Would you ever consider becoming a Therapist?

i've been told by a lot of people (including my own t!) that i'd make a good therapist. i've certainly considered it. i don't feel the need to fix people, because i know i can't - i guess i have an acceptance about that. i'm good at getting people to talk about themselves and to open up. i have people start telling me things that make me go - wait, what? how did we end up in this conversation? strangers just tell me stuff.

so maybe i have one of those faces :-/

I certainly respect and admire the talented, caring therapists I've known, and I suppose the thought has crossed my mind, but I've never seriously considered it. I'm not suited to that type of work, I just don't think I'd be satisfied by it. I'm really looking forward to the new writing-based career I'm focused on, that's what feels like the most authentic path for me to follow. I did spend some time volunteering for a crisis line and found it very satisfying, so I can see myself doing that type of part-time volunteering again though. It's a lot easier to be that understanding ear than engage in the often years-long process of therapy with someone.

I couldn't do it. I just just barely handle my own issues. I couldn't handle others as well. It's not for me.

Yes it has crossed my mind as I am understading and healing (hopefully?) my own wounds. I think It's not my career though, I'd get burned out in no time. And I don't want people to idealize me or expect that I break my boundaries and make exceptions for them all the time. I am on the client side and it is painful enough. I would be seriously in trouble.. (I admire those who got into the career and do it with commitment and passion).

No. I'm fairly certain I would find it exhausting and I know I don't have the patience required for it.

I have a Master's Degree in psychology and am licensed to be a therapist working under someone else's license for 3000 then I would be able to practice independently. I have about 1500 hours of therapy practice in the past. Right now, I have no desire to pursue practicing as a Master's level therapist, but in a few years I'd like to go back to school and get my PhD in Counseling Psychology and practice.

My t recently told me "This is how it starts, you know. You have the makings of a therapist, all you need now is the book work." Only problem is there's something else missing besides book work - I don't have the patience required to be a good t, and no book can teach me that! My t has such huge patience with me... I don't know how she does it... waiting for ME to figure something out instead of just interrupting me with "THIS, already!" haha. I did think about it at one point but only long enough to realize I do not have the patience required. Not sure I have the business acumen, either!!

Yes, There are three different master programs I am considering- one is becoming a LMHC. I think time will tell which one the three programs I will do.. if I can get more and more stable then I will def. consider it.

No, I would not consider it.

Especially not after reading these boards.


:::joke:::

I know that I would not make a good individual or couples counselor. It would drain me, because I'd be constantly screwing up, not knowing how to respond. It only comes naturally to me with my husband and some family and people who I can talk back and forth with about our problems. I can see me, though, being an art therapist or leading a therapeutic creative writing group. The focus would not be on the relationship between the therapist and the patient, but on a the creative outlet.

Yes, I want to be a T! Its actually my career aim.

Yes. I wasn't sure I was up for it at first. I thought I was going to do research in psychology. But then.. turns out, even though I'm still working on my own wellness, I am a pretty good T. It surprised me.

There is something, at least for me, about stepping into the role of a therapist. It feels like stepping into the role itself gives me infinite patience, infinite compassion, and enough emotional distance to do what is right for the person, rather than acting in my own interest. At times, I am not perfect in this.. but your T isn't either, guarantee it.

The thing I would say is that before you become a T, you should have good practice in setting boundaries with the emotionally volatile and needy people in your life. I got good at this before I practiced any therapy.

Yes, and I have. I wanted to become a therapist since long before I started my therapy and I was an undergrad student in psychology when I started my therapy.

what an insightful thing to say, it never occurred to me that the role itself can give us those things that we may believe we lack.

No. I don't have the social skills and it feels too personal and overwhelming for me to even consider working as a therapist.

Oh, definitely. When I put on my teacher persona, I become enthusiastic, interested in each individual student, and passionate about whatever subject I'm teaching. It is not that I pretend those things, they are genuine - while I am the teacher. If a student should call me at home, on the other hand, I can be rather curt and grumpy.

But I could never put on a kindergarten or school teacher persona, or a T persona, or a priest persona (to pick three random professions I have never felt attracted by.)

I have a professor persona/role I put on. I am more reserved and formal than in real life.

I never would have thought to do it before doing therapy. Although psychology and mental illness in general was something that always interested me in a general sense. I didn't know how to direct that interest and went into something I was already skilled at.

Now that I'm in therapy I realize its something I really could be good at. But I have a lot of my own issues that I would have to resolve before having any business trying to fix other people.

I originally was majoring in psychology in college. I enjoy all my classes and thought that I would be really good at being a therapist since I already had so much experience.

Then I started seeing a therapist intern at my college. That poor woman. I don't know why she asked her boss permission to see me long-term, and I don't know why he approved... Her boundaries were too strong, her "wall" was toi high. So our sessions consisted of me challenging her and her trying to defend herself. I guess she figured if she could survive me, she could survive any other client? My ex-T started seeing me again and told me I needed to knock it off and stop seeing the intern. Sad thing is, the intern didn't want to terminate...

After all that I learned that I'm a pain in the butt. I can barely survive dealing with myself. Hiw could I survive a client like me or worse? How could I maintain healthy boundaries? Could I remain objective and not develop counter-transference? The answers for me were no.

But... my T came up with a great idea to put my knowledge and skills to use: become a mental health advocate! So once I get better, that's my goal

I've always wanted to be a therapist. Even my therapist assumed that is what my career was after a few sessions due to my knowledge in the field.

I will be starting the next level of my t training this week. My t has taught me what to say and what not to say..

Yes, I've thought about it but....

a. I live in a small community and I wouldn't want want to see people I know.

b. I don't want to run into former therapists. I also don't want them to know if I was a therapist. For some reason, that makes me really uncomfortable (like they wouldn't think I was able to do it or something).

c. I really don't want to go back to school. I love school, but I already have two degrees and a diploma in different fields.

d. I'm not really attractive and I know a lot of ppl put weight in pictures online. I don't know if I could pull in clients.

I had considered it. My therapist even suggested it but since I gave not been able to trust mental health professionals, idk if it is a good idea.

Thats what my parents always thought I should be before I even started going to therapy. I have always told them I couldnt do it. I have so much on my own plate that I work through and then having ti work through that and not always being able to. Then having so manh others dependin on me to help them work through their problems as wel and having that on my shoulders too. I just couldnt do it. I dont want that. My anxiety would be soooo high all the time. Id never be happy. I do love helping others but I think ill keep it as a hobby and id rather keep it to maybe becoming a nurse or something else other than therapist. Its too deep for me to carry all that along with all my stuff too.

::@nn@fr3nch::

Yes I have, and think I would be a very good therapist, right up until the point where I took on too many of my clients issues and ended up imploding. There is no way I could seperate myself from others' (clients') issues, and there is no way I could keep my own mental health would crumble.