When was the last time you raised your hourly rate? Do you feel anxious or nervous when it comes to addressing your hourly fee with new or current clients, especially when you know you need to increase your income to continue providing top-quality therapy?  There are a lot of emotions involved in setting and raising your rates and they can sometimes hold you back from making progress in your business if you don't address them. I have struggled with this too. So I hope this episode will help you to decide how to raise your rates ethically and where to start when setting your rates. In This Episode: What to consider when setting your rate  Overcoming the emotional toll of raising your rates  How to ethically raise your rates  What to consider when setting your rate  A lot goes into deciding on an amount to charge per hour for your time and energy with a client. It can make it easier for you, and them, to understand your value by making sense of what goes into it behind the scenes.  I recommend setting your rates based on your skills, experience, training, outcomes, and the unique qualities that you have as a therapist.  If you are starting from the very beginning, I recommend doing some research on Psychology Today and finding out how much therapists in your field are charging in your area. Find the middle range, and add on an extra $10.  For new clients, I recommend (bravely!) raising your rates, especially once you are three weeks full, and keep doing that until you find a good flow of having a session or two available every three weeks. If it doesn't work, then you can lower the rates again, no problem (as the new rates only apply to new clients).  Overcoming the emotional toll of raising your rates  Some therapists may not be supportive or may judge your choices, but don't let them stop you. Even though some may disapprove, some therapists are in the same boat as you and will encourage you to pursue your value as a therapist and the life you are building for yourself.  Remind yourself of why you started your Canadian private practice. For me, I wanted to achieve a healthy work-life balance because I did not want to see a lot of clients and get burned out. I wanted to provide high-quality therapy to my clients while also making time to enjoy life.  How to ethically raise your rates The simple answer is to not exploit your clients. Make sure that your prices are shown clearly on your website, Psychology Today, and Jane App.  Therefore, when people are looking at your services they will know exactly what your prices are before engaging with you.  When raising your rates for clients that you are currently seeing, send out an email stating that you are raising your rates and they can either pay the new rate or reach out to you if it's too expensive. If a client cannot afford your new rate you can refer them to a therapist within their budget or offer them a discount. Keep in mind that, depending on the situation, it may be unethical to end therapy with a client and refer them out right away.   Connect with me: Instagram Website  Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:  Ep 31: Heidi Sturgeon: A Fellow Canadian Therapist's Private Practice Journey | EP 31 Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website  Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Research the prices of other therapists in your area on Psychology Today  Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn

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