4 answers
Olivia
Student
Elmer, New Jersey
1
Question
Asked
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is therapy a rewarding job
I'm currently majoring in psychology and understood going into college that I will need a masters in order to become a therapist. I'm only in my first semester and I just don't want to make this big decision to continue with my masters before I am very set on this because I don't want to waste time, money, or mental energy. However, I struggle with drawling a line with boundaries with people. I only decided on this career because I wanted to help people and also because people naturally open up to me and feel safe to discuss their emotions with me. I've always been told that they feel more relaxed and safer after talking to me. However, I don't know if this job will be rewarding to me because I'm someone who likes to see the results as well as being a very hands on person.
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4 answers
Don Holland
Member Service Representative/Food Runner
244
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Don’s Answer
Hello Olivia,
Whether being a therapist is rewarding will ultimately be up to you. There are many different things that are good about being a therapist while there are also things that can be challenging or very difficult. I will create a list for you to think about and hope this helps you decide if this is the right career path for you!
Advantages:
-Very rewarding personally
-Flexible Hours: depending on where you work
-Many different types of therapy you can pursue ex)family, couples, addiction, mental health
-Constantly learning and evolving
-Good salary in most positions
Disadvantages:
-Burnout
-Can be very demanding emotionally
-Ethical boundaries/rules
-Many requirements to get into these positions
-Takes a lot of years in school
Whether being a therapist is rewarding will ultimately be up to you. There are many different things that are good about being a therapist while there are also things that can be challenging or very difficult. I will create a list for you to think about and hope this helps you decide if this is the right career path for you!
Advantages:
-Very rewarding personally
-Flexible Hours: depending on where you work
-Many different types of therapy you can pursue ex)family, couples, addiction, mental health
-Constantly learning and evolving
-Good salary in most positions
Disadvantages:
-Burnout
-Can be very demanding emotionally
-Ethical boundaries/rules
-Many requirements to get into these positions
-Takes a lot of years in school
Prema Sequeira
Engineering Manager
27
Answers
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Updated
Prema’s Answer
Hi Olivia,
I think every career is rewarding for the individual who enjoys it, but that career can also have its cons. The question is if this is a deal breaker for you? While I'm not a doctor, I imagine that doctors lose patients for many reasons. They can focus on the number of patients they lost or they can feel good about the number of patients they helped. That said, if a doctor is questioning their purpose, and after reflection, realize that they genuinely care about what they are doing that is a good thing. They are going to try harder with every patient. On the other hand if it is demoralizing then they may actually not be good at their job and potentially cause harm because they are not doing their best. It's good you are questioning this now, the answers to this will help you stay or change to a different course
That said, completing the degree gives you options in non-traditional settings:
Group Therapy
Administrator at a health organization
Counseling at Schools/Universities
Corporate / EAP programs
Community organizations / NGOs – Offer therapy and outreach for underserved groups.
If none of this resonates with you, then go ahead and change your degree. About 30% of kids change their degree. For you to do this in your first semester is actually a good thing.
Good Luck!
I think every career is rewarding for the individual who enjoys it, but that career can also have its cons. The question is if this is a deal breaker for you? While I'm not a doctor, I imagine that doctors lose patients for many reasons. They can focus on the number of patients they lost or they can feel good about the number of patients they helped. That said, if a doctor is questioning their purpose, and after reflection, realize that they genuinely care about what they are doing that is a good thing. They are going to try harder with every patient. On the other hand if it is demoralizing then they may actually not be good at their job and potentially cause harm because they are not doing their best. It's good you are questioning this now, the answers to this will help you stay or change to a different course
That said, completing the degree gives you options in non-traditional settings:
Group Therapy
Administrator at a health organization
Counseling at Schools/Universities
Corporate / EAP programs
Community organizations / NGOs – Offer therapy and outreach for underserved groups.
If none of this resonates with you, then go ahead and change your degree. About 30% of kids change their degree. For you to do this in your first semester is actually a good thing.
Good Luck!
Michelle M.
Actress
3276
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Olivia !
It's good that you've come here for reassurance and reaching out as you have sometimes does help.
