[Yearning0723]

T and I are ending over the next few weeks, and she really wants me to see a T that she knows well and has a lot of respect for and thinks can help me. Finally after a month or so of going back and forth, I decided to email her and ask for a consult, since I've done five consults with other Ts and feel like trying out current T's recommendation might be a good place to head right now. So I sent her an email asking for a consult. She says she is really busy until the second week of July and if I want to do a consult then, we can, and I'm thinking about it, but her fee is $150 an hour and not covered by insurance. My dad will pay up to $110 an hour for a T, so I could possibly pay the other $40 out of pocket if I absolutely loved her, but that wouldn't be my first choice, since it would be $200 a month and I'm a student without much disposable income...and it would mean we absolutely couldn't do my usual twice a week since that would be $400 a month...so I don't even know if I should do the consult, considering the price...but I guess it's because the T has almost 40 years of experience...but she's a psychotherapist, not a psychologist, so part of me is like, if I'm going to pay that fee, a psychologist might be better. Advice?

[Leah123]

My advice: keep fishing.

I'd also keep looking. If finances are already looking like they may get in the way, there is bound to be a better option. I've never had a therapy situation work out where I knew I really couldn't afford it to begin with. I just couldn't stay committed because my wallet just wouldn't let me.

[Yearning0723]

That makes sense...I guess I just am discouraged about finding a new T who is going to be the right "fit" for me, and part of me thinks I trust current T to recommend someone and then it might be easier for me to feel good about it, and I'm thinking "maybe" that's more important than paying an extra $40 a week...but then part of me is like, yeah, I would resent that. Maybe it's just that I want to take current T's recommendation in order to feel closer to her...

[coolibrarian]

I say you should go for the consult.

[dontevenknow]

Could you ask your current T if she has any other referrals? Typically they know more than one good Therapist and she might know of someone else who could be good, even if she wasn't the first to come to mind. Explain your issue with the fee. In my experience adding financial stress to therapy makes thing more complicated and it should be avoided if you can. It is better to make a connection with a T who has a fee you are more comfortable with rather than make a connection with a T who has a high fee then have to compromise later on because of it. If it came to a point in your treatment where it was necessary for you to have 2x wk you would need to make another arrangement which could be difficult.
I recently switched T's at school bc mine moved away so I feel for you and I understand the stress of it all. Good luck!