If therapy were a donation-based service, what would you pay for an average session?

Location—it’s more common in NYC and LA, cities where being in therapy is de rigueur for the elite and a mark of status for those on the way up. And if you want the status of being able to say you’re a particular therapist’s client, you might end up paying as much as $300.

No therapist who charges $200/hour is worth it, unless they’re also giving you a massage and insider tips on your stock holdings at the same time.

Exactly what I have bolded. My last T operates exactly on this basis in NYC. He even discussed it with me several times, once in the context of how he thinks I am different from most of his clients in that I don't care so much about status as a person. Well, but I still saw him... He advertises himself online in a form that is meant to attract "high achievers", precisely the kinds of people that are most likely to see him as part of their status construct. His full fee is $325 and I paid him $200, I told him at start that's the max I am willing. I often wondered why on earth people pay him that sort of money, and the bolded part is exactly what I thought about it, told him actually, and he pretty much confirmed it. This is the guy I often write about here on PC that I liked him a lot and kept going mostly because I enjoyed the conversations. He is smart, has the so-called elite educational pedigree all over, well-informed, adaptable, engaging, pleasant to look at and talk with, and he actually does give business advice if asked. He is also very good at relating and communication. Of course he targets the kind of clientele that he does because of the money, but I think he also is just an elitist and likes to be associated with the kind of people he targets, I think they feed his self-esteem and sense of status. He does not even seem overly snobbish as a person, definitely not arrogant, plays the whole thing pretty well. I definitely liked seeing him, but at some point I realized that I kept going because of the pleasure of it mostly... he really did not do much as a T apart from providing good company and interaction. I was thinking, WTF, I have plenty of people like him in my life, and I keep paying one of them $200 per week?? That was when I stopped. But I imagine he keeps many clients for a long time based on the whole concept of how he presents himself.

for the therapist I have now? 1 penny.

For my first therapist? 300$

I voted 61-80. I've been in therapy w/current T for 3 years. The only complaint is that T doesn't seem to remember things I've talked about before...some of them major issues. Otherwise, T has always been available to me through text, email or phone call. I truly think my typical session w/T is worth more than $80. but the failure to recall things I've said previously sometimes makes me think T is not always paying attention (think it could be ADHD) and we're wasting time on repeats.

In my country, a private practice clinical psychologist charges $200-$350 for 50-60 minutes. I feel that's high and makes private therapy very inaccessible.

I pay for my younger brother's private clinical psychologist at a discounted rate of $215.

I'm charged $70 in the public hospital as a public-subsidized patient. Others with more subsidies may pay less, but there's always a co-pay unless they're a foster child entitled to free healthcare. Private patients of the hospital pay $140.

It used to be half that price but the public hospital raised the rate a year or two ago.

For counsellors, they're usually cheaper but still pricy. Private practice seems to be $80 - $200, charities and community clinics anywhere from $0 to $80.

I don't know the public hospital fees for counsellors.

To answer the topic...I am generally relatively satisfied with the rate I pay my therapist as a clinical psychologist. That's because there is a clear and noticeable difference between psychotherapy sessions vs counselling sessions. I see a community counsellor sporadically and the full fee is $80 but I'm too guilty to ask if I can be on the sliding scale.

Minimum wage - really? Might as well talk to the McDonald's cashier.

I'd pay according to what I come for each session, and how pleased I am with the session

I can’t speak for SD, and I don’t patronize McDonald’s, but frankly conversations with cashiers are generally much more rewarding than those with therapists for me.

By the way, this is an opinion question with no wrong answers, and a number of people chose that price range in the poll, so perhaps you should keep your scorn for those posters, minimum wage workers, and fast food employees to yourself.

I'd do the first born, but then the therapist would end up trying to pay me a la "The Ransom of Red Chief"