Career change/ Psychotherapy

[blackpoolhouse]

I’d like some advice, I’m in my mid to late 30s and want a career change. I currently work in a corporate company, quite sales driven and profit making. It is fun and generally enjoy it but longer term don’t see myself doing this when I’m 50+. It requires a lot of work travel around 10-11 trips a year of varying lengths 1-5 days depending on the trip. I have a DD who is 3.5 and want to switch to something more flexible where I can pick her up from school and not worry re school holidays. I’m financially independent tho I am married and though I don’t mind earning less money than I do now but would like to maintain a comfortable lifestyle which I am lucky to have and work hard for.
I’m considering retraining and becoming a psychotherapist. I’d like more meaning from work and help people. It’s very different from what I do now, but feel you can work your own hours if you had a private practice. It is expensive and lengthy to do, I just got offered a place at Metanoia and need to confirm in the next few weeks. I guess my questions are - has anyone changed careers and was it worth it? Is anyone a psychotherapist and can vouch for the profession? Has anyone studied at Metanoia and had a good experience?

Changed careers in my 20s and retrained as a psychotherapist, not at Metanoia. Yes, very expensive study pathway, time consuming and emotionally demanding. Unfortunately career prospects aren’t as numerous as you’d think. I’ve been fine as I have experience that allowed me to step into a psychotherapist job during training and start working as a therapist. Peers have found it a lot harder and are stuck working for free, or doing two jobs to build up enough hours for accreditation so they can be taken seriously to look for jobs. Private practice can be very rewarding and lucrative but also very hard to get off the ground from the get go especially if you’re freshly qualified. It is a rewarding role though, and highly interesting. However if I had my time again I’d retrain as a clinical psychologist instead.

This other current thread might be of interest: www.mumsnet.com/talk/work/5306524-training-as-a-counsellor-any-recommendations-for-courses-please

I trained as one at Metanoia in 2011. Nor sure what course you've been accepted onto but would recommend you doing an introductory course to start with rather than plunging straight into a diploma/degree/masters so you can check if its something you really want and are ready to do.

As @GoodEnoughParents says the training is a long slog with no guaranteed work afterwards and it sounds like you're mainly considering it due to the hours - not sure what you mean aboiut the school holidays? If you had clients you couldn't just not see them during that time. Also what if your child was ill? Etc

There are lots of jobs that could give you more meaning and an opportunity to help people. Have you considered any other paths?

Look at ‘IAPT Trainee therapist jobs’ - these are NHS trainee posts where you train to become a psychotherapist whilst you work. They’re mainly in CBT but there are posts for Systemic Family Psychotherapists too. They’re usually band 6 so just over 37k starting salary. You usually work for 3 days and attend a local partner Uni for 2. And the courses are usually between 1-2 years and then you qualify. Good luck.

Ah, just remembered you need a core health/social care profession to apply for these posts. You could still apply for an IAPT trainee practitioner post though, just not a qualified therapies training one.