Is anyone on here a Psychologist/Psychotherapist/Counsellor?

[CareerChangeMum]

I want to change careers but I'm not sure how to go about this. I thought the Relationship Forum might be a good place to find you.

I have a Psychology degree - it's a desmond, but it's from a Russell Group university. I have a very strong interest in psychology, especially since having children, though I am not sure that it was my real passion at university.

I have small children and think/& have been advised that as my husband works exceptionally long hours and I have little support, it is not going to be possible to become a Chartered Psychologist. I should add that I am late 40s.

I am, however, really interested in becoming a psychotherapist. My problem here is that the time and money commitment is scaring me. I am finding it hard to find out how much it is likely to train (I know this is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question) and exactly what is involved.

I know pretty much anyone can call themselves a counsellor after a short course, and I don't want a short course with no depth, but I am wondering if there is a qualification that is robust, but less time/money intensive than the whole 6 year psychotherapy training?

Any help, or links to helpful websites would be most grateful received.

Many thanks.

i know Manchester University do a counselling MA, over 3 years part time. Not sure if it's widely available.

Hi, I am doing this, the same age as you, I don't care how long it will take and I am actually looking forward to the volunteering required; getting my life back (after many years SAHM and finding out my marriage wasn't anything I thought it was) is worth it.

Just remember the most important mantra of all: one day at a time. And: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Small hijack - I am interested in this too. I am abroad so looking for something postgraduate that I could do by distance learning.

Looking for recommendations of courses / universities which offer this.

OP, have you thought about a postgraduate certificate first? These are usually 1 year and may allow you to "test" the waters?

Have you looked at the BACP website?

try Metanoia. is very good. no idea of the cost tho.

Yes, I am a training psychotherapist - and did a Psychology degree at university in my 20s.

First, of all, what kind of psychotherapy are you interested in? That's a good starting point.

And where are you based?

HI

I have just finished my first year of the level 4 diploma in counselling and psychotherapy. Next year I qualify hopefully

This course alone cost me 4k plus 50 hrs personal therapy which luckily for me is £20 a go student rate, could be up to 45/50 quid a time

you have to find a placement and complete 80hrs clincial face to face client work, during this you have to employ a supervisor and see them for 1hr for every six clients, about 35 quid a time or more.

Then theres the books, another few hundred quid or library if any good, but not always. Travelling costs and 1 full day at college per week.

plus the other courses you have to pass, to get on to this one.

You might be able to go straight to level 4 if not level 3 and thats another 600/700 quid beforehand.

I reckon all in all it all adds up to about 10k and 3 yrs overall.

pm me if you have any other questions

also beware of courses that will not be valid as far as the BACP is concered

Charlotte - unfortunately we are opp end of country, but thanks

Abitwobbly wow - good luck with that. It's also the money that is scaring me a lot. I calculated yesterday that I'd be looking at £8K pa for my own therapy for 4 years. Eeek.

Spree I will look into that. I am a bit impatient though and just want to get going if I am going to

Gingerpig have just got website up and will have a look - many thanks.

Conflugenglugen - We are in the South West. I am interested in Transactional Analysis. Having said that, most of the sites I have found assume a level of understanding of the different types that I don't have yet. I need a kind of 'Idiot's Guide to Psychotherapy' site! I have heard the Bristol course is well respected.

Guiltypleasures Thank you. That's the lower end of what I was expecting actually as I didn't realised trainees could be charged student rates and was costing in my head at about £50 per session. How come you managed yours in 3 years? I thought it took much, much longer. I take your point re quality of course - if I am going to put myself through it, I want the end result to be respected.

Hi again

My first courses levels 2 and 3 were done through the NCFE in conjunction with Anglia Ruskin Uni both fully recognised by the BACP I did these in the evenings at my local colleges. The level 3 has an exam at the end.

The level 4 is 2 yrs and is the equivilant (sp) of the first year of a degree, which my college also runs.

I would go for a course that has a grounding in the theories of Psychodnamics, Humanitic/person centred and some CBT, we also cover, psychosinthesis (sp)
gestalt, Existential etc.. All of these are the basics you will need to practice anyway, and as I have found all of these theories all hark back to psychodynamics anyway. You can specialise at a later date, or take other shorter courses as well, which is what I have done as well.

I see my first client next week eeek, on my placement at a local drop in centre, and I have a placement that starts in a school in Sept.

Mostly all counsellors will give a student a discount, mine normally charges 45 quid, my placement pays for my supervision mostly and pays me expenses petrol etc. The BACP membership is another 64 quid I think, and liability ins is another 80,100 or so.

Speak to your local college, dont touch Crysalis as they arent recognised by anyone, and no one will give you a placement if this is who you are doing your course with.

I would investigate the Bristol course, then, but make sure it is backed by either the BACP or UKCP.

It may well be that you'll need to do a foundation course - which is usually a year - before you're accepted on to a full diploma course. It is expensive. Guilty is very fortunate to have had discounted therapy. My training costs £4,500 a year basic - but includes supervision and a place to see clients, which are also provided; and my therapy is about £120 per week, because I have chosen to go twice-weekly.

The one thing that courses will generally not mention in a prospectus is the often huge psychic and emotional shifts that you will go through. It is demanding, and not just in terms of time. As one of my seminar leaders said this year, a course like this is designed to break down your defences, and with that comes a lot of pain, questioning of your life and relationships, and a facing of things that you have tried to put to one side or ignore. This kind of profession tends to attract people who have had less than healthy experiences in the past, and this will come up and ask to be dealt with.

