[SingleGirl]

Some have specialized masters degrees in vocational rehabilitation. Do you know if there are any professional counselors, social workers, or psychologists who deal with transitions? Is this something worth looking for or just go at it on my own with whichever therapist is available?

I work in the field, I am a therapist but I have a niche with severely and persistently mentally ill children/adults so I don't know much about what's out there for someone my age.

I am considering leaving the field because it's very triggering/exhausting. I wonder if it's because of where I come from... and I wonder if it's worth it. I've spent the last few years evaluating what I really want out of life.

I think I'm doing this because it's what came naturally to me. I'm really pretty good at it... but I'm working like 70-80 hours a week and can't seem to keep it to the 40 hrs. If someone has a need, I jump, b/c I know what it's like to be the person waiting on the call... if that makes sense.

I've never considered another career. Service work is literally all I've ever done and I just can't seem to distance myself from it. I think it's making me worse.

I'm considering law. Something mundane. Something routine. It's sort of scary b/c I have never considered law before a few months ago and I know nothing about it, the school, its practice. I dated a few lawyers, does that count? ha

Anyway, this is long, basically, wondering if this is a speciality area b/c this will be my main issue over the next year and where I could use the most help therapy-wise. Google is only bringing up voc rehab type people and I just don't know that this would be something that is appropriate for Voc Opp.

Any personal stories about transitioning b/c your old job was too triggering are welcomed as well.. in fact, I'm going to change the title of this thread...

Thanks in advance.

[sunrise]

SingleGirl, I have seen a career counselor a few times in the last year. I am getting divorced, and as part of that transition, it was recommended to me that I work with a career counselor. She works with people going through divorce and looking for new career/job options as well as other people who are not divorcing. I think she is really good. I went to see her 3-4 times but actually seeing her was too triggering for me, lol, and I had to stop! I plan to return to work with her after other things in my life have settled down and I can handle it.

One way to find people like her would be to locate vocational/career counselors who are part of your local collaborative divorce groups. It is common for people doing collaborative divorce to seek out a career counselor as part of their divorce process. These career specialists also assist people who are not divorcing, but going through career transitions for other reasons. Since you are interested in law, you might also be able to find such people by contacting collaborative family lawyers in yoru area and asking for referrals.

I'm not sure how successful google searches would be. I would try searching on "career counselor mycityname" or "career coach mycityname."

I definitely recommend working with a career counselor on this issue, rather than a regular therapist. Since you are a therapist yourself, ask your colleagues for recommendations and referrals. Word of mouth is really the best way to find someone good. Good luck!

[Rapunzel]

Oh yes, you have a lot of options. Career counseling is a specialty with a lot of need for it. You will find a lot of career counselors at schools and universities. Another thing you might look into is corporate counseling. It ought to be less triggering, but if you are a workaholic, I see the potential to get so involved in it that you work too many hours. In corporate counseling you would help corporations or businesses, and evaluate how their structure is working and what they could do to increase productivity, etc. If you went into law, maybe you could specialize in representing mental health professionals, since you are familiar with relevant legal requirements. That could be strenuous too, though. One lady in my class was becoming a counselor because she was burned out from practicing family law (divorces, child custody, etc.). She wanted to be able to help the clients more than she was able to as a lawyer.

Anyway, there are a lot of possibilities you can explore.