My therapist does not take insurance so I pay $180 for a 90-minute session. I expect to see her for a year and consider it to be an investment. After I finish, I am going to take that money and put it towards my mortgage payment. It is tough to write that check each time but I have learned to make it work and go without other things.

My previous therapist was covered under my plan but my co-pay was $60. The insurance company paid $20. When I was between insurance plans, he accepted $80 instead of his usual $120. My therapist told me that he got to set the fee, not me. He thought that it was a control issue with me when I suggested paying more than the $80 fee that he was willing to accept. They can always put on spin on it, can't they?