I am almost 2 months into working as a counselling therapist. Some observations:
providing free/low cost services is very different from working with insured clients. The first group requires a lot of work on stability and basic needs, with more crisis things that come up through the process. The second group there are less obvious and high stakes issues, it's more about patterns and long term work.
In person and video are both effective if it's right for the client. Clients who are not connecting with either delivery method aren't going to benefit, being flexible and addressing what the client needs are more important than the method itself
a non-judgemental attitude really goes a long way. I used to say "everyone needs therapy" now it's more "everyone needs a relationship where they feel accepted and can receive support without judgement, and therapy is a good option for that"
working with a team is better for me than working independently - I'm happy I chose to go with an agency
therapy needs to be more accessible
paying for therapy brings a level of investment and engagement that may not be there if services are offered for free
having post-grad supervision is important, not just to make sure there are no issues, but for resources, support, and growth
even with supervision and a team, it is very independent and autonomous work. It's your responsibility to understand your limits and stay within them
I really absolutely love this job and have zero regrets even when I look at my student loan debt
