When Do You Know You’ve Reached Your Limit with the Fees You Charge?
Before You Lower Your fees because its Summer and your quiet, read this first...
As a therapist in private practice, setting your fees is one of the most important—and often challenging—decisions you’ll make. Your fees need to reflect the value of your work, cover your business costs, and provide you with a sustainable income. But there’s a question that lingers for many therapists:
Could I be charging too much?
While there’s no universal answer, it’s worth exploring how to gauge when you’ve reached the upper limit for what feels right—both for your business and your clients.
What Factors Determine Your Fees?
To understand whether your fees are too high (or too low), start by reflecting on how you set them in the first place. Common factors include:
Your Experience and Qualifications: Higher levels of training, specialisations, and years in practice often justify higher fees.
Market Rates: Comparing your fees to other therapists in your area or niche helps you stay competitive.
Client Demographics: Your target clients’ ability to pay impacts what’s realistic.
Costs of Running Your Practice: Rent, supervision, CPD, and other expenses need to be covered by your fees.
The Value You Offer: Consider the transformation and support you provide. Therapy is an investment in a client’s well-being.
When Fees Become a Concern
Charging higher fees can sometimes lead to discomfort or self-doubt. Here are a few signs that you might need to reflect on whether you’ve reached your limit:
1. You Feel Out of Alignment with Your Values
If your fees no longer align with your personal or professional values, it’s worth taking a pause. For example, if accessibility is a core value for you but your fees are pricing out the very clients you want to serve, this can create internal tension. I believe that your business should feel like home, so try to minimise internal tension.
2. Client Drop-Offs Increase
If you notice a significant drop in inquiries or existing clients leaving due to cost, this could indicate your fees are no longer sustainable for your target audience. Or it could just be summer!
Summer is a strange time in private practice. Cancellations creep in. Enquiries dry up. You sit with more space in your diary than feels comfortable and it start to think:
“Maybe my fees are too high.”
The urge to do something — anything — to feel in control is strong.
And before you know it, you're hovering over your website, ready to reduce your fees just to fill the gap.
But before you do, stop for a moment.
Take a breath & continue reading
3. You Feel Overly Focused on Profit
Therapists are business owners, and profit matters—but if you find yourself overly focused on raising fees while losing sight of your clients’ needs, it may be time to reassess.
4. Your Imposter Syndrome Flares Up
If you’re constantly second-guessing your worth or worrying that you’re charging “too much,” it could signal a need for reflection. This may not mean your fees are objectively too high, but it does indicate a need to explore these feelings further.
Can You Really Charge Too Much?
The short answer is yes—but it depends on the context. Charging excessively for your services without consideration of your market, values, or client base could:
Limit access to therapy for those who need it.
Create a perception of exclusivity that doesn’t align with your goals.
Result in feelings of guilt or discomfort that undermine your confidence.
That said, therapists often undercharge due to fear of judgment or undervaluing their work. Striking a balance between fair compensation and accessibility is key.
Continue Reading for
Questions to help you reflect on your current fee
My simple, values-led approach to increasing your fees — without guilt
A gentle reminder that your worth isn’t seasonal
👇 Continue reading as a paid member and take the next step toward a confident, sustainable fee that works for you — not against you.