Retraining to be a therapist/counsellor - am I mad?

[Spiritedlight]

I'm mid-fifties, have already completed Level 2 and Level 3 (in the evening) counselling course, with the view to either doing a postgrad or Level 4 in September to complete the training. For context, it's at least another 2 years study before I can work in any clinical setting.

But now, I have to do the training face to face - at least one day a week, part-time, the courses are much more expensive, I'm required to have regular personal therapy (also expensive) and pay for clinical supervision. Also, it will inevitably have a knock on effect on what work I can do (I'm self-employed), assuming there is the work (my industry, like others, is undergoing significant changes and work for contractors is tough to get). I'm guessing it could cost anywhere around £15K over the next two years, not including loss of work if I am not available. To specialise further, I'd have to then go on to spend a lot more money...

Whilst I have savings and a great husband who will support me, I really worry about whether I'm investing too much at this point. If this is just a silly jump, if there is even going to be work out there for me. I enjoy the subject a lot, and I am keen to practice but I'm obviously not at the beginning of my career. I've got less energy than I had twenty years ago, and I just worry I'm picking the wrong lane for this point in my life. The doubts are crowding in.

Any therapists out there with words of wisdom?

I think it really depends on the area you live in OP. It is very difficult in my area for people to get paid (PAYE) employment as counsellors as no one has the budget for it; the local services that are commissioned (eg for teenagers) rely heavily on trainee counsellors providing the majority of the day to day service. There is a demand for counselling but people who need it rarely have the means to pay for it, and it isn't an area that is prioritised for public funding. Private practice relies on having a local market with disposable income as another PP said.
It seems to be quite common for people to get level 2 or 3 and use it to help get into jobs where it is a useful but not required qualification such as non-teaching pastoral support in schools, support work, family work etc.

I am not claiming that these are perfect metrics but they will give the OP some insight into the state of her local private market.

I just don’t want her to invest time and money in costly training and end up reliant on a zero-hours contract with BettaHelp or CounsellorsRUs at a miserable hourly rate.

You’re not unreasonable at all in wanting to do it. You have to be really passionate about it whilst being realistic. The majority of roles require BACP (or equivalent) accreditation, not just membership and that requires a minimum of 2 years as a member and 450 clinical hours (by memory). Add in the ongoing supervision and CPD courses…
don’t go into it thinking you will earn a lot of money. Some do but most don’t.
i loved my training and I love doing what I do - I honestly would change it for anything - just go into it with your eyes open.
good luck

Honestly…they won’t give any insight at all, which is why I replied. I have a full practice and a waiting list, but these measures for me would give no indication of the size of the market.

That’s great in your situation but it doesn’t necessarily mean that can be extrapolated to other counsellors or other areas of the country. Or even that it will last forever.

As a poster upthread describes, when that demand falls away it can happen very rapidly. Clients eventually finish, the waiting list is worked through and what happens then?

Obviously I hope that isn’t the case for you or anyone on this thread but I am in a position where I have an insight into the wider market for counselling services and the picture doesn’t look great.

Hi all, I'm back. I would really like to ask those of you who commented on the uselessness of Level 4/5 @curiositykilledthiscat and @therapist78 especially, why you think they are being rendered useless?

I've read the new Scoped framework. I can see that Level 4 only tracks to column A and I'd need to do Level 5 etc...but then I presumably can add other modalities and specific courses on top, to make my training more valuable?

I'm trying to think of ways that are not post-grad because going the uni route will be so intense demand wise that it will have a big impact on my work. So whilst it might take a bit longer, it might be easier on the finances/me/life

I don't know. I'm back and forth about the whole thing.

I didn’t say a level 4 is useless. I said it’s harder to stand out in the significantly bigger pool of self employed level 4 trained therapists, and there are less paid work opportunities for those trained to level 4.
Of course you can do CPD and add to your training, but it’s not the same in my view as doing a deeper, longer core training.
Personally I think it’s likely that the minimum training level will become degree level as it has for nursing, social work. I believe it harms the profession to have a level 4 as the entry point, because it is lower than the entry point into other similar careers. The scoped framework could be a starting point for that, but it’s not actively being pursued by membership bodies as far as I know.
I hope that helps

I'm just about to complete Level 4 in June. I funded through the Advance Learner Loan scheme. The course is tough but very rewarding. Finding placements is a bit stressful for a couple of months but I now have 2 - at a women's centre and a community centre. I worked almost full time through the course - I was able to work 3 long days, one half day and attend college 1 day per week and placement half a day a week.
I'm planning on doing a BSc top up degree in Sept and work part time in a school in a pastoral role and do some evening private practice if possible.
I'm in my late 50s - and don't regret my decision. I'm planning to specialise in trauma and CYP counselling - both of which are elective modules in the BSc course.
I'd say the Level 4 is a really challenging but fulfilling.

Thank you - what's the BSC top up? I don't know this.

Thanks, I appreciate this

Honestly I would not waste your time

I have degree in counselling and psychotherapy and further specialised training and struggled to get work and it will get much harder

Plus you have to think how many hours do you really want to work as a therapist in a week ? It can be very draining and restrictive . The training and the few hours you do while training is interesting, lots of hours a week is very very different. Working with clients online is taking over and to do this effectively you have to be very experienced.

There are many areas of work within mental health services that will pay a regular (not a high wage) and are rewarding

Thanks for this. What are the "many areas of work within mental health services that will pay a regular (not a high wage) and are rewarding?"

mental health nursing, peer support work, occupational therapy, care coordinating

I would suggest looking into areas of training and learning. Many people changing careers are doing this.

You can transfer your skills and use what you have learnt in these roles. If you do change direction think of it as this, not time wasted as what you have learnt is valuable just used in a different way to how it is in face to face client/therapist work

You would need extra training to be a mental health nurse or an OT, and would be excluded from peer support as a professional.
I do agree that no training is wasted. Sorry it hasn’t worked out for you.

I said that the Level 4 Diploma is "pretty much useless" but perhaps that was a bit harsh. It was based on the BACP SCoPEd framework, because the Level 4 gives you limited options compared to if you have a Level 7. Also I noticed that when I was looking for NHS jobs, for most of them you needed the Level 6 or 7 core qualification. I went to the open days for the Level 4 and 5 courses just to keep my options open, but quickly realised those courses weren't demanding enough for me, plus I wanted a Masters to give me the options of teaching in HE and doing a PhD. I'm also not keen on counselling diploma courses where personal therapy isn't mandatory.

Also at the back of my mind was a thought that a Level 7 qualification would help me cosmetically to appeal to some prospective clients when they were looking for a counsellor in private practice on Counselling Directory or similar.