Counselling, what a rip off!!

timberflake

My partner and I have been going through a rocky time of late. Actually, there's been issues in our relationship for a long time, but we're only now realising it. We recently broke up and moved out of the house we rented and are now trying to work things out, we thought counselling might be a good idea so go in touch with a group called "Relate". The local centre was really close to my apartment (in Leicester) so I dropped them an email and asked a few questions like how much, how often we should go etc.

Anyway, they replied today and said sessions are an hour long and usually happen every week. Then for the shocking part, the cost........£40 a session! What!? How can that be?? £40 an hour is stupid!

I guess my question is, is £40 an hour the going rate for relationship counselling and would anyone else know of anywhere else in Leicester we could look into? The closer to Leicester City Centre the better.

Pink_butterfly_3

I'd say that 30-40 quid is the standard rate for any type of counselling.

Unless of course you can prove you have a low income/benefits. Then you could probably get it cheaper.

timberflake

Thats what they said in their email, £40 an hour seems a lot though, that works out to 66p a minute! If only we could all earn that much!

bestpud

Yep, that's about standard for counselling.

Relate will negotiate though if you really cannot afford it. You have to have an initial appt but can then discuss it with the councellor. You will stand a better chance if you can make a daytime appt as evening ones are in demand.

We paid £25 several years ago and normal rate was £35 at that time. We could have got it for £20 if we could have made a daytime appt but couldn't due to dh's hours. They normally wouldn't have given the reduction but we were lucky they had a couple visiting fortnightly and we could take the alternate week at the cheaper rate.

bestpud

In fairness, they have to pay their overheads out of that.

Plus, if it saves your relationship.....

timberflake

They say they have no waiting list at the minute, wonder why!

timberflake

bestpud wrote: »

In fairness, they have to pay their overheads out of that.

Plus, if it saves your relationship.....

Totally understand that, but £40 for 1 hour! What possible overheads could they have that cost £40 an hour! If they get 7 couples through the door a day, thats £280 a day, £1400 a week or £5600 a month at a conservative guess!

bestpud

They wouldn't be allowed to see 7 couples a day! They have to work to professional guidelines and that includes paying the same rate to have supervisory sessions with a more experienced counsellor themselves (not every week granted but it is something else they have to pay for).

RoxsiScotland

ive been on the waiting list for a year and a half for a psychologist for my severe depression among other problems.

i have literally begged different doctors to get me some help but theres nothing they can do exept throw me more pills and hope i dont kill myself that week.

ive been told my only option at the moment is to pay for one, doesnt seem likely that i can pay £40 an hour from my £45 a week benefits though! i know they cant do it for free all the time but they really are profiting of peoples misery.

i really feel for you, and i hope you and your partner can work it out, i wish you all the best.

Justie

sounds about right - and don't forget that's £40 for 2 of you. You're paying for professional help, you'd pay more for a solicitor and not think a lot about it as you'd expect them to be expensive. That covers them writing up their notes and preparing for future sessions too so it's not as though they can do sessions back to back. If you can't afford it then tell them and they will negotiate their fee. The other place to get cheap (free) counselling is through churches but you may not get someone qualified so you pay your money and take your choice... so to speak.

bestpud

RoxsiScotland wrote: »

ive been on the waiting list for a year and a half for a psychologist for my severe depression among other problems.

i have literally begged different doctors to get me some help but theres nothing they can do exept throw me more pills and hope i dont kill myself that week.

ive been told my only option at the moment is to pay for one, doesnt seem likely that i can pay £40 an hour from my £45 a week benefits though! i know they cant do it for free all the time but they really are profiting of peoples misery.

i really feel for you, and i hope you and your partner can work it out, i wish you all the best.

Many private counsellors/psychologists do keep a certain number of reduced rate sessions for those who cannot pay. Have you actually spoken to different ones and asked?

Becoming a fully trained and accredited counsellor is not cheap (I'm talking many thousands!!!) plus, many work on a voluntary basis for years before getting part-time work - and full-time jobs are like gold dust! As a profession, they recieve very little recognition and almost all of them will have put in an awful lot of unpaid hours before getting regular hours. It's not a job for those who want to be rich or make a quick buck!!!