ABSTRACT
Financial transactions are always tricky, particularly for therapists who are
unfamiliar with this aspect of therapeutic work, and when faith in their own
abilities is still somewhat shaky. Of course when we are inexperienced it is
appropriate that the charge we make for our professional help is reflected
in the fee. Undervaluing ourselves, however, can be as unhelpful as an
over-evaluation of what we have to offer. These uncertainties can result in
therapists avoiding discussion of the fee and what it may mean to clients to
be asked to pay for therapy. Our own resistances can block exploration,
which may result either in extreme rigidity or total flexibility. In the first
case, this can result in a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude which allows no room
for clients to express feelings about the fee; and in the second, going along
with whatever clients suggest, thus leaving them with the feeling that
therapists have no sense of their own worth. Therapists who feel confident
that they have something of value to give will be more open to accepting
any doubts that clients may have about them. If the therapist feels uneasy
then this aspect of the frame will be avoided, and the client will sense the
dis-ease which in turn will lead to difficulties later in the therapy.
