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How much should Hypnotherapists charge? by Michael
O'Sullivan |
How much should hypnotherapists charge? This is a very
difficult question and not always easy to answer. There are
no guidelines and many differing opinions about what
constitutes a fair session fee.
Some training courses complicate the issue further by
telling their graduates that they add perceived value to
their services by charging higher rather than lower fees.
The theory is that people (clients) place a higher value on
something the more that they pay for it. In purely
psychological terms this is actually a valid point. However,
it can lead to a newly qualified therapist charging much
more than another, vastly more experienced therapist in the
same area.
An extreme example of a recent case may illustrate the kinds
of experiences that some clients have had. A hypnotherapist
charged a client £500 for a smoking cessation treatment,
with a guarantee that the treatment would work. It didn't,
and the therapist refused to refund the fee. We suggested
that the client should sue in small claims court.
The Perception about fees depends on whether or not the
treatment worked, or some tangible benefit became apparent
as a result of the treatment. Unfortunately too many (a
minority to be sure) of therapists make exaggerated claims
about how effective their services are. Disappointed clients
who were led to expect much and who in reality received
little will probably feel that any amount paid under these
circumstances is too much.
Success or failure of treatment
Even the most effective and best evidence based treatments
won't work all the time. How do you make clients understand
this without underselling your skills? Simply by accepting
that this is the truth and not claiming a 100% success rate
or one which is unrealistic. You can sound confident without
making claims that cannot be substantiated.
Just because a hypnotherapy treatment does not produce the
desired result, does not mean that the client should be
entitled to their money back. In general when you pay a
therapist for their services you are paying for their time
and expertise. As long as sufficient time is provided as
agreed in advance, and the therapist has applied their
expertise to the best of their abilities, and have not
misled the client then they have fulfilled their side of the
contract.
There can be no guarantees with any form of psychological
treatment or assistance and ethical therapists should make
that clear from the start. In cases where therapists offer
guarantees and then the promised outcome is not realised,
they then have no-one to blame but themselves if it causes
them problems.
Overcharging and market forces
The bottom line is that hypnotherapists can charge what they
think the market in their area will bear. The law of supply
and demand applies. Where things go wrong is when therapists
charge high fees and make unrealistic promises or
statements. If the therapist is honest in what they say, and
their practice is in an area which can support high fees,
there can be nothing wrong with charging those fees. It's up
to the general public to buy the services at that price or
not, as they choose.
In short, therapists need a greater awareness of these
issues. They need to be scrupulously honest in what they say
and they won't go far wrong.
Copyright Michael O'Sullivan 2009 - all
rights reserved
www.health-concern.com
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