Equity Pricing Model
Money can be an activating/ awkward conversation - so why am I bringing it into therapy?
Well... I am a self-employed therapist, which means:
I have to cover all my living expenses and pay self-employment taxes (which means I get taxed twice - since employers cover 1/2 of the tax burden for their employees). I am my own employer, so I have to cover both portions.
Employer provided health insurance isn't available to me - I access it through the New York State Marketplace. This also means I don't have access to paid sick leave, family medical leave, vacation time, or retirement contributions.
And, I choose to be a self-employed therapist because:
I want to provide accessible care for people without having to capitulate to the demands of the mental health industrial complex - which pathologizes responses to interpersonal and systemic harm, uses documentation as a form of state surveillance, requires immediate diagnosis and strict (often time-limited) treatment protocol. Therapists in these environments are often navigating systemic exploitation, leading to burnout, compassion fatigue, and grappling with a lack autonomy. I lasted three months in an agency before my body said NO.
Individual therapy might have us believe that our issues are personal and disconnected from wider systems. I don't move that way. I believe we're all connected - ecologically as well as financially. This means inviting clients into a collaborative, reciprocal relationship based on choice and trust. This is why I ask clients to consider their intersecting identities, their budgets, and the frequency in which they would like to be seen. So, when people who can afford it, select a rate towards the top of my pricing range, they are supporting the folks who are able to select a rate towards the middle or lower end of my range.
My rates are $150 – $65, though I have 2 spots left for pro-bono folks (who are experiencing the fourth jar). While I do not accept insurance, I can accept HSA and FSA as well as all major credit cards. If You have out-of-network benefits, I can generate reimbursement documentation (called "super bills") that You can submit to Your insurance.
With that, You may:
Consider investing less if You…
Are supporting dependents; have medical expenses not covered by insurance or will be uninsured; have immigration-related expenses; are an elder with limited financial support; are an unpaid community organizer; have experienced incarceration; have limited ability to work due to chronic illness; are descended from enslaved people or Native American First Nation people.
Consider investing more if You…
Have investments, retirement accounts or inherited money; have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education; have access to savings, family money, and resources in times of need; have out-of-network insurance reimbursement for medical expenses, work part-time or are unemployed by choice; regularly travel, engage in recreation activities, or subscribe to streaming services, arts or sports events.
You’re welcome to adjust anytime You experience a life-circumstance changes as well. If You’d like to talk this through and/or do any work around this in our sessions, that is welcome.