[PaulaS]

I´ve been unemployed since I graduated from university 4,5 years ago. I got a bachelor in an area of study I´m not sure I want to work within any longer. I´ve had some shorter employments within my area of study but I´m now very unsure if there´s where I belong.

Since I began therapy I got more interested in psychology and my former T asked me if I haven´t had thoughts about being a T. I´m not sure why she asked but I think the saw something in me that made her ask as she from the beginning knew I already have my degree.

I can´t finance any further studies as I´ve already spent the loans to study that you´re entitled to. And besides that, it takes 6 years to become a T where I live, there are no shortcuts.

I´m confused as I don´t know if I in some way found "my goal" or if this is just a symptom of me having strong feelings for my T (I got terminated and still miss her). I look up to T:s having their own practises and really doing something out of their lives. They try to help people and they "do good".

Perhaps I just got a romanticized image of the work as a T, perhaps my feelings for the subject stems from a real interest.

I feel lost and I feel I have no chances anyway because of the lack of finances. At the same time I don´t know what to do with the education I have, it´s a bachelor, but useless for most of the things I would like to do.

I would really like some advice, perhaps about how to think, how to streighten thoughts out and so on. I´m at the moment just sad and confused and I feel my life just passes.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I, too, once thought about becoming a T. Did all my undergrad classes in it. I thought I could considering how much knowledge I have about the field and that I'm good with all types of people (I didn't have agoraphobia then). I also figured I already amounted all the hours of personal therapy already (not that it would count). Till I realized one day that how can I expect to help someone like myself if I don't even have all my issues under control? How can I remain neutral, have good boundaries, and not take on other's issues when I have attachment issues? I have the intellectual capacity to be a T, but I didn't have the emotional capacity which is extremely necessary to be a good T. Being a good T isn't just about doing whatever you want to do, it's about the betterment of the client.

If you can do self-reflection and you honestly feel you can take on that role for someone else, then go for it! We all have issues and if someone has been through it and survived, what a great role model they would make.

If you find, for whatever reason, you can't do it, there are still many other professions in the mental health field where you can help people (i.e. advocate).

[stopdog]

I think wanting to be a therapist is a stage of therapy a lot of people (not all ) go through.

[Inner_Firefly]

I feel for you, it is hard when you're not sure what you really want to do, and you are not sure if you want to go further with the bachelor you studied. I don't know if you have a T now, but it may help to talk with someone. Your Ex T may want to do good, but just because she suggests the career path of being a T doesn't mean it truly is the best choice for you. I know you miss her and look up to her, so you can keep her suggestion in mind while you take more time to explore what you really want. Please keep hopeful and positive, these things tend to work out as time goes on and you have more time to think it through or try things until you come across something that works, sometimes it's luck and fate, trial and error, as long as you keep trying to figure it out, the answer will come eventually. Even if you start out with a job you don't love, you will learn more about what you want and what works for you. I hope this helps a little bit! I am in the same situation and still on a path to figure out what to do.

[archipelago]

It could be a transference like wish to become a therapist. It does happen. But perhaps you also do have the interest and talent.

I don't completely follow the stuff about finances because you get another chance at it for grad school, which provides financial aid by different rules and standards. If you really think you might be serious, I would first find out what the information is about grad financial aid.

I have a feeling that it is still available to you but may not be enough to survive on. Many people get professional degrees by using night courses and hybrid partly online courses so that they can continue to work. Some only take a part time load depending on how much they are working. In other words, it is not impossible.

The question about whether this is what you really want and do you want to take all that time and money to do it, well, only you really can answer that. Perhaps talking to some therapists about why they decided on that profession and what it is like for them. It is not all that glamorous really. Picking someone who has changed careers to be a therapist would probably be more informative. I would also consider doing some work that is related to the field like working in a group home, with foster youth, suicide hotline, or any number of things that would give you say a year's experience dealing with issues that come up over and over for each population.