Can I ask my therapist this or is it frowned upon?

[SoRainbowRhythms]

I've found an amazing therapist through Betterhelp and would like to speak to her longer term.

The Betterhelp fees are quite steep. I've looked at her business website and the cost would be halved if I booked with her directly. Is that a no no to ask if I could book in with her away from BH?

Surely you can unsubscribe from better help and approach her through her website ? Have you checked better help's t&c's ?

I can cancel BH at any time but just wondering about the ethics / cheekyness of it!

There is probably some sort of exclusivity clause in your client contract and/or the therapist's contract with the hosting platform, that prevents this from happening, otherwise the middleman wouldn't get their cut (which is why the cost is more on the hosting/introduction platform).

It very much depends on the terms of her contract with Better Help. Some agencies say there needs to be a 3/6/9 month break before the therapist can accept you as a private client. It’s absolutely fine for you to ask, it’s for her then to work within the terms of her contract if transitioning to a private arrangement.

You can ask your therapist anything!

It’s fine to ask.

but there is probably a clause in her contract which forbids it.

it might be better to just cancel better help and contact her through her website.

Thank you, I'll probably do this (I am conflict avoidant I found out 😅).

It's £35 a week Vs £60 a week and I just can't afford it long term but she's amazing and I want to keep speaking to her!

I work for BetterHelp, it's a good platform but BetterHelp take a big cut of what you pay. Approach her off the platform, it's cheaper for you and you know she'll get all of the money you pay

I think there us some clause that she can’t do it. Had experience of this before but I kept quiet and so did she.

If you, without her agreement, unsubscribe from BetterHelp and contact her again through her own website her BH contract won't have anything to do with it because you haven't made any arrangement with her, you've just come along as a new client.

Just ask her. It's definitely not cheeky to ask.

I have done similar. Took a. Break front he therapy then contacted the therapist directly. She agreed - no issues.

Thanks all!

If you, without her agreement, unsubscribe from BetterHelp and contact her again through her own website her BH contract won't have anything to do with it because you haven't made any arrangement with her, you've just come along as a new client.

Thats pretty questionable practice on the part of the therapist. She’ll know the client has self referred after contact through BH, at very least I’d want to explore the change and the impact of moving away from BH. My private contract may be much more restrictive than BH (eg I wouldn’t support contact outside of sessions), there’s less oversight in private practice etc. None of which would prevent a client moving over but it’s disingenuous to pretend it’s a new referral.

Therapists have a responsibility to act ethically which, for me, includes honouring any contracts I sign up to.

A therapist with questionable personal ethics that they're willing to share with you? I feel you should be wary of anyone 'flexible' enough to agree to do so.

I'm a therapist who has used BH.

Because I had another job as well I only did a couple of clients via BH.

The fewer clients you have, the less you're paid.
One of my BH clients approached me with the same question you're proposing, and we ascertained that they were paying roughly £46 per session, and I was being paid £14 per session! Quite the mark up and an insult to both counsellor and client.

Extortionate. Go for it, I dont think It's cheeky at all-the only thing is BH are aware that some counsellors are approaching clients to 'poach' and can come down heavy-but it is your therapist's choice at the end of the day.

How is it questionable practice on the part of the therapist when she's not doing/changing anything - OP as the client is entitled to access counselling however it's offered including ending BH if OP wants? I meant OP would be a new client to accessing it via the therapists site, as in the therapist isnt making OP transfer over, not that they should pretend to have never spoken to each other before.

How will they ever know?£60 is cheap though and less than I pay.

How is it questionable practice on the part of the therapist when she's not doing/changing anything - OP as the client is entitled to access counselling however it's offered including ending BH if OP wants?

The therapist presumably has a contract with BH and accepts work from them on that basis, which may or may not include an agreement about moving clients to their private practice. In accepting the client coming to them directly having effectively been introduced by BH - and having established a therapeutic relationship working with the client through BH - the therapist breaches the terms of their contract. Which is unethical - if you don’t like the terms, don’t sign the contract.

Measures to manage transfer of clients from agency work to private practice are in place to try and address issues of dependency and exploitation in therapy. A quick read of professional conduct notices with the BACP will illustrate the complexity of issues that can arise when that process goes astray. There’s no reason why the client can’t move, but it needs to be managed under the terms of the agency and the contract the therapist agreed to.