Pricing and Commitment to Accessibility
I love the work I do and feel incredibly fortunate to have carved my own path in this profession. However, I’ve often felt conflicted about making a career out of healthcare.
On one hand, I believe everyone should have access to healthcare and wellness resources, regardless of their financial situation. My goal is to help others thrive in healthy, sustainable bodies and minds so we can all contribute to a better world. It's hard to do that when you're unwell.
On the other hand, I also have personal needs and expenses. We live in a capitalist society, and this is the work I’ve chosen. Sometimes I joke that I’d love to earn money doing something else and provide physical therapy and coaching for free. But if I’m spending a third of my life at work, what else would I rather be doing?
The answer is: nothing. This work has been my passion for over two decades, and it’s what I want to devote my life to—not something I do only in my spare time.
Like everyone else, I have financial needs, so I need to charge rates that allow me to live a healthy, sustainable life. At the same time, I am committed to equitable, accessible business practices and never aim to exploit or manipulate those seeking my services.
Here’s how I practice these values:
No Fee Payment Plans
Why is it that people who can’t afford to pay the full price for something upfront are often required to pay more than those who can? This has always felt wrong to me so I don’t do it. If you ask for a payment plan, you will pay the same amount as those who are able to pay upfront, and I won’t make you feel badly about it — I promise.
Sliding Scale Spots*
I offer sliding scale pricing spots for all my services.* The number of spots I have available will depend on the number of people who are currently paying full price for my services and whether or not my own financial needs are currently being met. If I am making more than enough money, more spots will open up and I will be able to offer full scholarship spots as well. (more on sliding scale below!)
No False Urgency
Urgency and scarcity marketing are tactics used to get you to buy before you’re ready so you don’t miss out! Buy before the end of this webinar or the price goes up $1000! I don’t believe in playing into toxic FOMO culture and exploiting people’s pain points, and if you’re going to buy from me, I want you to feel good about it and not rushed. You might get a discount code for attending my webinar, but you’ll have plenty of time to decide whether a thing I’m selling is the right fit for you. The only exception is if I am running a group program that is starting on a certain date, then yes, you must sign up before that date.
Offering Lower-Cost Group Programs and Digital Products
This is something I’ve experimented with in the past with my Foundations of Movement as Medicine group program that I ran in 2020 before my concussion, as well as the membership site I unfortunately launched not long after my concussion and couldn’t maintain. Group offerings, as well as being lower priced than 1:1 offerings, have much more potential to let me provide sliding scale and scholarship spots without compromising my own ability to meet my financial needs. I have not had the capacity to teach groups since my 2020 concussion, but I am getting there, and I am actively working on creating free and low-cost digital products to offer — stay tuned!
Price Transparency
While some of my services will vary in price based on individual needs, I will do my best to always be transparent about the range of cost of my services (which you will see directly on the page for a specific service). The only exception to this currently is my new concussion specialty service, as the structure I use to provide it (per session, monthly, package, etc) is very much dependent on an individual’s situation and so far I have not figured out how to standardize the delivery. I am actively working on this, and when I figure it out I will share the price range on the page.
Asynchronous Communication
Not everyone has the time or capacity to get on a 1:1 call with a coach or provider at a certain time every week or even every month. Those with concussions may have trouble with screen time, or might not be feeling well at the time of a scheduled call. Offering asynchronous communication in the form of texts, audio and video messages allows me to support you without you having to always be showing up on a screen or the phone at a certain time. Yes, we’ll still need some direct face (or voice) time to do our work together, but I’ve been able to cut that down significantly while still giving excellent support by adopting asynchronous communication in my practice to keep it accessible for those who don’t have the time or capacity to devote to frequent sessions.
Do you take my insurance?
I am considered an out-of-network provider, which means that I do not contract directly with health insurance companies. I choose to do this for several reasons. Insurance dictates the type and duration of care I can offer, which compromises the personalized, high-quality treatment you deserve. By staying out-of-network, I can focus on comprehensive care that supports long-term recovery and overall wellness, rather than just isolated symptom management. My specialized, integrative, performance-focused services do not fall under the umbrella of what is covered by health insurance.
Additionally, insurance clawbacks—when providers are required to repay money after a claim has been retroactively denied—pose a significant risk, especially for independent providers like myself who lack the financial safety net of larger systems. This could severely impact my life and livelihood, so I choose not to take that risk.
Instead, I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. You may also be able to use HSA funds, depending on your plan. Some plans offer a wellness benefit, which you may be able to use for my performance services. It is up to you to verify the details of your specific plan; I offer no guarantees of reimbursement.
I also offer sliding scale pricing spots if the full cost of my services would cause financial hardship* for you. This allows me to provide the highest level of care while maintaining a sustainable practice.
*About My Sliding Scale
I don’t require anyone to verify their income or explain why they need a sliding scale or scholarship spot. Instead, I ask that you consider whether paying full price for my services is something you can do without causing significant financial hardship*. If it would create hardship, please reach out to ask if any sliding scale spots are available—there’s no judgment or shame in asking.
If you are able to pay the full price for my work without it creating hardship in your life, then please do so. I don’t offer these spots because I am making more than enough income. I offer them because of my commitment to equity and accessibility, regardless of the level at which my own needs are being met.
The spots are limited at this time as I relaunch my business after four years away focusing on my own concussion recovery; please help me save them for those who truly need them. If that is you, then please reach out!
If you’re unsure where you might fall on the sliding scale, see below. "The Green Bottle" framework and the “hardship vs sacrifice” section may help you decide. For my services and products, Tier 3 pricing represents the actual cost of the offering (stated on each individual service page).
*Hardship vs. Sacrifice: If paying for a class, product, or service requires you to cut back on non-essential expenses—like dining out, buying coffee, or purchasing new clothes—but doesn’t harm your well-being, this is a sacrifice. It’s a conscious choice to prioritize something you want, without long-term negative impacts.
However, if paying for that class, product, or service would affect your ability to meet essential needs—such as food, rent, or transportation—this qualifies as hardship. Those facing financial hardship typically qualify for the lower end of the sliding scale.
Understanding the difference between sacrifice and hardship is important when discussing class and access. It acknowledges that while paying for something can be challenging, it’s not the same as facing financial hardship, which requires more consideration and space for support.
adapted from Alexis J. Cunningfolk
Pay it Forward: Sliding Scale Support If you are someone for whom financial accessibility is not a problem and you are blessed to have more than enough financial abundance to meet your needs, and you would like to “pay it forward” to help me open up more sliding scale spots for others who can’t afford to pay in full for my services, I welcome your support. This link goes to my Venmo account; please specify “sliding scale donation” and also, if you would like to specify, what you’d like your money to directly help support (concussion-specific, rehabilitation, or adventure coaching). The money will go into a savings account specifically designated to help support sliding scale spots. Thank you for your generosity in helping your fellow humans access quality health and wellness services! <3