work we do is incredibly rewarding and I am grateful to have the training and skills to offer therapy. And it is mentally and cognitively demanding.

We are human, and undercharging whilst overworking is a fast track to burnout, which makes us less effective at being a therapist (staying present, focused, regulated, and being able to sit with difficult experiences).

What if I can’t afford therapy?

If you’re looking to access therapy and don’t think you can afford weekly session, there are free and low-cost options available. You can check out my self-help resources page on the website. You can also speak to your GP to see if you can access psychological or talking therapies via the NHS.

Therapy is usually offered on a weekly or fortnightly basis (because research trials are organised like this, so we know it works). If some other schedule works better for you (monthly, 6weekly) I am happy to discuss this as an option. I can also offer ad hoc sessions to support self-help work.

Right now, I’m offering a 40% discount that can be applied on up to 6 sessions per client*. This is designed to offer a lower cost option to anyone considering psychological therapy at a time whilst my business is new and growing.

If you’d like to talk about therapy, please feel free to email with any questions or book in for a free 15minute compatibility call. I’d love to hear from you.

*Offer valid until 31/12/2025. Subject to available appointments. Discount applied at the time of payment. Quote "40% off" at time of booking. Valid for up to 6 sessions per client, thereafter sessions will be priced at the standard rate. Discount reduces standard rate of £110 to £66 per session. Valid only for self-funding clients.