Increasing Your Fees During a Pandemic

When I met with my business coach in November, I mentioned that I was concerned about raising my fees during a pandemic. She asked me why the process of raising my fees should be any different during this time and I didn’t have a good answer for her. Most of my clients have continued to work during the pandemic, however, there are some who may not be able to afford a higher fee. Additionally, my costs for credit card fees have increased since I am no longer able to swipe my client’s cards in person.

Generally, I review my fees every two years, but that’s not written in stone. In the past when clients were experiencing financial difficulties, my process was to tell them about the fee increase and explain why I would not be raising their fees at this time. I’d say we would continue to discuss their financial situation during our work together and raise the fee when they felt they could afford it. I sometimes propose that we revisit the topic in three months or whatever time is appropriate for the client’s situation.

Once I’ve told a client that my fees are going up, I pause and wait for a reaction. If there is no reaction I will ask if they might be willing to explore any thoughts or feelings they are having about my new fee. Sometimes people are unable to access their feelings in the moment, instead they might show me indirectly through arriving late at our next session, “forgetting” to pay their invoice or canceling. This is fertile ground for a topic that is often neglected in therapy.

For some clients discussing the new fee can lead to an exploration of the way money was handled by their parents or reveal anger at a partner who is not carrying their fair share of the financial responsibility in the relationship; there are a multitude of possible responses to this situation.

In his book Difficult Topics in Group Therapy: My Journey from Shame to Courage, Jerome Gans, MD advises therapists to prioritize the exploration of clinical material over managing financial transactions. He explains that so much can be gained by discussing the client’s feelings about money, especially if it’s done in the moment.

Our own beliefs about money affect our clinical work and the way we approach the business of private practice. We are expected to explore this sensitive topic with our clients, yet most graduate programs don’t offer a course on financial countertransference. It’s helpful to explore our money stories and issues of worth with our own therapists or in consultation.

Maria Gray, LMFT, NMP, CGP, is a psychotherapist in private practice in Century City, she is a Brainspotting Specialist and specializes in trauma and addictions. Maria is a Certified Group Therapist and currently offers three online groups in her practice. She enjoys working with adults who grew up around mentally ill or addictive family members. To learn more, go to www.mariagray.net.