Fee increases in psychotherapy

I don't think it's feasible to expect a T (or any professional) to stay at the same rate for more than a year. Things in life go up, gas, rent, taxes, groceries. That's just the way it is. T should be no different.

I think that each case should be different, especially for long-term clients. For example, when I started 3.5 years ago, I had somebody else pay for my therapy, so I could afford to pay a full 150 euros per session, which is extremely high in my opinion. As the years passed, my T has reduced his fee 3 times (100 euros, 60 euros, and now 40 euros!) instead of increasing it. He reassured me that we wouldn't stop therapy just because I couldn't afford him anymore and asked me how much I could pay, regarding my financial situation. A few weeks ago, I found out that I may be losing my job from September, and he told me that I could see him pro bono and give him the money when I have it. So I don't think that therapists should increase their rates without taking into consideration the situation of each client. My T is very well-off and has many clients that can pay his full-fee, nevertheless he has told me that he has discussed the fee policy from the very first session. In your case, I wouldn't be bothered by the increase, if of course it was a small one and I could afford it, but I would mind not discussing it beforehand and being taken by surprise. I would suggest taking about it during your next session.

That's very true, but you also know a lot about your best friend and you know how they live and what they spend their money on, especially if you've known them a lot of your life.

I can't afford the wage I pay and I don't have the luxury of my parents helping either. That's another reason I have to terminate.

I think that I should have elaborated more in my previous reply. As I said, it would bother me to have to spend a session talking about the fee increase. What I should have added is that my issue is mainly in the way it seems to have been presented in this case. There can be value in discussing money and fees and all of the things that this brings up in us. I totally get that. It's just that I see part of T's job in many cases is to model effective communication and so I see the wishy-washy way it was presented as causing some difficulty, which led to having more to discuss in session...for a fee. If T had said "I will be raising my fees. If this is going to be a hardship for you we can discuss..." then I think it might have been easier to take. The whole I'm raising my fee but only pay it if you want to sort of thing is crazy making. I recall when my T asked me what I felt he was worth when my insurance stopped covering my sessions. That was a serious mind **** for me.