What Benefits Are There For Becoming a Therapist?
There has been an increase in the number of people in the US looking into becoming therapists. In fact, there has been a tenfold Google search increase in how to become a therapist in the last 12 months as increasing numbers of people are looking for a career change.
Wanting to become a therapist can be a great career move for many. You get to help people while earning a decent wage, and no two days are the same. We take a look at the advantages when you become a therapist and the disadvantages so you can decide if becoming a psychotherapist is right for you.
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Helping Others
If you want to become a therapist, it’s most likely because you care about other people, and helping them will feel rewarded and give you a great sense of self-worth. Every day, you will meet new people and spend time with them to get to the bottom of their issues and help them make life-changing decisions and conclusions to improve their mental health.
You can specialize in certain demographics that you enjoy working with, such as children or teenagers, or couples. Whatever your passion, there is an avenue you can take to fill your working days with helping these people and knowing you are making a true difference.
There’s Always Something To Learn
Even after you have completed your training, you can be learning something new every day. Yes, there is always more training you can complete to improve your skills but what you learn on the job is the most valuable.
You will be meeting new people, both patients, and colleagues, who will encourage you to challenge yourself and find new ways to heighten your knowledge. Many therapists travel, and not only can this improve your professional skills, but your life skills can significantly increase in doing so.
Becoming a Therapist: Career Progression
Therapists can grow rapidly in their professions, and with the right amount of dedication, you can see yourself rise through the ranks swiftly. This can lead to you becoming a specialist in your chosen passion, such as certain disorders, and you can eventually become a trainer yourself if you choose.
Like any profession, there are disadvantages to the role, some of which we outline below.
Challenging Clients
Every career has challenging clients, but therapists can witness some tough ones. You have to remember that these people aren’t mentally well. While most clients are polite and thankful for your services, some people will take their frustration out on you.
You have to be able not to take this personally and still be as professional as you can during these times and help these clients as best you can.
Challenging Colleagues
Just like clients, colleagues can also be difficult. Most people you work with will be passionate like you and great people to work with, but there are always a few bad eggs. There will always be someone who thinks they know better than you, even if they don’t. The best thing you can do in this situation is to seek your peers’ advice and follow the consensus.
Stressful Times
Yes, therapy can be stressful. You spend your days listening to the troubles of others, and many of the things you hear can be disturbing. This can really impact your own mental health.
The crucial thing to remember is that you must reach out and get help yourself if you feel affected by this. Many therapists can benefit from free or reduced treatment from peers. It would help if you always took advantage of this; otherwise, you risk your work life impacts your personal life.
If some elements can trigger you, such as sexual abuse, you don’t have to work with these clients. You always have the right to refer them to someone else, but only do this after careful consideration.
If they are a new client who has not formed a bond with yourself, then it should be ok, but if you have been working with them for a while, losing their confidant during this time could be incredibly detrimental to them.
Always consult your senior before making this decision.
Becoming a Therapist: Costs
It can be a huge financial cost to train to be a therapist and takes many years of commitment. If you pursue this avenue and discover that it isn’t the right path for you, you could have wasted a substantial amount of time and money getting qualified.
When deciding to become a therapist, you need to really consider if it’s the right pathway for you and consider everything. From the above, you should now have some points to think about. If you want to gain more knowledge before taking the plunge, you can always contact a professional, and they are often happy to answer any questions and provide a candid look into the world of therapy.
