Creative and realistic ways to reduce the cost of therapy.
Get as much for free as you can. Life is full of free stuff. At the same time, do not be afraid to pay for something, even when it is expensive, if what you gain will be greater than its cost, or when the cost of not buying it is high.
In other words, although therapy may be expensive, it may be well worth it when you consider what's at stake. You may wish to discuss this with your therapist or with your friends and family.
It is important to me that therapy is affordable and I have found a number of ways to keep therapy costs down. Keeping therapy costs down means making therapy as effective as possible and this means having enough therapy sessions, but not more than needed.
The following are just a few ideas for making therapy more affordable and more effective:
1) Being prepared for the therapy session. This means a number of things. You will find a variety of materials on this website which will help you prepare for your first session. Not only will the required paperwork be done and out of the way, but it may get you thinking, in a more focused manner, about exactly what it is you'd like to get out of therapy. It will also free up more of the time you are paying for.
2) Doing your real-life "homework." These include calculated risks, explorative "experiments," working on new "habits," and involving others in your life and life changes. These can be difficult things to do alone, and often, these are the very things people come to therapy to receive help with. However, no amount of therapy can help if you do not work on your concerns and goals outside of therapy.
3) Find alternatives. Find alternatives to the traditional once-a-week therapy approaches. These include periodic check-ins, half-hour check-ins, and other variations on the traditional approach. Some find that results in therapy gained more quickly with a more intensive approach, meeting two or more times per week. Too, you may find that your needs vary throughout the course of therapy. There may be times when more frequent sessions are needed and times when they are needed less frequently or not at all. I will offer to help you with these decisions.
4) Know the stage you are in. Some people are in an exploratory stage and are simply wondering whether some changes would be helpful. Others may know they wish to make changes but not know what those changes are. Still others may not know how to make the changes they wish to make or how to balance these with other parts of their life. Click here for more on stages of change.
The Importance of investing in your life and in yourself.
Consider the other things you invest in. There is a partial list below. Despite our tendencies to accept these other things as necessities of life, we often put our mental and emotional well being at the bottom of the list. The thing is, our mental and emotional health are foundational. We budget for these other things. We attend to and maintain these other things while we still grapple with our quality of life, the quality of our relationships, and our ability to function optimally in our work and play. When you think about it, your mental health and well being may be one of the very best investments you can make in your life.
Things people typically budget for:
House Mortgage or Rent • Car Payments and Maintenance • Car Insurance and Repair • Gasoline
Federal, State, and Local Taxes • Utilities such as Gas & Electricity • Groceries and Snacks
Restaurants and Eating Out • Planned Attorney's Fees and Retainers • Planned Doctor Visits • Insurance Premiums • Dental Care • College or Other Vocational Training • Entertainment and Recreation • Holiday and Birthday Gifts • Gym Memberships and Dues • Luxuries such as Spas or Jewelry • Furniture and Home Decor
Travel, Vacations, and Get-Aways • Retirement
Things people typically do not budget for:
Days Lost from Work Due to Emotional Matters • Job Loss • Moving After a Domestic Fight
Loss of Friendships • Bail • Addiction to Alcohol or Drugs • Failure in School
Emergency Room Visits due to Mental Illness • Opportunities Lost due to Depression or Anxiety
Unexpected Attorney's Fees due Divorce or Child Custody Matters
Stress Related Medical Problems such as Heart Problems, Ulcers, and Immune System Problems
Psychotherapy or Counseling
Two for the price of one.
In therapy, people actually get a much better deal than a two-for-one. Therapy can have far reaching affects. When a person is doing better in one area of his or her life, he or she tends to do better in other areas of life as well. Relationships with others tend to improve. People do better at work and at home. Happiness and good health tend to foster more happiness and good health. Those problematic and heart wrenching troubles you experience can be reversed. As always, you must decide when and how to make this happen. Psychotherapy is available to help you and give you the hope you need.
There are benefits to taking care of yourself which may more than outweigh the costs of therapy. Think about it. Talk about it. What might you gain that would make a difference?
Get as much for free as you can. Life is full of free stuff. At the same time, do not be afraid to pay for something, even when it is expensive, if what you gain will be greater than its cost, or when the cost of not buying it is high.
In other words, although therapy may be expensive, it may be well worth it when you consider what's at stake. You may wish to discuss this with your therapist or with your friends and family.
It is important to me that therapy is affordable and I have found a number of ways to keep therapy costs down. Keeping therapy costs down means making therapy as effective as possible and this means having enough therapy sessions, but not more than needed.
The following are just a few ideas for making therapy more affordable and more effective:
1) Being prepared for the therapy session. This means a number of things. You will find a variety of materials on this website which will help you prepare for your first session. Not only will the required paperwork be done and out of the way, but it may get you thinking, in a more focused manner, about exactly what it is you'd like to get out of therapy. It will also free up more of the time you are paying for.
