Was the Journey to Becoming a Therapist Worth It? - Pt. 1 of 2
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Someone asked me if my journey to become a therapist has been worth it. The short answer is yes.
Why I Feel It Was Worth It
Partner Support
Despite the weekly discussion posts, reading, papers every month, the unpaid traineeship, and the licensure process and even on the hardest days as a therapist, being a therapist is worth it to me. But I will say that I’ve been very fortunate in my journey.
There are people who have to work full-time jobs while they’re in grad school and while they’re trying to earn their hours to graduate from their master’s program. I quit my full-time job at some point in my master’s and only focused on my practicum. My then-boyfriend-now-husband was able to take care of both of us financially without me having any income. A lot of people don’t have that. I recognize that made things so much easier for me to not have to worry about finances.
Learning Experiences
The other ways in which I was super lucky were both experiences with my supervisors. My first supervisor during my traineeship was fantastic! She basically laid the ground work for how I practice today and she taught me everything that I learned.
Yes, I went to Touro and learned things there but that was all theory and this is how I operate in the therapy space. This is how I show up as a therapist. Theory and actual practice are very different and I’m forever grateful to her and how wonderful she was. That was such an invaluable experience because it really shaped the things that I know, the things that I bothered to learn outside of school. It was such a formative time in my career that I’m really grateful that it was a good experience and a positive one.
My current supervisor is extremely amazing! I definitely plan on being at my current site until I’m done with all 3,000 hours. She’s such an amazing, inspiring woman. I’ve been able to continue to build upon the knowledge that I’ve gained from my previous supervisor. I’ve been so so fortunate and even having a good site isn’t a guarantee.
I’ve me people who’ve come from other employers as an associate and they didn’t have a good experience. Again, I recognize my experience isn’t the same as others. I’ve been fortunate every way you can look at the situation. For others who don’t share the same journey, things are harder.
Maybe you love your job less because you have to work full-time and then you go from working full-time while also doing your hours for practicum straight into being an associate, then you come into the field already burnt out. There’s no time to recover because you can afford it. I can definitely understand for other people it may be…less great by the time you’re an associate even working in private practice.
The Feelings
It’s been phenomenal for me and I’m forever grateful for that! I’m so lucky, grateful, and happy. I’m at a place in my life and at a place of employment where I really feel alive again. At some point along the way before I became an associate I was burnt out. On the journey to finish my master’s I was burnt out before I quit my job and really just focused on this one thing. I had always held a full-time job and a part-time job but that’s another story.
I was able to quit everything else I was doing and really focus and that is such a gift. I have a wonderful supervisor who encourages us to take time off, rest, recharge, figure out what our boundaries are, and hold firm in them. She helps us hold firm in them if we’re struggling. All of that has impacted me in such a positive way.
Disclaimer:
I am not affiliated with, sponsored by, or compensated by Touro University Worldwide. I’m former student and paid tuition just like any other student during my time there.
Everything shared here is based on my own experiences and opinions. It is provided for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a guarantee, promise, or assurance of any particular experience, admission outcome, or result if you decide to apply to or enroll in the program. Every experience is different, and I encourage you to double-check with official university sources and to continue doing your own research beyond this site to make the best decisions for you.