What is it like being a therapist?

[Anonymous]

Stories at parties? Are you nuts? You don’t tell patients sprites at parties.

[Anonymous]

^stories

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I don’t get is why would someone choose to see a social worker over a psychologist if neither accept insurance? The whole advantage of seeing a social worker was that formerly, a lot of them took insurance. So even if they had less training, it was more financially practical to see a msw. Especially for problems requiring many sessions; that was the trade off.

It seems like many social workers are doing cash only now, here and in nyc…so why pay that much as a patient when for a few dollars more you can see a psychologist? It would be like if your pcp went concierge then all the nurse practitioner pc practices in the area did the same. Who would pay a concierge retainer for an np when roughly the same money could get you an md? What am I missing?

I went with a lcsw because that was who had room on her waitlist and because she had professional experience with trauma. She has listened to some of my horrific stories and never flinched and, after my deductible was paid, it costs < than $10 a session. I worked with a psychiatrist years ago and all she wanted to do was talk about my father.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My psychiatrist who functions mainly as a therapist to most of his patients works 7am-10pm M-F with 20 minutes for lunch and spends half the weekend doing charts. Pays a bookkeeper to do billing. He does take insurance but he must be absolutely raking it in.

A experience psychiatrist who who takes insurance for weekly therapy? He’s a mega unicorn. Non-existent in NYC.

[Anonymous]

I love the idea of setting my own schedule/workdays.

My therapist friend sees her clients Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Sunday. Off Fri, Sat, Mon. Sundays are mostly for the various groups she runs, but also individuals.

She works 1pm-9pm.

Mornings are for yoga classes, doc appts, groceries, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher and would say look into the career. We constantly hear about kids in crisis and how they can’t get in to see a therapist because there is a shortage.

OP here. I’m a teacher right now and this is part of the reason why I’m considering being a therapist.

I’m so tired of being blamed for societal issues that are beyond my control. I feel like therapy is frequently the same way, where therapists are expected to fix everything in society — the phrase “go to therapy” seems way too common these days and is just a band aid for societal shifts. But it seems like a lucrative grift, and one I’m happy to jump on.

You will be a bad one and it will show.
You have no interest so don’t do it.

I tend to agree, those on this thread who want to pursue therapy careers because of the schedule or potential income will be terrible at it. As a patient, you can tell when a provider really cares or is faking it.

My first exp with a therapist was as a young adult; I realized afterward she really wasn’t providing therapy, just listening to me complain about my life week after week. Happy to take my check until I smartened up and found a real therapist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My psychiatrist who functions mainly as a therapist to most of his patients works 7am-10pm M-F with 20 minutes for lunch and spends half the weekend doing charts. Pays a bookkeeper to do billing. He does take insurance but he must be absolutely raking it in.

A experience psychiatrist who who takes insurance for weekly therapy? He’s a mega unicorn. Non-existent in NYC.

Or, maybe he is interesting in helping people from many different backgrounds, not just the wealthy self pay population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My psychiatrist who functions mainly as a therapist to most of his patients works 7am-10pm M-F with 20 minutes for lunch and spends half the weekend doing charts. Pays a bookkeeper to do billing. He does take insurance but he must be absolutely raking it in.

A experience psychiatrist who who takes insurance for weekly therapy? He’s a mega unicorn. Non-existent in NYC.

Or, maybe he is interesting in helping people from many different backgrounds, not just the wealthy self pay population.

Interested*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don’t get is why would someone choose to see a social worker over a psychologist if neither accept insurance? The whole advantage of seeing a social worker was that formerly, a lot of them took insurance. So even if they had less training, it was more financially practical to see a msw. Especially for problems requiring many sessions; that was the trade off.

It seems like many social workers are doing cash only now, here and in nyc…so why pay that much as a patient when for a few dollars more you can see a psychologist? It would be like if your pcp went concierge then all the nurse practitioner pc practices in the area did the same. Who would pay a concierge retainer for an np when roughly the same money could get you an md? What am I missing?

I went with a lcsw because that was who had room on her waitlist and because she had professional experience with trauma. She has listened to some of my horrific stories and never flinched and, after my deductible was paid, it costs < than $10 a session. I worked with a psychiatrist years ago and all she wanted to do was talk about my father.

Most psychiatrists don’t have much exp in therapy, or they pretend to. At least not in comparison to a phd

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I don’t get is why would someone choose to see a social worker over a psychologist if neither accept insurance? The whole advantage of seeing a social worker was that formerly, a lot of them took insurance. So even if they had less training, it was more financially practical to see a msw. Especially for problems requiring many sessions; that was the trade off.

It seems like many social workers are doing cash only now, here and in nyc…so why pay that much as a patient when for a few dollars more you can see a psychologist? It would be like if your pcp went concierge then all the nurse practitioner pc practices in the area did the same. Who would pay a concierge retainer for an np when roughly the same money could get you an md? What am I missing?

I went with a lcsw because she seems good. I’ve only had a few sessions but at least she gives me something to think about and responds. The psychologist I found gave no feedback, wanted very long-term psychotherapy and was very clearly interested in my $$$.