On Why Investing in Private Pay Therapy Is Really Worth It
At Kindman & Co., we believe therapy is not just a service—it’s an investment in your well-being, relationships, and long-term healing. We also know that cost can be a major consideration, especially when lower-cost or insurance-covered options are available.
So why is private pay therapy worth it? Because true, high-quality mental health care should be centered around you—not dictated by insurance companies or corporate-run therapy networks. Investing in therapy means prioritizing care that is personalized, ethical, and built to create lasting change. Here’s why paying out-of-pocket for therapy at Kindman & Co. is one of the best decisions you can make when looking to start therapy.
Personalized, Unrestricted Care Tailored to You
Many people don’t realize how much insurance companies dictate the structure of therapy. Therapists working under insurance contracts are often required to assign a diagnosis (read more about the problem with diagnosis in our previous post), whether or not it fully captures the client’s experience. Sessions may be limited to a certain number per year, regardless of whether the client needs more long-term support. Even the techniques and approaches a therapist can use are often influenced by insurance policies, which are focused more on cost-cutting than actual healing.
At Kindman & Co., therapy is centered on your needs, not a company’s profit margin. Without insurance restrictions, therapy remains flexible, allowing us to explore challenges at your pace and use approaches that actually work for you. We don’t have to fit your healing into a pre-approved model; instead, we can take the time to understand your story, your patterns, and your goals. We also take a stand against the traditional, medical model of mental health which conceptualizes symptoms and challenges as problems within you, when we know that many symptoms are actually very normal responses to an unjust and unsupportive environment.
Therapy is most effective when it meets people where they are, and private pay therapy ensures that happens.
Choosing Private Pay Therapy is an Act of Social Justice
The traditional insurance-based mental health system is built to prioritize efficiency over care, often leading to therapist burnout, rushed sessions, and high caseloads. We often hear horror stories from clients that they can’t even get in to see their therapists for months between sessions! This model is particularly damaging to marginalized communities, who already face significant barriers in accessing quality mental health care.
Kindman & Co. rejects that system. Our practice is rooted in social justice, prioritizing care that is inclusive, affirming, and deeply attuned to the needs of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, and other historically underserved populations. By choosing private pay therapy, you are supporting a mental health model that resists corporate exploitation and allows therapists to provide the kind of care that actually makes a lasting difference. When therapists are paid fairly and given sustainable caseloads, they can stay in the field longer, reducing burnout and ensuring that clients receive the highest quality support.
We also know that individual healing is just not enough—to combat this, our practice is deeply committed to working with relationships of all kinds. We’re dedicated to supporting our clients to engage in collective healing efforts that encourage you to build thriving connections to your local and broader communities as well as engage in values-aligned actions that move society toward increased inclusion and justice.
And hey, of course we completely understand that a leading obstacle to finding care at a private pay practice is affordability. That’s why we maintain a commitment to reserve twenty percent of our practice-wide caseload for reduced fee clients and offer therapy groups at lower costs! We intentionally structure our regular session fees to help support this commitment—full fee clients help pay into making our reduced fee services financially viable. So when you are a client with our practice, you can trust that you are not only investing in your own healing but in others’ healing as well. It takes a village!
Private pay therapy isn’t just about clients receiving better care—it’s about investing in a system that values the well-being of both clients and therapists. In a world where mental health is increasingly being commodified, choosing an ethical, independent practice is a radical act of self-care and community care.
Stability & Continuity—Your Therapist Stays with You
One of the biggest frustrations people experience in therapy is starting over with a new provider every few months. Many large, insurance-based clinics and corporate therapy companies have high turnover rates, forcing clients to repeatedly retell their stories and rebuild trust with new therapists. (Read our post about what it’s like to be both a therapist or client at BetterHelp for more info about this.) This cycle can be exhausting and discouraging, leading many people to give up on therapy altogether.
At Kindman & Co., we believe stability and consistency are essential to effective therapy. Our therapists maintain sustainable caseloads and work within a practice model that supports their long-term well-being. This means clients don’t have to worry about constantly being reassigned to someone new. We do our best to actively prevent therapist burnout and are frequently making changes within our practice model that aim to create a truly nourishing and supportive environment for therapists, so that our team members feel able to stay with us for much greater lengths of time.
A trusting, long-term relationship with a therapist provides the foundation for deep healing, and we are committed to providing that stability for our clients.
A Secure Therapeutic Relationship is the Key to Lasting Change
Research has consistently shown that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of success in therapy. More than any specific technique or treatment model, the connection between a therapist and a client is what drives meaningful change [source]. And yet, we too often hear from therapists and clients alike that this is the first time they’re hearing this!
Healing does not happen in isolation. When therapy is relational—when it is built on trust, safety, and understanding—it allows for true transformation. Therapy isn’t just about discussing problems; it’s about being witnessed, supported, and challenged in a way that promotes real growth.
