The Green Bottle Method

Talking about money within therapy and coaching spaces can feel uncomfortable.

For clients, it can bring up shame, comparison, fear, guilt or worry about whether they are “allowed” to access support.

For practitioners, there can be pressure from all directions at once:

Charge more.

Charge less.

Be accessible.

Be sustainable.

Value your work.

Do not exclude people.

Do not burn out.

Do not undercharge.

The reality is that there is no perfect pricing model.

I chose the Green Bottle Method because it felt like the most honest and human approach for the way I work and the people I work with.

The Green Bottle Method is a pricing model created by counsellor and psychotherapist Alexis J. Cunningfolk.

Rather than using rigid income bands or requiring people to “prove” financial hardship, it invites clients to choose a fee level that genuinely reflects their circumstances, capacity and access to resources.

It is built on trust, reflection and fairness rather than judgement.

The idea behind the model is simple:

People’s financial situations are often far more complex than a number on a payslip.

Two people may earn the same amount whilst living very different realities.

One person may have family support, savings and stability.

Another may be managing debt, disability, caring responsibilities, fluctuating work, trauma, housing insecurity or chronic illness.

The Green Bottle Method recognises that access is nuanced.

I work with many people who are trying to hold life together whilst navigating burnout, disability, overwhelm, chronic illness, trauma, neurodivergence, caring responsibilities or major life stress.

Many are functioning externally whilst privately struggling.

Many have spent years feeling they are “too much” or “not enough.”

Many already carry guilt around, needing support.

I did not want my pricing structure to add another layer of shame, performance or gatekeeping.

At the same time, I also believe deeply in the sustainability of therapeutic and coaching work.

This work requires emotional presence, training, ongoing supervision, professional development, administration, preparation and energy. As a self-employed practitioner, I do not have sick pay, annual leave or organisational backing sitting behind the scenes.

I needed a pricing structure that allowed me to hold both:

Accessibility and sustainability.

The Green Bottle Method felt like the closest fit.

£40 per session

£55 per session

£70 per session

I ask clients to choose the level that feels manageable and fair for their circumstances, where possible.

Generally:

£70 reflects my standard working rate.

£55 is intended for those who need a more accessible option, whilst still being able to contribute consistently.

£40 is reserved for people experiencing more significant financial difficulty, limited income or circumstances that may otherwise make ongoing support inaccessible.

I also hold a small number of concessionary spaces at reduced rates.

These are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on availability and capacity.

Someone may technically earn a reasonable income whilst also managing significant medical costs, debt, caring responsibilities or unstable circumstances.

Another person may have a lower income but greater security, support or financial flexibility.

I do not believe people should have to disclose deeply personal financial details in order to access support.

I trust people to reflect honestly on what is sustainable for them.

For some, paying a higher rate is completely manageable.

For others, even reaching out for support at all is financially difficult.

Both realities can exist at the same time.

Accessibility is not only about wheelchair ramps or physical adjustments.

Accessibility also includes:

emotional accessibility

financial accessibility

flexibility

understanding fluctuating capacity

recognising that people do not all start from the same place

As someone working within coaching, counselling and psychotherapy, I am continually aware that support is often most needed during periods where life already feels stretched financially, emotionally or physically.

I cannot remove every barrier.

No private practice realistically can.

But I can try to approach pricing in a way that feels thoughtful, relational and transparent.

I simply ask that people choose honestly, with awareness of both their own circumstances and the sustainability of the practice itself.

The aim is not perfection.

The aim is fairness, integrity and creating as much access as realistically possible within a self-employed practice.

If you have questions about fees, concessions or availability, you are welcome to get in touch.