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.
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.
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
