Navigating Our Recent Payment System Changes

Dear clients,

As many of you have noticed, our website recently got a bit of a facelift. Along with the visual updates, we had to upgrade our payment portal to comply with stricter banking security protocols for processing international cards. While necessary, this new system has created an unexpected dilemma.

Because of mandatory local OTP checks, overseas cards and accounts attempting to process local INR payments or UPI transfers are frequently being declined. To be completely clear: domestic clients within India paying in INR are entirely unaffected, as are international clients who check out using USD or GBP. This technical issue only triggers when an overseas card or account attempts to pay via the local INR tier.

As of right now, this has only affected a couple of new clients, but I know it may begin to affect some of my regulars. I have spent time reaching out to both the payment gateway and my booking platform, but I learned that fixing this would require tearing down and completely rebuilding the entire booking system.

Faced with this, I had to evaluate a few tough choices on how to move forward:

• Revert to the old system: I could roll back the update, but that would simply shift the payment struggle to a different subset of clients. I chose to stick with the new system because prioritizing better security and compliance is the right long-term decision for the practice, even if it feels a bit unfair in the present moment.
• Rebuild the platform with separate portals or coupons: Doing this incurs significant software costs. To offset those costs, I would have to increase my rates across the board. I am strongly against this. As many of you know, my primary profession is running my two pediatric clinics. Because of that, I have the privilege of keeping my EMDR rates accessible (currently ₹3,000–₹4,000, compared to the standard ₹5,000–₹6,000 for similarly experienced trauma therapists). My international rates are also heavily subsidized at $50–$75 and £40–£50 (compared to averages of $100–$150 or £75–£100). Updating and raising rates everywhere is simply not a path I am willing to take.
• Temporarily stop reduced-rate and pro-bono sessions: I am absolutely not keen on doing this, as it would immediately cut off care for an incredibly vulnerable subset of clients.
• Process manual partial refunds: I recently tried this with a client. While it seemed like a good idea at the time, the added administrative load was too heavy. Between my pediatric clinics, my therapy practice, and surviving life as a first-time dad to an 8-week-old Dachshund, my clinical bandwidth is precious. I risk burnout if I take on too much micromanagement. I would much rather protect my time so I can be fully present for your sessions and continue contributing psychoeducation articles on trauma. (This is the same reason I don't gatekeep the reduced rates—they operate purely on an honor-system, first-come, first-serve basis).

*Market rates represent standard averages for dual-credentialed (medical and EMDR) professionals with similar expertise.

Why Are the INR and International Rates Different?

This situation often prompts a very valid question: Why is there a price gap between the local Indian rates and the international rates?

In India, EMDR is still in its nascency. Buying power is generally lower, and because the modality is heavily monopolized here (something I learned firsthand when seeking out training), accessing this type of trauma therapy is incredibly difficult for the average person. I deeply discount my INR rates by almost 45% because my home nation urgently requires access to this life-changing modality.

At the same time, I've also drastically subsidized my USD, GBP, and EUR rates—often by 50% to 60% compared to local averages in those regions. Many of my overseas clients are neurodiverse individuals or expats dealing with job market volatility, lack of cash reserves, and the immense stress of visa renewals. Financial pressure is a global reality.

So, why not just make all the rates exactly match the INR tier? The reality is that this pricing structure operates as an ecosystem. The slightly higher international rates (though still well below market average) are what allow me to sustain the massive discounts for local clients, offer the 50%-off slots, and provide fully pro-bono sessions without burning out. This cross-subsidization creates a safety net for our entire community. It means that if you are a full-rate client who suddenly hits a financial crisis, I have the buffer to keep supporting you consistently through my reduced-rate slots.

This brings me back to our payment gateway dilemma. When I looked at the options to "fix" the technical issue—such as raising rates to fund a custom platform or cutting back on subsidized slots—none of those alternatives felt right because they would compromise this very ecosystem of care.

Therefore, my path forward is simply to ask for your patience. I kindly request that you bear with the inconvenience of the strict banking gateway, and use the currency tier that aligns with your card's location.

If you are an international client and the USD/GBP rates put a strain on your ability to access care, please know that you are completely free to utilize my reduced-rate slots to support your healing.

Thank you for your understanding, your trust, and for allowing me to be a part of your healing journey. If you run into any hiccups at all, please don't worry—just drop me a message and I will gladly hold your slot.