The formal psychological consultation process is extremely complicated. First, we should evaluate and write a report after the evaluation. Then, after the report comes out, you should write a counseling plan, set counseling goals, and write a record after each counseling. If it belongs to CBT cognitive behavior school, there are also various assignments. There are many data and tables alone.
According to my practical experience in psychological counseling, a more complicated counseling needs more than 50 thousand words. If it's just a slight general psychological problem, I only did 1-2 times, and the number of words in the counseling record is about 3000-5000 words. Let's think about it. If there are more than a dozen consultations a week, how many consultation records and reports should be written, and how many words should be written just for the records?
I believe that psychological counselors who do routine psychological counseling will have the same sigh as me. Sitting in front of the computer and recording these materials every day will drive them crazy. After consulting the written materials, I especially hope that one day I don't have to do anything but rest in bed.
Therefore, I often say that a consultant with poor writing skills will greatly reduce his consulting level. Writing is the foundation of a counselor's life. If the report and records are not well written, it will be difficult for the consultation to have a better effect, especially in the state of remote consultation.
Second, the real cost of living is high. Today, a friend of Beijing's consultant WeChat contacted me and showed me her newly established studio, which is about tens of square meters. The picture is very beautiful. I asked her, what is the monthly rent? She said 8000. I was shocked when I heard that. I said that the price of your studio is too high, and mine is only 2500 yuan. She said, yes, there are about 10 consultations every week now. If you really open a studio, after deducting rent, water and electricity rent, there is not much money left.
I estimate that she charges about 500 yuan 10 for consultation, and sometimes it's not that much. There are only about 30-40 consultations a month, so the lowest one is 15000. After deducting these expenses, she got about 5000 yuan. Can 5000 yuan live in Beijing? It's okay to be alone, but it's too stressful to have a family.
Based on this calculation, my rent in Guiyang is 2500 yuan, and the amount of consultation is not as big as her. Expense 300 yuan, one month 15-20. In addition, I am also affiliated with the Justice Bureau, with a stable consultation volume, and writing articles, my monthly income is more than what she earned in Beijing. These hidden costs are invisible to outsiders, and only consultants are very clear. Therefore, psychological counselors always cry poor and say that they can't make money, but this is true, not a lie. I haven't said anything about studying or supervising. If included, how much money can the consultant have? I think eating is a problem. Fortunately, my good friend, like me, can also write articles, earn a little money by writing articles and publish books. Sometimes you can make a living by writing without consulting.
If the ability is insufficient, as a consultant who can only consult, it is too difficult to survive.
The third is to look at the counselor's professional ethics and character. A consultant with poor quality can bid all over the sky, regardless of his willy-nilly, and give himself a high price first, including 2000,3000 or tens of thousands at a time, in order to make a big profit. The amount of consultation was not very large. If there is a visitor, why not kill him? There are many consultants around me who have done a good job, with good personality and ability. They have also been in the consulting industry for more than ten years. Their consulting prices have been very stable, ranging from 400 to 500,600, and rarely exceed 800, 1000. They told me that the price of 400 to 500 is enough, and there are 20 to 30 consultations every month. In addition, they belong to the government and schools and have a stable source of consultation, so they are not worried about tourists not coming. As long as your consultation is really done and word of mouth comes out, you don't have to worry about no visitors to consult. So now I wonder at the high price. What kind of skills does this consultant have? He has extraordinary skills in consulting. He charged one or two thousand dollars at a time, and then he took it for granted and ignored the visitors.
To sum up, the high fees for psychological counseling are mainly due to the above three reasons.