Hi everyone,
The topic of value in therapy and therapy training comes up on a regular basis. Generally speaking, you can’t get value out of a free service. It doesn’t mean that free services do harm. Though, how can a service be of value, with no exchange of anything on your part?
Why? Because you paid nothing for it and you may get something, though in the way our brain works – if we pay for something, we’re more likely to get something out of it.
Why talk about value on here?
Well, for starters, value for money within my training courses I consider especially important.
In addition, I try on a regular basis to give therapists more for their money when they come to my courses. I also try to do the same for clients too.
Why is it important to pay for my services?
Firstly, I cannot offer rebates as I’m not Medicare registered. This does not mean I’m not suitably qualified for you, or clients, or your training needs. Quite the opposite.
While everyone was working in the Medicare system, over the past 13 years, I have beavered away training the next generation and new graduates of counselling, psychotherapy and community work in various large institutions for over 13 years. It has been this training and education knowledge that I’ve now brought into my training organisation and have got it to where it is today. In addition, my courses are regularly updated with the latest information about technology and how it fits in with therapy and human-service delivery. They also all come backed with information and research – that I painstakingly update on a regular basis.
Secondly, because I don’t get government funding, you don’t ever have to talk to anyone else – there’s no referral necessary (your GP, an organisation, a university, or anyone) to get what you need from me. I am the front woman of the organisation and I deal with you and your concerns personally. This takes lots of time and effort, though I do get to each and every message that is sent to me, on Facebook, instagram, email and anywhere else.
Thirdly, humans are strange creatures. IF WE HAVE NO MONETARY PAIN, there’s OFTEN NO ACTUAL LIFE GAIN. There has been many pieces of research around price points for therapy – and the more you pay, the more you put in, the more you get out of it (so long as the clinician is also suitably skilled to hold the space for you). If you put your valuable time and effort and money into your own work – whatever it may be, it holds more value. This means, government and service-driven ‘free’ services – that actually cost the tax payer money, often don’t do as much good. Free servicing, from a human psychological point of view doesn’t work – from a point of reverse psychology. Often if we personally pay – not our parents, or anyone else – then we will try harder and often receive results faster than if it were a free service that we went to.
There are a great many free services doing a lot of good… though even many charities ask clients to contribute a few dollars, just so that there’s more respect and empathy for the service organisation’s time. If there is absolutely no exchange of money, MOST don’t appreciate or have empathy for the other person’s time.
I find this on a regular basis where I’m often writing copious responses over social media late into the evening and there’s not a great deal of respect for time.
Nobody is better than anyone, though let’s all value each other’s time.
Your therapist – especially an AOTT qualified and accredited therapist – values qualifications so that they can do the best they possibly can for you. My AOTT courses are here to help ensure your online therapist cares about your outcomes and how they utilise technology professionally.
So, sometimes the best change for anyone requires a little bit of skin in the game, and a monetary exchange for us to be able to have enough motivation to choose to change our situation – along with the right support, from a caring practitioner. AOTT therapists care about you and your outcomes – as I personally vet each and every practitioner.
AOTT’s counselling courses online have been designed with the client and practitioner in mind – the practitioner gains valuable, practical skills to work properly, ethically and responsibly in the online space (adhering to standards and important pivoting of their therapeutic skills to the online environment).
