Posted by Elaine on May 30, 1999, at 1:25:19
In reply to Am I paying too much for therapy?, posted by mila on May 29, 1999, at 2:15:12
Without insurance, $175 for 45 minutes seems a bit spendy to me. And even highly regarded M.D. psychotherapists may not be a right "fit" for you personally. However, a "breaking in" or "getting to know you" (on both sides) period does occur, so you may wish to try a few more times, as JD suggests. I believe, though, that there are many excellent therapists at about half that price who could do very well for you. But, it may take some searching. Some therapists do give an introductory session without charge. Such a big part of therapy is how you relate to the therapist and whether you can trust him or her. If you need medication, you can go to a psychiatrist and, after a few times, only pay for short medication visits - much cheaper than basically paying for a therapist AND a psychiatrist in one person, every week. I would hate to see you spend your loan money quickly and then feel you can't afford to go to anyone, rather than spending much less and still seeing an experienced and qualified therapist. This is, of course, only my opinion. In terms of your $175 psydoc therapist, again, no matter how highly recommended he is or how high profile, you need to determine if his personality and professional styles are compatible with you. Also, what kind of therapy approach does he use and is that agreeable with you? (Is he Freudian, cognitive, behavioral, existential, etc?) Why don't you interview a couple of others while you're still trying him out? That way, you might see how you relate to other therapists compared to him and better be able to decide how you feel about him.
Good luck to you.
poster:Elaine
thread:6789
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/6814.html