"It's a lot of money to spend." They say.
But is it really? And compared to what?
When you feel you need mental and emotional care, most people go to a GP and are then referred to a psychologist here in Australia that is registered with government-assisted health called Medicare.
This puts them on a care plan and allows the government to partially pay for their service fee directly to the psychologist. The client then pays a small percentage out of pocket.
Alternative health practitioners, however, are not covered by Medicare. Some aren't even recognized by private health funds, and even when they are, the rebate is minimal compared to the overall fee structure. Many choose not to have a provider number as it is not worth the effort and is rarely requested. They often choose to be a part of a professional body or an association as well, and there are certain criteria that must be met to obtain the status of those memberships every year.
Most practitioners adjust their fees to value themselves, their own unique and individual skillset, their availability, and care, while also assessing the affordability of clients. Adjusting fees within industry standards allows alternative practitioners to have their services recognized fairly compared to what the governing bodies do not make up in difference. That being said, because there is no support from governing bodies, it doesn’t mean that there is no proof that results are capable from these alternative therapies, and that there is no value or demand for them. In Australia, 2 out of 3 people have turned to some form of complementary and alternative medicine in the past 12 – 18 months according to research. This is showing that there is a growing demand for this type of assistance but where do you find them?
There appears to be an underlying resentment towards alternative therapists and their pricing structure. It seems like there is a sense of questioning the protocol, expecting quick results within tight deadlines for complex issues, as if the value of these therapies is inferior to services like massages, facials, or nail treatments. Interestingly, some of these services are not even reimbursable, yet people don't hesitate to spend money on them. On the other hand, when it comes to therapy, suddenly there is resistance to paying the fee, questioning its worth or expecting it to be free because it's intangible. Many of us pay for intangible experiences online regularly without issue, so why is there a specific problem with alternative therapies?
So, let’s get clarity on this.
It's only valuable when there is a personal gain behind it
Mediums, Psychics, Tarot Readers
Did you know that if you were to see a medium or a tarot reader, you would be paying $180 to sometimes $800 for a 30-minute reading? And some readers can charge up to $1500 for a 1-hour reading. Some of these people are high in demand and have waitlists for years. Many would say these prices are astronomical, but some will pay for a well-known and experienced medium. This is a highly emotive experience and what you get from it is personal. Visiting a medium is typically a singular experience done for entertainment purposes, with the understanding that it is not a form of mental health therapy.
Energy Medicine and Energy Healing
A session with someone who does in-person or remote energy healing can cost from $70 to $350 for 1 hour. Often, these types of sessions are performed remotely and can be carried out with the person present or not present. Many find this type of work to be hocus pocus, airy-fairy, and disingenuous, claiming it to be a false livelihood with no integrity, and insisting it should be free. For this reason, many experienced healers set a fee structure based on their own capability, while others use the donation method. Both have personal reasons behind it. Those who have provided services for free to those in need also need to understand that they are removing a level of responsibility from that transaction with that individual. The care and responsibility levels are vastly different from a person who is charging a service fee to someone who is not. Different boundaries are in place as well, so it is not just a simple issue of misusing gifts by charging for them.
If you aren't in it for the love you are in it for the money?
Unfortunately, we often obscure our reasoning with immature ideas without fully exploring them. In a world where personality disorders can be challenging to identify until directly confronted, it is crucial to be aware of their presence. Without the necessary knowledge, these disorders can remain unnoticed and can be unsettling to encounter. Many individuals with such disorders require professional care and support, yet they may resist the emotional and mental effort involved. Providing assistance to such individuals demands significant time, energy, communication, and encouragement. It is a challenging task that many households struggle with, as they find it difficult to allocate resources to those in greater need. This is the current situation we face. While these services can be seen as acts of kindness, if you are offering your help willingly, remember that you are not obligated to engage in long-term support for individuals with high needs. Setting boundaries is essential for both parties to foster personal growth and improvement.