2) Doing your real-life "homework." These include calculated risks, explorative "experiments," working on new "habits," and involving others in your life and life changes. These can be difficult things to do alone, and often, these are the very things people come to therapy to receive help with. However, no amount of therapy can help if you do not work on your concerns and goals outside of therapy.
3) Find alternatives. Find alternatives to the traditional once-a-week therapy approaches. These include periodic check-ins, half-hour check-ins, and other variations on the traditional approach. Some find that results in therapy gained more quickly with a more intensive approach, meeting two or more times per week. Too, you may find that your needs vary throughout the course of therapy. There may be times when more frequent sessions are needed and times when they are needed less frequently or not at all. I will offer to help you with these decisions.
4) Know the stage you are in. Some people are in an exploratory stage and are simply wondering whether some changes would be helpful. Others may know they wish to make changes but not know what those changes are. Still others may not know how to make the changes they wish to make or how to balance these with other parts of their life. Click here for more on stages of change.
The Importance of investing in your life and in yourself.
Consider the other things you invest in. There is a partial list below. Despite our tendencies to accept these other things as necessities of life, we often put our mental and emotional well being at the bottom of the list. The thing is, our mental and emotional health are foundational. We budget for these other things. We attend to and maintain these other things while we still grapple with our quality of life, the quality of our relationships, and our ability to function optimally in our work and play. When you think about it, your mental health and well being may be one of the very best investments you can make in your life.
Things people typically budget for:
House Mortgage or Rent • Car Payments and Maintenance • Car Insurance and Repair • Gasoline
Federal, State, and Local Taxes • Utilities such as Gas & Electricity • Groceries and Snacks
Restaurants and Eating Out • Planned Attorney's Fees and Retainers • Planned Doctor Visits • Insurance Premiums • Dental Care • College or Other Vocational Training • Entertainment and Recreation • Holiday and Birthday Gifts • Gym Memberships and Dues • Luxuries such as Spas or Jewelry • Furniture and Home Decor
Travel, Vacations, and Get-Aways • Retirement
Things people typically do not budget for:
Days Lost from Work Due to Emotional Matters • Job Loss • Moving After a Domestic Fight
Loss of Friendships • Bail • Addiction to Alcohol or Drugs • Failure in School
Emergency Room Visits due to Mental Illness • Opportunities Lost due to Depression or Anxiety
Unexpected Attorney's Fees due Divorce or Child Custody Matters
Stress Related Medical Problems such as Heart Problems, Ulcers, and Immune System Problems
Psychotherapy or Counseling
Two for the price of one.
In therapy, people actually get a much better deal than a two-for-one. Therapy can have far reaching affects. When a person is doing better in one area of his or her life, he or she tends to do better in other areas of life as well. Relationships with others tend to improve. People do better at work and at home. Happiness and good health tend to foster more happiness and good health. Those problematic and heart wrenching troubles you experience can be reversed. As always, you must decide when and how to make this happen. Psychotherapy is available to help you and give you the hope you need.
There are benefits to taking care of yourself which may more than outweigh the costs of therapy. Think about it. Talk about it. What might you gain that would make a difference?
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| Christian Wolff, Psy.A., Portland Psychologist Associate • Psychotherapist & Counselor 820 NW 21st Avenue, Suite B. Portland.Oregon. 97209. 503.381.2032. christian@christianwolff.com |
Fees.
My standard fee is $125 per hour. Payment is required at the time of service in the form of cash or check. Credit card payment is now available online (see link below).
If you are using Blue Cross/ Blue Shield insurance, I will do the billing for you if you would like. I am a Preferred Provider. If you are using other insurance, I will provide you with the information you need to complete your insurance company's reimbursement forms. Because insurance policies tend to be so different, I advise you to contact your insurance company prior to making your first appointment in order to make sure you know what services are covered. It will then be important to let me know so that we may make the best possible financial arrangements for your treatment.
My sliding scale rarely goes below $100 per hour, but during these times of economic hardship, I may be willing to negotiate a slightly lower fee.
My standard fee is $125 per hour. Payment is required at the time of service in the form of cash or check. Credit card payment is now available online (see link below).
If you are using Blue Cross/ Blue Shield insurance, I will do the billing for you if you would like. I am a Preferred Provider. If you are using other insurance, I will provide you with the information you need to complete your insurance company's reimbursement forms. Because insurance policies tend to be so different, I advise you to contact your insurance company prior to making your first appointment in order to make sure you know what services are covered. It will then be important to let me know so that we may make the best possible financial arrangements for your treatment.
My sliding scale rarely goes below $100 per hour, but during these times of economic hardship, I may be willing to negotiate a slightly lower fee.
New!
Online payment by credit or debit card now available.
To make an online payment, click here:
ONLINE PAYMENT
Online payment by credit or debit card now available.
To make an online payment, click here:
ONLINE PAYMENT