Well, look at what you've said. About a career as a therapist, you're anticipating that it would be a "waste time, money, or mental energy". You "struggle with drawling a line with boundaries with people." You "ONLY decided on this career because I wanted to help people (which that is not what it's about)." All mental health patients or clients in the career ARE NOT going to feel safe and relaxed around you as you've stated your friends do. Also that you are "someone who likes to see the results as well as being a very hands on person" which is not a guarantee or necessarily happens in this career. All of these things come to light that becoming a mental health Therapist just may not be the best career for you and you seem to have clear insight about it.
You can continue to help people without being a therapist. Going into the mental health realm is a calling and most who pursue it have an above average interest in human behavior more than the average person. It is a calling, something that candidates find easy to dedicate themselves to. Also, the approach is not what YOU want out of this work, rather how much you are willing to be led and follow guidelines and practices for this work. Not every patient or client is helped in the way you hoped. You don't set out with pre-thought outcomes, you would have to work with whatever happens with the patient or client. So, all this in mind, I think that you are making a wise decision to not major in Psychology and switch to a new major. Yes, you will save a lot of time if you do that. The best time to transition with this is indeed in your first semester or you can change majors after you're done with this semester.
My advice is to complete this semester as you've already paid for it and think about a new major starting next semester. It's perfectly fine to change majors. People do it all the time.
I commend you on your keen insight and wish you all the best !
It's good that you've come here for reassurance and reaching out as you have sometimes does help.
Well, look at what you've said. About a career as a therapist, you're anticipating that it would be a "waste time, money, or mental energy". You "struggle with drawling a line with boundaries with people." You "ONLY decided on this career because I wanted to help people (which that is not what it's about)." All mental health patients or clients in the career ARE NOT going to feel safe and relaxed around you as you've stated your friends do. Also that you are "someone who likes to see the results as well as being a very hands on person" which is not a guarantee or necessarily happens in this career. All of these things come to light that becoming a mental health Therapist just may not be the best career for you and you seem to have clear insight about it.
You can continue to help people without being a therapist. Going into the mental health realm is a calling and most who pursue it have an above average interest in human behavior more than the average person. It is a calling, something that candidates find easy to dedicate themselves to. Also, the approach is not what YOU want out of this work, rather how much you are willing to be led and follow guidelines and practices for this work. Not every patient or client is helped in the way you hoped. You don't set out with pre-thought outcomes, you would have to work with whatever happens with the patient or client. So, all this in mind, I think that you are making a wise decision to not major in Psychology and switch to a new major. Yes, you will save a lot of time if you do that. The best time to transition with this is indeed in your first semester or you can change majors after you're done with this semester.
My advice is to complete this semester as you've already paid for it and think about a new major starting next semester. It's perfectly fine to change majors. People do it all the time.
I commend you on your keen insight and wish you all the best !
Jarrel Thomas
Senior Support Engineer
11
Answers
Charlotte, North Carolina
Updated
Jarrel’s Answer
One of the best advice I've received from a professional mentor early on in my career was...... learn to fail early and fast. What he meant by that is if you are trying to figure out if an idea (in this case Major) will work out, try and test it out as quickly as possible to get immediate feedback.
In your case, since you're a graduate student, I would recommend trying to intern at a private practice right now to get experience under a licensed therapist. Not only will you gain valuable experience, but you'll be able to see the field up close and in person to know if you can see yourself doing this as a career.
Other option would be to look for any volunteer opportunities in your field on your campus and talking to any licensed therapist you know or have access to now, asking them about their day to day.
In your case, since you're a graduate student, I would recommend trying to intern at a private practice right now to get experience under a licensed therapist. Not only will you gain valuable experience, but you'll be able to see the field up close and in person to know if you can see yourself doing this as a career.
Other option would be to look for any volunteer opportunities in your field on your campus and talking to any licensed therapist you know or have access to now, asking them about their day to day.
I believe the student is in her very first semester in Undergraduate college, not in a Masters Program. She expressed that since she's having doubts, she doesn't see herself continuing with this Major especially that it requires a Masters Degree later on.
Michelle M.
Thank you for that insight. As an update to my original statement, you can still intern at a private practice, it would just be a non-clinical position. However, it will still give you valuable insight into how a Therapist day-to-day is.
Jarrel Thomas