The Therapist Checklist
Becoming a therapist is a pretty big career decision. Even though we are both super grateful for the education that we received, there are some questions that we wish we would have asked ourselves before investing 2+ years into this journey. If you are considering a career as a marriage and family therapist, social worker, or clinical counselor, here are some questions to think about before applying for graduate school.
Are you financially ready to take on the burden of student loans after Graduate School?
Once you graduate from any clinical program, the projected annual income for associates (pre-licensed) is between $30,000 - $60,000, with $60,000 being a really rare case! For most clinicians working in a sliding-scale clinic or agency, you are looking at around $35,000 per year. Bear in mind that our tuition at Northwestern was over $100,000 for two years, although some schools are definitely less expensive. Regardless, it takes AT LEAST two years to become licensed no matter what, so that is an unavoidable financial burden for the duration of accumulating your hours until licensure. Do the math if you decide to borrow money from the government and take out student loans, because if you are not able to pay off the loans after graduation or if you decide to drop out, then that will be a very heavy burden to carry.
Do you have anyone to help shoulder your financial burden?
Whether it is your significant other, family members, or a benefactor, having an additional financial resource can be very helpful in managing the financial burden of a clinical degree. Single-handedly shouldering the finances of an early clinician can lead to a lot of internal stress; if you do not have a hefty savings prepared, the financial, emotional, and mental stress might be a little overwhelming.
Does your end goal need a Ph.D.?
If you are interested in research at all, consider applying for a Ph.D., since most of them are funded, as opposed to a master’s degree, which is generally quite pricey. However, there are plenty of Ph.D. degrees that still have tuition costs or do not pay a stipend, and if you are considering getting a Psy.D. for the doctoral title without the research stress, then tuition will be part of that investment.
What do you like about being a therapist?
Take the time to figure out if you want to become a therapist, or if you want to be a life coach or wellness / holistic instructor. Life coaches do not necessarily require any additional training, as long as you have clients that are willing to pay for your services. Obviously, not having certain credentials might limit the arenas where you can practice, but if your ultimate goal is private practice anyways, then perhaps just a few specialized training would suffice (compared to getting a whole degree and then going through the draining process that is getting hours for licensure).
No one becomes a therapist for the money. If your goal is to become extremely wealthy by seeing clients, maybe consider another path or be prepared to work another job pre-licensure in order to stay financially afloat. Associate positions that offer a higher salary tend to also have a higher rate of burnout due to the multiple expectations placed upon the clinician. Additionally, being a therapist requires us to continuously put in the effort to work on ourselves as well. Just as much as we guide our clients, we as therapists must practice what we preach and engage in constant self-reflection. We are at our professional best when we are taking care of our emotional well-being. In any career endeavor there are going to be obstacles! So weigh the pros and cons and let me know what you decide to do! Leave a comment below if there is anything I missed or something that you have experienced.
