I was rereading this old thread (about 11 months old) for perspective. I'm feeling topsy turvy.

I really appreciated everyone's comments.

My therapeutic relationship has evolved financially for the better.

First, I made more cutbacks. Then, about three months ago, my therapist, seeing how much I was struggling financially after my dog had some sky-high medical bills and in general, decided that to continue offering me consistent care, she would invite me to become a client directly, instead of working through the online agency where we began, so I wouldn't have to cut back further. That eliminated mandatory billing and billing by the minute, along with their 50% platform-use fee.

So, now I pay a flat rate once per month that includes 90 minutes per week of live session time plus unlimited emails. And we are both comfortable going a few minutes over now. The cost's nearly 75% lower than where I began, and 50% lower than where I ended after cutbacks. It's expensive enough to make me appreciate it and not so expensive as to completely stress me out. She's also included an emergency session and brief check in at no extra charge. I do appreciate the simplicity of our new arrangement and feel that for a therapist with her credentials and experience, the fee is more than fair.