I hope this is ok to post. It’s a little off topic, but you’re the wisest group of people I know.

I haven’t posted regularly in ages, but I’m a convert who jumped ship from an abusive form of Evangelicalism.

In addition to that, my father was abusive in every sense.

Thanks to COVID, my husband’s career went *poof* and we’re facing insolvency.

It’s not the best plan, but we’re considering my going back to school to become a child therapist (in part so we can live off my school loans, bad financial decision I know, but it’s better than being homeless).

I feel I’m at a point in my recovery where I could do this without having a nervous breakdown. I’d really like to pay it forward. I think it will help heal some residual wounds by helping others.

My question is, how do I get there educationally?

My BA is in Theology and Koine Greek with a minor in Hebrew and my Masters is in Archaeological Conservation with a speciality in castles (you can tell I went for the practical, money making educational options!).

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

We just don’t know what to do. My husband is a very qualified pilot but the industry has imploded. My reasoning is at least this buys us a couple of years until maybe (

Call the institution(s) you would attend and talk to not only the admissions office people but also the department in which you would study. Get hooked up with an academic adviser or a faculty member in your area of interested. explain your academic background and ask them what they would do in your shoes - which track to pursue, which courses to take simultaneously, realistically how soon you could graduate and be working for pay in this newly-chosen field.

I read in "Dear Abby" once that if you don't start this now, in five years you'll still be where you are now. If you do start, you'll be that much farther ahead.

Do well, you're brave, fare thee well.

Check licensing requirements for your state. Also talk to the department head for whatever universities you are interested in. When I wanted to go back to grad school for teaching, the department head at my grad school not only laid out my grad school path, but also gave me the heads up about the exact additional undergraduate classes I would need to take to get certified. He gave me a (mostly) complete road map for what I would need to accomplish.

Financially, wow. My grad school experience was a financial disaster. I was so poor. I wasn't properly supporting myself, much less someone else. I had to take out expensive supplemental loans, and I went into a lot of credit card debt (loans are based off of what you earned in the previous year, so if you had a good household income, you're screwed.) My financial problems were so bad it would keep me awake with fright at night. If I had to do it over again, I would work as a GA or TA while attending school.

As for the career field, there are lots of options.

Child Therapist, Private Practice -- no idea on this one.

School-based Clinician (licensed counselor) -- In my district, this is a contracted position. You are not paid by the district (with all of the attendant benefits) but instead by a local hospital system. The job is not well paid and is subject to funding by the hospital, which can be precarious. It can be rewarding, but I would hesitate to recommend it based on funding issues. If school counselors are school district employees where you intend to work, it might be a different story.

Licensed counselors can also work in a variety of other settings including hospitals, juvenile facilities, etc.

School-based Guidance Counselor -- In my school district, they must be certified teachers first, and then go to grad school specifically for guidance counseling. You may spend more time on paperwork than actual counseling. Responsibilities vary with the age and grade levels of the students. Guidance counselors may be called upon to take teaching responsibilities for selected class sessions (not every GC is comfortable with this.) Neutral to not recommended.

School Psychologist -- In my state, you have to have undergraduate credits or a degree in psychology, and then a Master's in school psychology. It's a good stable job, but SPs do a *lot* of testing as opposed to therapy.

There are also social workers who do counseling, either privately, school-based, or (I think) hospital-based, but someone else would have to comment on that.

I would do your homework and talk to people who are doing the job that you would like to do. I always recommend asking these three questions: a) What do you like about your job? b) What do you dislike? and c) With the benefit of hindsight, what would you do differently if you could?

Good luck!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2020 08:22AM by summer.

You have written a marvelous article, summer!

I wish I knew of another venue where you could submit this, because I think it would be of great help to many people--if only they were here on RfM!

Very well done.

:)

I don't have any advice but I have to admire you going for a Masters is in Archaeological Conservation with a specialty in castles. How cool is that.

Good luck. Times are going to be rocky for many for a while, I'm afraid.

I don't know about piloting, but at least where I live (SoCal) the private helicopter industry has taken off (pun intended). There's an endless procession of those things flying overhead and there seems to be more all the time.

Police, fire, local TV, corporations, you name it. The sky's full of 'em.

Maybe there's a way for your husband to segue from airplanes to helicopters where you are?

Just try not to take out any privately held student loans unless you’re sure of the income you will have afterward. Keep them govt secured. There are options to keep the payments income based that way. I deal with this on a daily basis and sometimes want to cry when I see the pit many young people have dug themselves into. Hell, even many parents.

With those degrees under your belt, you may need only a few classes to get you to your goal of child therapy. I'm told that our area (Northern California) is desperate for child therapists.

And, SleepyTime herbal tea (bear on the box) will help you get rested up for days of college classes.

Good luck, Ohdeargoodness. Sounds like such a beneficial and needed profession. And good luck with the financial support to get you there.

.... castles ? ... Oh, my heart. :)

Ye shall receive:

https://www.psychologyschoolguide.net/therapist-careers/what-do-you-need-to-become-a-child-therapist/

https://www.psychologyschoolguide.net/counseling/#schools

You may be able to get on with a job with just a bachelors depending on classes taken but this will be only to help you obtain a Masters Degree or PHD which will allow you command a better salary.

You probably need a Masters Degree in Psychology or Social Work.
Here you can choose from brick and mortar schools or online options. I am not sure unless you are writing a book that you need anything more than a degree as long as you care about your patients. In other words, why spend money on a brand name when most ppl won't look up from the floor long enough to care where you went to school? Once you do get them to look up, they won't care about a piece of paper.

Here is an online school I found that says it doesn't require a bachelors in social work to earn a masters in social work

https://onlinemsw.du.edu/form/


What is the Salary for a Child Therapist?

As of April 2020, according to Payscale, the average hourly salary throughout the country for child psychologist is $34 and the average annual income is $69,248. In May 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for all psychologists (excluding clinical, counseling, school, and industrial-organizational psychologists) was $98,230. The average salary for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists was $87,450 in May 2019. Varies by state.

Hope that helps. Always try to balance the pay you receive with the time and effort and enjoyment that you will spend/or receive.
Life is short why not make it what you want.

You may want to contact a Grant and Resource Center near you. I've seen grants available for women returning to college.

It's worth a shot.

Thanks so much you guys! This is exactly what I needed. I’ll follow up on these leads and return and report if things proceed.

Thanks again - you guys are the best!