Well it transpires I’ve been saying I’d put my rates up for the best part of ~coughs~ two years. Well today I finally managed to pull my socks up and do so. I’ve been resisting fiercely for a long time because I’m so passionate about getting therapy to the people who really need it, particularly the less privileged in terms of GSRD (gender, sexuality and relationship diversities), ability, BAME (black and minority ethnic) etc. It’s been difficult to rationalise raising my fees with that particular ‘mission statement’.
However the truth is that my rates have been too low for some time. People read that as either inexperienced or not very good and I’ve studied and worked for years, I’m worth more. I’ve been less than the industry standard by a good margin (by approx 1/3rd), so it was time to buck up and do it. Besides, my supervisor and accountant would divorce me if I put it off any longer!
Fact is my education and experience places me quite considerably higher than I have been placing myself. Thousands of hours of therapy over several years including nationally and internationally, more CPD (continuous professional development) than I can shake a stick at, teaching, speaking, facilitating and giving workshops hither and thither. Yes, OK I give in, I’m a specialist and I’m worth it.
Isn’t it hard sometimes to place proper value on ourselves?
Isn’t it difficult when our own values and moral judgement preclude us from what is good/healthy for us?
So, I came up with a solution I’m comfortable with. A stepped system of rates according to income. That way those who can pay shall, and those who can afford less will pay less. That FITS IN with my ethics and still puts my rates up to a more suitable value and energy exchange for the work that I put in. Did you know I work from 10am to 9pm on client days?
I still offer the part-bursary paid places for those less privileged (hopefully now slightly better funded and less out of my own pocket through the Patreon Page (PLEASE DO become a Patron via that link and help support this work, it’s SO important to me and more directly to the clients; it helps to access therapy who otherwise couldn’t). I still do pro-bono work when truly appropriate. I still offer the base rate for financial hardship that I was already offering.
However… huzzah. I finally did! it 🙂