At Kindman & Co., we live by this. Our therapists don’t just provide mental health services—they build strong, secure relationships with clients that foster long-term healing. Our relational therapeutic approach is entirely rooted in the importance of the therapeutic relationship and we take our time to help ensure you feel safe, seen, and heard. We’re here to help you become your most authentic self and live fully as you are in your relationships and community. To do this, we also recognize how important it is that we also show you who we are and practice our own vulnerability (and human messiness!) alongside you. Because we are not rushed by insurance constraints, pressured to take on excessive caseloads, nor focused on using the narrow therapy approaches that insurances will pay for, we can be fully present in sessions, providing the depth of care and healing relationship that is needed for real progress.
Many therapy models focus on short-term symptom relief, but at Kindman & Co., we understand that lasting change requires much more than just quick solutions. Therapy that is relational, attuned, and deeply engaged leads to more profound, long-lasting healing that transcends the eventual ending of therapy [source].
You Deserve a Therapist Who Can Show Up Fully for You
As I mentioned above, the unfortunate reality of many insurance-based and corporate therapy models is that therapists are overworked and underpaid. With unmanageable caseloads, limited time for professional development, and little control over their schedules, many therapists find themselves burned out and emotionally depleted. This impacts the quality of care they can provide, leaving clients with rushed sessions and therapists who, through no fault of their own, simply don’t have the bandwidth to be fully present.
At Kindman & Co., we refuse to participate in that system. Our therapists maintain caseloads that allow them to be engaged, rested, and fully present for their clients. We also actively encourage our team members to take time off regularly as an essential form of caring for themselves. When therapists are given the space to take care of their own well-being, they can show up for their clients in a way that is deeply attuned and sustainable.
Clients often tell us that therapy at Kindman & Co. feels different—that they can sense the depth of care, attention, and presence in each session. This is intentional. Therapy works best when your therapist is not just showing up—but fully invested in your healing.
Investing in Therapy is an Investment in You
It’s easy to view therapy as an expense, but it may be more helpful to see it as an investment. People regularly spend money on dining out, fancy yummy coffees, gym memberships, personal trainers, and other services that enhance their quality of life. Therapy is no different.
Mental and emotional health impacts every part of life—relationships, career, self-worth, decision-making, sense of purpose, and overall happiness. When you invest in therapy, you are investing in a more authentic, more fulfilling future. It’s not just about feeling better in the moment; it’s about building the emotional resilience, insight, and relational skills that will serve you for a lifetime.
Final Thoughts: Why Private Pay Therapy at Kindman & Co. is Worth It
At Kindman & Co., therapy is not about checking boxes or following insurance-mandated treatment plans. It’s about creating a space where you feel seen, understood, and supported in a way that allows for deep and lasting healing. Choosing private pay therapy means prioritizing high-quality, ethical care that is tailored to your unique experiences and needs. It also means challenging professional standards in the mental health field that actually work against therapists, ultimately impacting you, the client.
If you’re ready to invest in therapy that truly works, and is really about YOU, we’re here for you.
Take the Next Step
If you’re considering therapy and want to learn more, we invite you to reach out. We offer free consultations to help you determine if our approach is the right fit for you.
Submit an interest form to get connected with our Care Coordinator.
Your healing matters. Join us in building a future where mental health truly comes first.
Kaitlin Kindman, is a co-founder of Kindman & Co., an activist, and a feminist. Her purpose is to help her clients come to believe that they are not alone, they belong, AND they inspire—they have the power to bring about change. She works with her clients to feel more connected, so that they take actions that improve their relationships and the world.
Kaitlin is deeply committed to providing socially just and anti-oppressive therapy. She really loves working with couples to improve their relationships and deepen intimacy, with other therapists and healers, as well as entrepreneurs and other business owners. Kaitlin finds true enjoyment in cuddling with animals, a just-right temperature cup of tea, feeling the sun on her face, and dancing in supermarket aisles.
GET HELP NOW
If you are interested in therapy with Kindman & Co. and would like to learn more about the services we have to help you, follow these quick & easy steps:
Schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation with our Care Coordinator.
Get matched with the therapist who’s right for you.
Start feeling more supported and fulfilled in your life and relationships!
THERAPY SERVICES AT KINDMAN & CO.
We are here for your diverse counseling needs. Our team of therapists provides lgbtqia+ affirmative therapy, couples therapy & premarital counseling, grief & loss counseling, group therapy, and more. We have specialists in trauma, women's issues, depression & anxiety, substance use, mindfulness & embodiment, and support for creatives. For therapists and practice owners, we also provide consultation and supervision services! We look forward to welcoming you for therapy in Highland Park and online.