Do you think being a therapist is a real job?

On an individual client level (for those with effective therapists), life would not improve without therapists. On a broader social level, I honestly do not know.

We tend to forget that the profession is only about 100 years old. A hundred years is nothing in the span of history. Compared to say, doctor, or barber, or farmer, it's not as well-established and its objective contribution to society remains unclear to many people, while the contributions of other professions are clear.

Making it more of a vocation, a call to work. Would we say nuns and priests have real jobs?

Serious question. Nuns and priests are not paid in the traditional way - they get room, board, small allowance, etc. - yet they certainly do work.

I have a full time job wjhich is hard physical labour. I could work 50-60 hours a week and dad part of my t training I see three clients a week. Seeing clients is way harder than working all those hours. The funny thing is that some clients begrudge paying for therapy but it is the hardest job in the world. It's so much responsibility, not just listening and paraphrasing. As a trainee I pay more than my three clients for my room rental and supervision a week. Where is the rationale in that? Believe me it is a real job and I will never complain about my other real job again.

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not to mention how long it'll take to pay off student loans... Maybe be able to save for retirement beginning at age 55?

Omg, don't even get me started lol! My tutor said she spent more on training this year than she earned. It's crazy, but it really shows that you really love this job or you wouldn't pick such an expensive and intensive training ( but they don't tell you that before you start training).

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Good therapists work so hard. It takes a lot of education and continuing study, as well as experience, to be really good at it. It takes stamina. And the pay isn't even all that great for what it takes to be one.

And so I quit the police department.
And got myself a decent job.

Your deadpan delivery had me fooled.
Also, you are known to hold therapists in low regard.

My therapist seems to be making an excellent living, judging by the pricey car he drives and the way he dresses. I think the range of pay is very, very wide.

Its hard to tell. My T is pretty affluent. Her sons go to a private school.that costs about about 1/5 of my yearly income per kid ( and I am solidly middle class). She has a house that is probably worth $800,000.
But learming more about her life it turns out she and her husband both come from very well.off families. I know she isn't making all that money from me. I expect she has. No educational debt. My vet friends whose families covered education expenses are vastly better off than me. I would have an extra $10,000 every YEAR without my student loans
Science wise if your parents were affluent you are nearly guaranteed to be so also unless you are a rebel and choose to give your share to.the poor or something. We underestimate what a huge effect your FOOs economic level.has on your own.

Oh yes, BayBrony, I do agree about the power of family money. My therapist didn't grow up wealthy at all though- but he's great at what he does and works in a major metro area where he can charge very high prices and doesn't take insurance. Plus he teaches and does a lot of training work.

I think it's great he can make a healthy living- I'm just offering a counterpoint to the idea that all therapists are making a financial sacrifice in choosing this kind of work. The range of salaries actually seems pretty wide.

I have not met many starving therapists - I agree the income range seems very wide. The one I dated was solidly upper middle class. The two I see now are the same. If a guy can make millions because he can throw a ball, I don't see a therapist making money by just sitting in a chair all that unusual.

Interesting about the car, my T told me in school they were directed to drive very non descript, neutral cars, and to dress very neutral, etc to not show level of their affluence. While my T does do those things, I also know where she lives (her telling me), and am very interested in into fashion so I know although her clothes are 'neutral' they really aren't. Anyway, that was random just interesting I guess.

ETA that her money she has now comes from past things in her life and that although she is paid well the majority is FOO and spouse money.

My T missed that class. She has at least 15 different pairs of boots and an equal number of fancy handbags as well as lots of cashmere shawls and scarves etc. However she does drive a mini van which I make fun of.

I don't consider my T super well off. He seems solidly middle class - he and his wife both work and they have no children.

I'm not very philosophical on what is a job. Perform a service, get paid - whether that's in service to a company or another person. I generally also think of a job as something that occurs during a set time.

I consider it to be a real job, after all, they had to go to school to qualify. I used to work in an office with counselors and they definitely treated it like a job. There is a lot of paperwork involved as well.

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I prefer Ts with character. One T wore purple and variations of purple and had fascinating stuff in her office another wore native or native leaning clothing. I feel more comfortable around people who know who they are and aren't covering themselfs in wallpaper to blend in with the walls.

Yes, she tries to be "neutral" but loves shoes and handbags too much that I notice and we discuss them as I have the same problem, lol. She's funny. I make fun of my Ts car too, doesn't fit her at all and makes me laugh (she also joins in the laughter of it).
She has character, oft times I think too much. She knows who she is and it is inspiring to me.

I don't know what the first one drives - she walks to her office and the second one drives the same car I used to have.

My T drives an older car than me I think! I know she doesn't have tons of money, but have zero idea of her income, though I bet its way more than me, as I am not far off from living paycheck to paycheck. She is a social worker, so maybe the pay is less for social workers?

The two I see are both lcsw s