So prepare yourself for a cost and time commitment, but also a commitment to yourself where you have the time and resources to tend to whatever comes up. Surround yourself with support, and use your therapy actively, not just seeing it as a requirement.

My 2c. :)

Conflu is right, we had 2 previous level 4 pupils come in for a question and answer session. The still were not in any kind of counselling employment, and did say that all but 2 of the previous classes relationships broke up.

I find the process groups particularly hard, as I felt i was under the spot light and being attacked for weeks on end. I felt I was playing by the rules and trying to be kind, and respectful bla bla, but you will find that not everyone else does, that there are no rules, and it is hard to be criticised when fighting with the urge to strike back. The thing is it is character building, life changing, and those around you might not like the changes.

If you want to work in the NHS they only want people with CBT diplomas, mainly because of time scales and costs. otherwise be prepared to be a volunteer for quite a while, without earning any money.

Ah, process groups, Guilty! I have learned to love them, and welcome friction now as part of a way of opening things up, as hard and frustrating and full of shame as I can feel in them. But I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

Agree about the CBT - the NHS wants measurable outcomes and don't want to commit funds to open-ended work.

As an aside, I'm studying psychodynamic psychotherapy, and will hopefully specialise as a Jungian analyst when I graduate. I've started to see clients and it has helped me to realise that this is what I always wanted to do, as tough as it can sometimes be. Dealing with the unconscious is hard work. I had little idea of how much I would be subjected to my client's feelings, and my own, in session. It is a journey of discovery for both people.

Also, in our process group, four relationships have broken up. It won't break up relationships that are strong, but often people come into these trainings with misgivings about themselves and the choices they've been making, and if there are cracks, they will be broken open.

Lol it took my Gestalt class presentation, to learn that I was internalising so much, when in RL I wouldnt take such crap, that I suddenly let them know what I thought, I have loved it ever since, dont fear the conflict, and challange everything robustly.

Sorry were hijacking the thread, be prepared to confront some real awful and some really wonderful insights in to yourself, ,and others, both at home and on the course. The grief and loss module we did recently had me crying at adverts
or anything else at the drop of a hat ffs lol.

Universities do bachelors degrees in counselling.

I did Level 2, Level 4 and I'm now volunteering and working on Level 5. It has taken me three years but with DC's university was out of the question. I did L2 and L4 in college 3 hours per week plus 2 hours a week voluntary work.

You said it would not be possible to become a Chartered Psychologist... but just wondered why not. I am retraining and had the same decision to make as you. I'm doing a doctorate in Counselling Psychology; will qualify me to become chartered. It's expensive, because I have no income, have to do my "hours" unpaid and pay for childcare. But given that getting an MA in Psychotherapy could take just as long, if not longer, and require a similar level of commitment. I decided that this was the way to go. My psychology degree was from 20 years ago, but it still counts.

A counselling psychologist does a pretty similar job to a psychotherapist, except that there is more of an emphasis on evidence-based practice and more of a link to mainstream psychology - stuff you would have learnt about as an undergrad. I would be happy to give you any more information if this sounds like it would interest you.

Nimpy could you actually remember anything from your degree? I remember very little, if I am honest. I think the person who advised me it wouldn't be best for me said so because she knows my domestic set up (young children, very little support) and because of the competition for jobs at the end that would be suitable for that set up.

Laura I will look into that too - thanks

Guilty and Conflu that was really interesting seeing what you were writing about process groups (are process groups the groups you go into to discuss your placements and client interaction? Why are you not allowed to fight back? Are you just listening to observations on you?).

HI Conflu

The last part of your post refers to what happens in supervision.

process groups are where the main class of people, is split in to 2 seperate
groups normally of about 7 people each ish, then you discuss either the lesson for that day, any personal concerns you may have, grievances about others outside of the group or eachother. There will always be a tutor involved to fascilitate what goes on, but it can be quite stressful yes, as personalities clash and things get said any taken badly.

Sorry..also a tremendous source of support if you have personal probs at home as well.

I'm doing an MA in art psychotherapy. May be completely different to what you are looking for but it it heavily based on psychotherapy with the added element of art and extremely interesting. 3 years part time- that's 1 lecture a week plus a days placement in years 2 and 3.

Cinnamon could you tell me any more about that please? Do you have to be arty? I can only draw rabbits

Haha... You have to be interested in art to show you understand how it can be used as a form of expression. Many on my course have no formal art qualifications and are social workers etc. The biggest misconception is that you have to be "good" at art- It is impossible to be "good" at art!! If you saw my portfolio that I took to interview you would laugh- Just marks on paper. It's about how it soothed you/expressed your feelings.

www.chester.ac.uk/postgraduate/art-therapy

I have included a link above to the course I am on. It is so interesting. I would also argue that by being new to art- if you were to begin attempting to express in this way you would gain insight in to how client's feel and how daunting it is for them. A typical response is "I'm not good at drawing", when in fact this is often better for therapy.

There are also loads of introduction workshop days, if you google "baat" (british association of art therapists) you may find out more :)

www.baat.org/event014.html

The link above shows 2 introduction days- this would be perfect if you are interested in art therapy and would be better than me trying to explain/reading online. They are in London and Bristol currently but others do come up- you could ring BAAT for more information.

Thanks Cinnamon