Fees, cancellations, holidays, tech info

Online psychotherapy fees

My fee is €120 per session. I sometimes have availability for clients who would financially struggle with my full fee, so I operate a sliding scale. It is possible to discuss the fee during the first session and see what you can afford to pay. The minimum fee is €90 per session.

What your budget should be for your psychotherapy journey

Psychotherapy is a journey into your internal world that we take together and so it takes time. To give you an idea of the duration of therapy, and hence the necessary budget, it usually takes about ten sessions for you to get a good sense of the process of therapy, whether it’s suitable to you and whether you benefit from it, and to see if you are happy with your psychotherapist. As a general rule, therapy can last from a few months to a few years. The frequency of sessions per week is something that we can discuss together, but if you plan to take this journey, sessions take place at a minimum once a week.

Payment methods

Online sessions are paid in advance through your bank or Paypal, whichever works best for you, and you are responsible for paying the transfer of funds and any change of currency fees, as charged by the banks involved or Paypal. Payments are made monthly at the start of each month. Under special circumstances to be discussed, payment can be made per session if this is preferable to you. 

My policy on advance payment is that I return the funds that remain if, at any time and for any reason, you wish to end the therapy and we haven’t completed the sessions you have pre-paid for.

Cancellation policy

Since our session(s) is on the same day and time each week, I consider this to be your time, I commit to being there for you on that day and time and so I charge for the appointment even if you are unable to attend. The only occasion when missed sessions are not charged, is if you are going on annual leave, in which case reasonable notice of at least one week is required.

Sessions that you need to cancel for any other reason can be rescheduled for another day within a week’s time of the cancelled appointment and payment should be made 48 hours before the cancelled appointment, not the rescheduled appointment. I do my best to find an alternative time to meet, however, if this is not possible, either because you can’t use the alternative time/s I offer or because I cannot find another time due to being fully booked, the cancelled session will be charged.

Psychotherapy is a process, a goal that you set for yourself, which can only be effective if you view it as a personal commitment to yourself. It requires your attention and energy, your punctuality, and an effort from both of us to maintain a steady frequency that provides you with a sense of continuity and safety. Given that some sessions will be missed due to holidays, illness, or other unforeseen circumstances, it’s important to avoid further losses to the therapeutic process.

Holidays

Each year we will usually break for 2 weeks over and around Christmas, 10 days over and around Easter and 6 weeks starting around mid-July. I may take some time off during the rest of the year for training purposes. I try to let you know of my holiday dates as early as possible and also give you reasonable notice.

Technical requirements

Sessions take place on Zoom. If necessary due to technical reasons, they can also take place on WhatsApp or FaceTime, but Zoom is the most secure platform for our work together. I am using the Pro version so I will be sending you a link to join in. You do not need to have a paid subscription on Zoom.

For our sessions you will need an internet connection preferably higher than 20Mbps, a set of headphones with a microphone (like your phone headset) and a computer camera. It’s useful for you to be using a good camera (usually external cameras for computers have better resolution), as the better quality of the picture and sound will also make for a better emotional connection between us and generally a more satisfying therapeutic experience.

You will also need to be in a room where you are comfortable and alone, so that you feel safe to speak openly without being overheard or intruded upon by others.

I am always happy to answer any questions you might have regarding the terms above.