I struggled with the same issue. My therapist made me ask, she wasn't willing to offer. I drained my savings for a long time before asking. You were really brave to bring it up. In fact after spacing my appointments out, I now remember my T did make an offer and I accepted. I felt guilty and still wanted to ask, because that's what she'd wanted. She seemed to get more and more frustrated with me for not asking openly. Eventually I offered her a little less than what she charges but more than she'd offered me. It's still really hard for me to pay. I'm not sure how long I can continue, and I do wish I could just pay the full fee.

I too keep my own record of what I missed paying, so I can one day pay her back.

I'm so glad it went well with you. I thought surely your therapist had misunderstood somehow. It didn't seem like a normal reaction considering the duration of your relationship.

I also think those sessions spent talking the whole time about things like that are never wasted. It shows our coping abilities and thought patterns, and the things we get hung up on. A unique opportunity to see them all in real time, right there in the room. So I actually think it tends to help therapy.