When good coaches, therapists, practitioners, and counsellors see someone in need who is committed to making progress, actively participating in their sessions and allowing space for their progress, they are more inclined to go the extra mile for that person. It's important to recognise that these practitioners make significant allowances in their time and energy that many others wouldn't. So if you are asked to reflect on the other areas of your life or services you invest in, would you receive he same level of time, care and fee flexibility under the similar circumstances?
Counsellors, Coaches, Hypnotherapy and Others
There are individuals who work as life coaches, business coaches, and money coaches, all offering a service with similar outcomes. The cost for a 1-hour consultation ranges from $120 to $1000. If you are paying between $100 and $200 for counselling, coaching, or applied therapy like Hypnotherapy, then you are likely receiving services at the minimum market rate.
Hypnotherapy and other results-based therapies are forms of applied therapy that produce specific results, similar to coaching but more thorough and effective at addressing underlying issues. A session like past life regression can last up to 3-4 hours hours to ensure proper execution and can be valued from $450 to $800. Stop Smoking Sessions using Hypnotherapy can also range from $300 to $800 for 1 session. In applied therapies such as Hypnotherapy, the therapist must guide the client to reach the necessary depth for successful outcomes. Although these techniques may require significant time and effort, when executed correctly, they can be incredibly impactful for both the client and therapist.
How many sessions is it going to take me?
Can we hurry it along?
You cannot rush therapy or your own level of progress. Your progress is something that is innate in us all. You wouldn’t rush the hairdresser to put a colour in your hair properly or for the beautician to apply the fascial treatment to your skin. So why are you rushing the therapist for your breakthrough?
During a counselling, coaching, or therapy session, you are expected to take on a higher level of responsibility. The outcomes of these sessions largely depend on this factor. You willingly engage in exploring how your own identity, beliefs, behaviour, health, mental resilience, and emotions have shaped your journey to this point in life. This process aims to enhance our self-awareness and understand the influence these elements have on our lives. It is crucial to take ownership and responsibility, showing up with openness and readiness to allow the professional to assist in addressing any obstacles hindering your progress and potential without diminishing your strengths and values.
In all honesty, we are not always in control of what we want. Therapy may not always be about living your best life, but simply coping with the external hits and blows and the areas that are not within our control unlike the smooth trajectory of movie-based realties. Life is hard. And we can often find ourselves standing alone and confused in the mess of our own doing and undoing. Every day, we are confronted with the decision of whether to take action and find a solution on how to clean up the mess, or to persist in the same manner, resulting in further disappointment and destruction.
For many people, consulting mediums or psychics is a non-intrusive way to connect with themselves and explore spiritually, providing a gentle approach to connect with their inner being. Nevertheless, this method can sometimes result in disregarding personal challenges that need to be confronted for further growth. Mediums assist in reconnecting with departed loved ones and offering closure, which is comforting rather than confronting. Therapy may seem overwhelming and demanding in terms of time and energy needed to cause a change in direction. It truly requires a catalyst to ignite the decision to transform, yet many individuals doubt their ability to do so or the reality of change altogether. The various aspects of their lives may require such a significant intervention that dismantling and disrupting established patterns appears to be an impossible task, potentially disrupting their current status quo.
During your therapy sessions, you may encounter aspects of yourself that mirror the mechanisms you use to avoid confronting certain behaviours, ways of thinking, or coping strategies that have been ingrained for a long time. This initial challenge lies in the fact that it takes time for these mechanisms to come to the surface and be effectively addressed. Many individuals may "check out" before reaching this critical point, often just when they are on the brink of transformation. It is at this cross roads that considerations about the value of investment versus the effort and rewards involved tend to arise. Not everyone is seeking profound resolution, as personal preferences vary. Sometimes, a minor adjustment is all that is necessary to set someone back on the right path.
The dedication, attention, and effort devoted to an individual's responsibilities, processes, monitoring, and encouragement represent a genuine commitment to supporting them in achieving their personal goals. Transformation can take time because every person is a unique. So, if you are reading this and not placing value on your therapy sessions, it is likely that there is a disconnect between what you are currently doing in your therapy sessions, your expectations of therapy, and the outcomes you want to achieve.
Written By
Aliki Nektaria The Path Clearer
This is an interesting read
❤️