What are people’s thoughts about the relationship between clinical psychology and money? In some ways it defines the profession - as trainees are salaried.

Yet the meaning of money and being paid is very rarely discussed. Unless in a split way - either I should be paid for my time or people shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s time. I think there are many different perspectives to be heard about this.

Given structural racism and supremacy narratives inevitably follow a money trail. It feels important to explore within our communit.

I have worked solely in private practice now for about nine years and it was a complete surprise how important understanding money is and how much can get enacted in the exchange that if you are not conscious can be devastating.

I now find it fascinating to see how many strong opinions are out there about paying and not paying for things in our profession - a view of psychologists are vulnerable and paying for self care is indulgent or exploiting. It feels tied to our culture about what belonging means.

So often there is a myth sustained that nhs = free/altruistic and free = only good. In this narrative patients are encouraged to be worthy of care. Staff have to be powerful and resilient (and definitely not patients) app they can be worthy of being paid.

Anyway I’m starting to sound very certain about all this - when I am not. Just musing outloud. My point is I think we need to talk more about money (and therefore power) in CP - about what things really cost and who pays for what, where or when.

Very little is for free in CP culture so if you are not paying in cash - what are you paying in? assimilation can be often high on the list - being likeable/ pleasing the person who holds the power. Given our culture is steeped in supremacy narratives we all might need to think.

For me, it was only on moving into private practice full time and understanding another side of how money (and also charity) works in my professional world that I began to see my own part in the cronyism of psychology culture and it’s relationship with white supremacy.