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alexandra_k said:
I see my t on a sliding scale. There is no way that I could afford his full fee. I felt a bit bad about that to start with. Still feel embarrassed when I pay. I'm really only paying him a token. Not even paying 5% of his full fee... But I can't afford a great deal. That was part of why I was so embarrassed to say that I wished I could see him more.

Sure people have to eat but I think that most therapists make a fair bit more than the bare basics. I don't begrudge them that at all (I just say this because I think that most therapists can afford to do some sliding scale work).

There is a hope that health insurance will kick in and pay 80% of the visits (starting this year because I've sat out the pre-existing condition exemption in the first year). But I'm fairly sure the intention behind paying 80% of specialist visits isn't to fund therapy twice weekly! I'll put in a claim and we will see... But yeah I do feel a bit bad about him seeing me for less. But if he didn't agree to do that... Then I couldn't see him (or anyone) at all.

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On the very 1st appt. I had with T, he explained that he had a sliding fee scale, and asked me what I wanted the fee to be. I was so embarassed and couldn't decide on anything because I felt horrible. I felt like no matter what I settled on would be way less than he really should be getting. So I kept saying, "Well, what do you suggest? Don't you have a base fee?" And he would ask, "Well what are you comfortable with paying?" And it just kept going round and round because I felt like such an idiot. I ended up choosing a fee which at the time was too steep for me because I had just started working after five months of being unemployed. I have kept the fee the same, and now it's fine for me, but at the time I struggled and didn't want to admit it to him because I felt so bad.