Has anyone made a success of a complete career change?

[Talou1]

After years of working in the finance industry (and hating the 'it's all about the profit' ethos, I am seriously thinking of retraining as a counsellor. I have a psychology degree and am a samaritan. However, training will cost a bit an I'm worried that I won't get many job opportunities after training as I'm not from that field. So hence the question, has anyone had a complete change and made a go of it?
Many thanks

I know someone who sucessfully retrained as a counsellor after a career in another industry.

Just my opinion, but how much time would you have to volunteer in your new career? I have heard that volunteering is part of getting the right experience.

That said, I am going for a career change. It is frightening and in this econmic climate I do often look for the downsides of what I am doing.

Have you decided what type of counselling you would do?

Hi,

I have been a samaritan for a year and the counselling course would be another 3 years so that would be 4 years I could potentially volunteer. Not just in Samaritans. Thinking of volunteering at the local school as quite interested in family therapy or working with children

Hi,

I have been a samaritan for a year and the counselling course would be another 3 years so that would be 4 years I could potentially volunteer. Not just in Samaritans. Thinking of volunteering at the local school as quite interested in family therapy or working with children

I have worked with practicing counsellors and some were doing very well financially but they did lots of different things rather than work in one place - for example, counselling for us (youth charity), private practice, providing clinical supervision and training, sitting on interview panels etc. as well as the initial training it seems you are expected to take professional development as an ongoing thing and that has a cost too.

Hiya, I used to work with children and young people, deputy management with LG Diploma, I was in that field for over 10 years. Last yr I took the leap and went self employed and have since been in fields I know nothing about, however I have been successful. Recently I became a Distributor for a well known and established company whose product range is amazing and works so products sell themselves, out of all my ventures so far this is the best!! So in answer to your question, yes. If you would be interested in joining this amazing team pls forward your email and I will forward an info pack.

Two of my friends retrained successfully but it took many years of studying. One was a pharmacist and became a counsellor working in a GPs surgery mainly. One had a chemistry degree and worked in the industry for ten years but then went back and studied medicine and is now a hospital doctor.

There are very very very few counselling jobs! It doesn't mean it's not possible it's just really hard to make a decent living doing it!