What is Equity Pricing, and am I eligible?

Equity pricing, in this context, means that I offer a range of pricing meant to be equitable for each individual I work with. There are no eligibility criteria- it’s up to you to decide what fee is appropriate for you. My full fee per session, which is the true cost of one session, is $150. However, I offer rates as low as $50 per session. Using this framework relies on clients doing an honest assessment of what they can reasonably afford. Clients who can pay closer to the full fee make it possible for me to continue offering reduced fees to those who might not be able to afford therapy otherwise.

Top of the Scale (or the left bottle):

• I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic* needs

• I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs

• I own my home or property OR I rent a higher-end property

• I own or lease a car

• I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs

• I have regular access to health care

• I have access to financial savings

• I have an expendable** income

• I can always buy new items

• I can afford an annual vacation or take time off

Middle of the Scale (or the middle bottle):

• I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them

• I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs

• I own or lease a car

• I am employed

• I have access to health care

• I might have access to financial savings

• I have some expendable income

• I am able to buy some new items & I thrift others

• I can take a vacation annually or every few years without financial burden

Bottom of the Scale (or the right bottle):

• I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them

• I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs

• I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing

• I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car but I am not always able to afford gas

• I am unemployed or underemployed

• I qualify for government assistance including food stamps & health care

• I have no access to savings

• I have no or very limited expendable income

• I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them

• I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without financial burden

* Basic Needs include food, housing, health care, and transportation.
** Expendable Income might mean you are able to buy coffee or tea at a shop, go to the movies or a concert, buy new clothes, books, and similar items each month, etc.

(Source)

Why I don’t accept insurance

Equity pricing is my way of offering more accessible therapy for people, whether they have insurance or are uninsured/underinsured, without sacrificing the protection of client information, my personal and professional values, and ensuring that the work I do is financially sustainable.

I understand that accepting insurance is helpful to making therapy more accessible to many people, and I have given much consideration to my decision not to accept insurance at this time. Contracting with insurance companies requires a significant and ongoing time and/or financial investment that can significantly reduce time spent tending to client needs and time spent continuing education to improve therapeutic skills. Insurance companies also have documentation requirements that are not compatible with my values as an anti-oppression therapist who works with marginalized folks and would like to keep information about my clients’ mental health as private and secure as possible. Additionally, insurance companies have incredible financial power, and they maintain this by minimizing how much they contribute to medical and mental healthcare. This manifests as insurance significantly delaying paying therapists for services, dictating how much a therapist can be paid per session, or, in some cases, asking therapists for money back after they have been paid if the insurance company is able to find any issues with the documentation of the therapy session submitted to them.