To retrain as a counsellor/psychotherapist at 40?

[Flutterby78]

Could anyone help me with this goal? I would like to work hard to gain the correct qualification to be able to help other people. I am a single mum of 4 and a bit lost as to where I should be looking a year courses. I would ideally like to see clients privately if that's makes a difference? Please be gentle with me this is my first tentative look at qualifications. Thanks

Where I should be looking for courses not year courses sorry typo

I would like the quickest option if there is such a thing please

I would love to do this. I've heard it is difficult to get qualified and to build up a caseload that would financially support you, which has put me off a bit just now.

I

I'm thinking of doing this too but am much older than you! Some universities have conversion degrees which can save a bit of time, and I'm also looking at Animas coaching.

I would like the quickest option if there is such a thing please

...there isn't really. If you are planning to have a private practice then you are dependent on marketing yourself to potential clients, and in general they are going to want to see two things: substantial experience, and good qualifications. To get the experience you usually have to work for free or very cheap for a while, and the qualifications are expensive too. You're asking people to trust you with their biggest problems, deepest vulnerabilities and darkest secrets. It's complex, subtle and demanding work, and learning to do it is neither quick nor easy.

I would not consider seeing someone who wasn't a qualified psychologist or BACP member. Here is the BACP's page on training www.bacp.co.uk/careers/careers-in-counselling/training/ They recommend a route which takes about three or four years.

Bottom line, as a job it can be hugely fulfilling but getting qualified and building up a practice takes time and costs a lot.

Plenty of people at your age on the same training course that I did.
Took 4 years from level 2 to finishing the diploma.
Be prepared for it to take up a lot of your time. Personal therapy, placement, supervision as well as the homework, reading and actual class time (this is mainly in the diploma stage)
It costs an absolute fortune and chance of paid work from qualification is slim but it is very rewarding.

I work via an agency with a few clients a week and my paid work is in a helping role.
I trained via CPCAB but there are lots of different courses and providers out there.

Maybe see if you can find an introducing course (around 10 weeks) to test the waters.

Feel free to dm me if you have any more questions

Do you have a relevant degree or experience in a related field?

My Dd2 did her Psychology degree 12 years ago. She's still not got a job in her chosen field. It seems that there's about 400 graduates to every 10 jobs (on radio last week), & it is growing exponentially year on year graduate wise.

She's now in a p/t job that utilises some skills learned on her degree. Over the past 4yrs she's gained level 1 & level 2 counselling certs. She's just begun her level 3. The college had their pick of bright young candidates to choose for the course and it was run like an all day job interview. She was very demoralised by the whole process. Hours spent polishing up her Cv & what skills she could bring to the chosen course!!! She called me up in tears. I told her to at least try. Even if it's uncomfortable and difficult. Just be yourself. The 3 interviews she had across the day left her rung out. Her mental health was pulled apart. I found it very intrusive. It left me concerned, never mind Dd2. Is this what the further education system is like, never mind the job market. So out if touch.

After hearing the radio presentation, it sort of made sense. Dd2 felt she'd got nowhere. But she got a place & needs to work hard. Go for the retraining, but be realistic about the process. HTH

If you go for the quickest option, you won't be the best therapist.

'If you go for the quickest option, you won't be the best therapist.'

This, x about 100000. Therapy's not some nice cosy fulfilling career change for bored midlife-crisis-ees, to be attained in the most convenient way. I know that sounds harsh but I have seen this attitude more times than I care to count. To be good at therapy, you have to be brave: brave with yourself and brave enough to go to extremely dark places with people and be present with them there. It's exacting and demanding for a reason.

(Not in the field myself, but close to someone who is)

Honestly you would be unreasonable to expect it to be a career. It’s a vocation which is pretty low paid and it’s not practical to be fully employed due to the nature of the work.
In saying that it IS incredibly rewarding to work in the area and be a part of significant change in people’s lives.
It is frustrating that it has cost me over £5000 so far to get where i am (fully qualified counsellor for individuals and nearly qualified for work with couples) and I’m still to be paid...

Not a quick or easy option for a career and a very competitive jobs market. What about a social work degree if you have some experience? Guaranteed job at the end and fairly quick career progression. You can then specialise, for example, work for a Cahms service.

My local college runs a year-long Access course and then a degree. Lots of mature students but many only in voluntary/ part-time positions.

I'm guessing zero qualifications in any necessary area?

