Any psychotherapists out there?!

[chocolatesonthehouse]

I'm a psychotherapist working for the nhs...have been there for about 6 years. I'm really fed up and feel I have very little compassion left for the work I do. This is largely due to the heavy caseload / lack of appropriate supervision support / low team morale due to funding cuts / job under constant threat.
I don't think I can carry on as it's really impacting my mental health and my family as I'm always stressed and overwhelmed. I often find myself crying in the car before and after work.
So...I keep day dreaming about leaving and doing private work but I'm very very anxious and scared as we rely on my income which is £2500 monthly. I have enough money to get by for about 4 months.
Also I'm based in the midlands so not sure if there would be less private work? I would need to make between 2000-2500 ideally to keep ourselves going.
I would be so grateful for any advice from any of you who have taken the plunge! Thank you in advance x

No advice but similar so watching with interest OP (nowhere near you so we wouldn't fight over clients :)

Basseting do you do any private work currently? If so, how is that going?

No. I am qualified but had a long career break for children.
Just wanting to go back.
I am North of England/South Scotland area.
I think around here it is about £30-£40 ph so it would take a lot of clients at that rate to make £2.5K. net p/m.
It is having access to an area with a large enough group of people able to pay such rates on a medium-term basis and then getting a secure enough client base that worries me.
Going back into the NHS worries me also, for all the reasons you are thinking of leaving.

Have you considered joining an online platform so clients can find you there and work online? that is something I'm in the process of doing.

I hadnt thought of that, so thank you
Can you recommend any? (by pm if you like?)

www.helixpro.org/

I think they are still in the process of setting in their technical bits but appear to be very professional...so I have registered as it was free. I first saw an advert on Facebook and that really piqued my interest.

I think I will need some training on working online though...as that will be new to me

Could you go part time, and try and slowly build up a private business? That way you could get a feel for the market, and build contacts, whilst still having the security of a salaried job.
You might also find you enjoy work more if you cut your hours. Even if you just dropped a day, and used that day to see private clients, or have a good rest?

Yes that may be an option but just the thought of working in that environment is very debilitating and I really feel I need to move on.

Hi chocolates, have you thought about joining one or several of the agencies? Like Moving Minds, or cbtclinics. There are others.

I work as a rehabilitation case manager, also freelance, but part of my job is bringing in therapists for my clients then liaising with the therapists to keep goals relevant, on track and support return to work etc. Rather than search online each time for a therapist, I more and more go to one of these agencies and they find the therapist for me. They charge a bit more, but usually the funders are happy to pay and it is quick and easy. they all have their own report templates as well so I imagine from the therapists point of view, it is straightforward.