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Do you have a tough time parting with your hard-earned cash for a monthly therapy routine?
With a single therapy session ranging from $75 to $250, parting with $1,800 for three sessions a month for six months can be challenging if you are already struggling financially.
I want to show you why therapy costs what it does and how it is still a worthwhile investment in you and your mental health, no matter the cost.
Why Is Therapy So Expensive?
1. Therapists invest a lot into becoming a professional
To become a therapist in most countries, they must first get a Master’s Degree in counseling or a related field. Masters Degrees take between 12-24 months in general. Once they have this degree, they must spend the next 4-5 years of work experience and supervised practice. These years usually leave the therapist with a ton of debt.
It will take anywhere from 5-7 years before therapists can take on clients to make a full wage to support themselves financially.
2. Yearly costs therapists must pay to stay in practice
Like any business, running a therapy business or practice is not free. These are some of the costs a therapist can be expected to pay.
- Rent and utilities
- Continuing education courses are necessary to keep licenses
- Liability insurance
- Marketing costs
- Fees to maintain certifications and courses to keep them active
- Books that counselors read to help them maintain
- Yearly fees and courses to maintain different certification statuses active
- Educational loans have to be paid off
3. The cost of living is rising
The cost of living is rising around the globe due. This rise in expenses affects us all down to needing a roof over our heads, the ability to put food in our bellies, and other essentials. A therapist is no different than you in needing these.
4. The field of personal health and wellness is priced high
The broad field of health and wellness is an area that society has accepted costs more than other areas of our lives. Here is the hourly rate other professionals in the health and wellness realm charge.
- Personal Trainers: $80-$200
- Nutrition Consultants: $100-$200
- Health Coach: $100-$200
- Yoga / Meditation Coach: $100-$200
- Alternative Medicine: $50-$200
Why is therapy so expensive: Invest in your health
With the growth of online therapy, there has been a growing movement to drive down the costs of therapy sessions to compete with the competition. This is one way to help make an area of therapy more available to some.
However, another area to not see therapy as too expensive is changing your mindset on what is valuable to you.
Looking at therapy as a long-term investment in your health instead of a cash grab by the professionals who offer their services can help you find a new place for therapy in your monthly payments.
We all have a unique relationship with money, so I do not want to tell you how to spend yours.
But take a few minutes and see what it feels like to look at the “expensive” therapy session from a new angle.
Explore our favorite online therapy apps
BetterHelp
Calmerry
Online-Therapy.com
FAQ
The global cost of living is rising, and the number of therapists working is greatly outnumbered by the people needing help.
If therapy is too expensive, you can participate in group therapy, greatly reducing the cost per session.
Yes, therapy really is worth the money. It is the best investment you can put your money into.