I'm bemused at how many people post this exact question. If you want to help people, volunteer at a charity, don't imagine you can do a couple of online courses and suddenly be of any use to anyone as a psychologist.

Unfortunately counsellor is not a protected term in the UK and anyone could set up as one, but hopefully few people would actually pay money to an unqualified person. To be a psychotherapist you would need a relevant degree, a postgraduate qualification, certified experience, your own in depth psychotherapy hours completed, and some experience. It's a very long road and difficult, as it should be.

The 3 interviews she had across the day left her rung out. Her mental health was pulled apart. I found it very intrusive. It left me concerned, never mind Dd2. Is this what the further education system is like, never mind the job market. So out if touch

Not to be mean, but honestly, anyone who struggles with the interviews so much that their "mental health is pulled apart" is no sense in a position to do the very difficult job of psychotherapy. It's not out of touch, its a small and obvious test of resilience. If you're upset by interviews, you wouldn't last a week in training, let alone the job.

I'm in private practice and I had to fund my qualification myself. It took me 7 years after qualifying to repay the money I had to borrow. It is expensive on an ongoing basis - CPD, supervision, personal therapy, BACP membership, Web site hosting, marketing etc. I am still working full time (hoping to drop to four days soon). I don't know many people who are able to make a living from private practice unless they have spent years establishing a reputation, have an alternative income stream or supplement their practice with regular EAP work, training or teaching.
And looking for the quickest possible route simply isn't an option if you want to practice ethically, safely and with any credibility.

I meant I'm still working full time in another field to enable me to run a private counselling practice on top.

I have a friend and a relative who do this. My friend is a qualified mental health nurse who has a shed load of further qualifications after her name, including all the counselling/therapy ones. My relative has a degree and a masters in therapy and loads of other relevant qualifications.

I don’t want to put you off but neither my friend or relative are able to make a decent living out of private practice.

You are at a good stage in life, ie quite mature, to train as a psychotherapist/counsellor. You have life experience.

Google and find out the nearest centres to you for professional training. It takes quite a long time to train unless you have some previous related experience, but worth it.

Many hospitals and centres employ therapists who receive a salary. NHS GPs do too. When you have experience you can add a few private patients.

Good luck, I hope you achieve your dream.

I’m a retired psychotherapist, and not up-to-date on the training structures available now, but I can say this; don’t do it unless it’s a burning vocation. It took me in total to qualification seven years, thousands of pounds, undergoing my own therapy which also costs thousands, and in the end you’re self-employed and have to go on paying to keep your qualification up, attend CPD, pay for your own supervision etc etc. I had a twenty year career out of it and I wouldn’t change anything, it was enormously rewarding. But unless you’re coming from huge belief in it – which surely only comes from having undergone therapy first? – and massive dedication and commitment, how do you expect to change people’s lives? I remember sleepless nights worrying that a single thing I’d said or not said might affect a client’s fragile mental health. It is not a walk in the park.
Take an introductory course first if you must, but only if you must, not because you think it might be an easy option. It isn’t. And neither are there short cuts, unless you want to be a cheap knock-off counsellor and there are A LOT of those and they don’t really get adaquate work, sorry.

Has anyone done the Animas coaching? Would be keen to hear feedback.

It really isn't a quick or easy pathway. It took me ten years, and I now work for the NHS. If you want to help people, and have a career, something like mental health nursing, or social work might be a good idea?

I am also interested in doing this.
@caroloro I hope you don't mind me asking but why did it take ten years? Did you do several courses or did you do a few years of training as well? Do you need to have the doctorate before you can take on nhs work? Thanks in advance!

Has anyone done the Animas coaching? Would be keen to hear feedback

Life coaching? Don't get me started on what is wrong with the whole idea of life coaching....

@kalecake
3 years undergraduate
2 years work experience
1 year post graduate
1 year work experience
3 years doctorate

Yes for the work I do in the NHS I needed a doctorate (I'm a clinical psychologist). It isn't an entry requirement for less well paid roles, such as band 5 or 6 counsellors, although those professionals also need academic qualifications and clear professional registration.

Thanks @caroloro

Would you recommend becoming a clinical psychologist instead of a psychotherapist? I would like to work in the nhs ideally.
I already have a degree and an MSc but not in this field. I was looking into doing another MSc in psychotherapy and the required training to become accredited.
(Sorry for hijacking!)...