In an effort to ensure herbalism stay accessible as a medicine of all peoples, I offer consultations and workshops at a sliding scale fee. I trust folks to situate themselves within the scale appropriately.
For the pricing of consultations, click here. Barter is always welcome and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
For a better sense of how to situate yourself along the scale, Underground Alchemy in Albany, NY has put together a wonderful outline, found below.
What is a “sliding scale” you ask?
It is a tool for building economic justice, and it requires your active participation. If a sliding scale is implemented effectively, everyone pays a similar percentage of their income for the same products or services. A wide spectrum across the scale promotes broader accessibility, while ensuring fair compensation to the therapist. Paying according to one's available resources creates a more equitable, diverse and sustainable community we all benefit from.
Sliding scales are often based on individual income levels, with people of higher incomes paying more. However, many factors complicate and affect our financial status. Some groups of people have specific costs that the larger population does not. And others have access to resources that are not always reflected in their lifestyle choices and income levels. Please consider both your class background and earning power when choosing your payment level.
Here is a short list of guidelines that we're hoping will be helpful as you navigate the question of how where to situate yourself in the range of prices offered.
Consider paying less on the scale if you...
- are supporting children or have other dependents
- have significant debt
- have medical expenses not covered by insurance
- have tuition/educational expenses
- receive public assistance
- have immigration related expenses
- are a senior citizen
- are Black, Indigenous or a person of colour
Consider paying more on the scale if you...
- have private insurance that covers naturopathy
- own the home you live in
- have investments, retirement accounts, inherited money
- travel recreationally
- have access to family money and resources in times of need
- work part time, by choice
- have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.). Even if you are not currently exercising your earning power, we ask you to recognize this as a choice.
- have racial privilege (i.e. are white-passing) or are a settler on Indigenous lands
The scale is intended to be a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of our financial resources and look deeper at our levels of privilege. It is a way to challenge the racist and capitalist society we live in and work towards economic justice on a local level. While we ask you to look inward please don’t stress about it. Pay what feels right.
*thanks to Radherb, Third Root, and the Kula Center for their contribution and work on developing sliding scale models.