Ask Tiffany: What is a fair price when first starting out?

As part of our ongoing money series, I am answering YOUR questions about money and private practice.

This week I’m diving into a question from Therapist Mia who writes in and says,

“So good to see you in my inbox, albeit in emoji form. You crack me up– I’m dying to know if you really did pee! I love it! Haha.”

WAIT – uuuuh. HUH?! Who said that?!

Moving on then…

“What do you think is a fair price for someone who’s just starting, who does not have private practice experience, who only offers one night a week? (er, someone like me).”

Great question, Therapist Mia! I really like this one because it brings in a lot of fears that clinicians at all stages have about whether they are experienced enough (old enough, skilled enough, trained enough, pretty enough, fashionable enough) to actually charge full fee in private practice.

This answer is a bit controversial, especially for you therapists out there who have been doing this work for 5 or 10 years and are still charging rates that leave you feeling burnt out, frustrated and resentful of all of the newbie therapists pouring into the field.

I’d love to hear from ALL of you!

What have you noticed about how your colleagues are charging? How has this changed over the past decade?

Write your observations in the comment section below!

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About the Author

Hey, I’m Tiffany McLain, LMFT, and I teach you how to charge good money for the good work you do.  I’m the founder of Lean In. MAKE BANK. Academy, a group program that empowers therapists and social workers like you to reimagine your relationship with money, offering the tools and community support to not just earn more but to fundamentally change your life and the lives of those you serve.

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