[chloe_234]

This might just be up to how I feel, but I'm curious what other people's opinions are...

I'm in Australia so here the government provides you with rebates for 10 sessions with a psychologist per year. Because I work full time I have to see my psych after hours and it's usually really expensive, but when I started I stupidly thought 10 sessions would be enough. Well it isn't! And they've run out. I'm going to keep seeing her, but only every 2 weeks because I can't afford every week.

I've been going every 2 weeks for the past 4 or 5 sessions anyway, because I thought I should spread it out. But I hate going every 2 weeks... it's so long to wait and I have so much I want to talk about when I get there I'm always disappointed that we don't have enough time.

I just signed up for private health insurance, which will cut the cost of the sessions in half, but only 7 per year. So my question is, would it be better for me to do those 7 sessions over 7 weeks... or to go every 2 weeks and drag it out for longer? I really want to go every week but since I know I can cope with every two weeks maybe I should just stick with that and increase the amount of time I can 'be in therapy for'.

Any opinions whether therapy is generally more successful if it's shorter and more intense or dragged out for longer?

[lightcatcher]

Hi Chloe!
I think it really is a personal preference. I have found that for myself weekly is best otherwise I pack it all away and we spend more time unpacking and opening up. Others i know feel like weekly is too much and don't have enough to talk about.
Could you talk it over with the person you are seeing and discuss your financial position? It's never something we want to talk about but maybe they have a sliding scale for payments?

:-) LC

[rainbow8]

I'm not sure I understand. Are you going to pay privately to see your T for more than 7 sessions? Is that why you're switching to every 2 weeks? I see my T every 2 weeks for financial reasons. I used to see her weekly, for 4 years, so it's hard for me. Like you said, there never seems to be enough time! I think weekly sessions are best. Spreading them out loses the continuity, but having 7 weekly sessions and having to quit until the next year sounds intolerable to me! I would ask your T which option she prefers though the decision is yours to make.

I think from my experience, that at least wkly.
I don't know why you are in therapy so can't comment on short or long term.
I'm in long term 2xwkly.
I go Monday. Than Friday I go back. It acts as a container for what goes on in Therapy.
If spread out to far, most of the therapy is taken up with finding the connection again, and not on what you are there for.
Having outside restrictions on what you can or can't do, doesn't really make for a 'solid' therapy experience.
I'm from the UK. I am with a T who works privately and offered me sliding scale therapy.
Relying on the NHS on what they can or can't offer, was awful.

[Apathy123]

Normally I would say weekly because I feel I get the best benefit when I'm seen that regularly but in your case because you'll be cut off, I think you should try to stretch them out. And if that doesn't work out you can always go back to weekly for the remainder of the sessions.

Welcome to PC!

Have you considered discussing this with your T? Or don't you want to "waste" your especially valuable session-time on that?

I see on your profile you're depressed. (I'm assuming you see a T because of depression) Because depression won't just (is unlikely to) disappear in 7 weeks, I would stretch them out.

I go 2x a week and my advice would be to not spread it out too far, maybe weekly would help you?

[iheartjacques]

I hope you can find a way to pay to keep going every week and ask for a sliding scale fee?