I want to be a therapist!

leah233

Wed, Aug 05 2015, 2:14 pm

healthywoman wrote:

you seem ill formed so how about I tell you the reality of the situation.

and if you asked any therapist why they became one, their answer is most definitely not "to make money", it is probably "to help people".

Therapy is from the few businesses that those in it claim to be doing so altruistically.I think that is what a big part of the resentment of their prices stem from.Frankly I very much dislike it when I hear therapists, who are getting paid a lot more then I am, talking about what great Tzidknios and how altruistic they are.

healthywoman

Wed, Aug 05 2015, 3:46 pm

@chaiz, depends on the field but I believe phd candidates in psychology do pay. they're not getting a free ride. and do you know what a stipend means? that's 25k a year, even if that were correct, which it isnt, would you like living on 25K a year? I dont think so!
@leah233 I dn which therapist youve been speaking to but in general it is altruistic to some degree.
@anotherima, some therapists accept insurance and some don't.

Bruria

Wed, Aug 05 2015, 4:59 pm

Not all PhD's in clinical psychology give stipends. Some do, some don't, some offer 1 or 2 students fellowships , while the others still have to pay a vast amount.
Difference is that an MD who took loans knows for sure that he/she will have a nice salary after they graduate, while psych students, even with a Phd, often do not.

daisy dukes

Wed, Aug 05 2015, 5:07 pm

healthywoman wrote:

You can get a fully funded Ph.D. in clinical psychology but it is very competitive so you have to have very a high gpa, lots of research experience, high gre scores, excellent letters of recommendation etc to even be considered.
You can also get a Psy.D but you will have to pay for it and it is very expensive. The plus side is that it is easier to get into a program and does not focus on research that a Ph.D. focuses on.
However, if you have a Ph.D. and you become a professor, you will make more money than someone who teaches and has a Psy.D. since a Ph.D. professor usually does lots of research for the school as well.
If you are counseling/doing therapy, then a Psy.D can charge the same amount of money as someone with a Ph.D. In fact, a LCSW can charge the same amount as someone with a Ph.D./Psy.D.
Ultimately, it matters more if the therapist has the experience, tools, and technique needed to help clients. So even if someone charges less money and/or is a lcsw, they can still be better than someone who charges more money and is a Dr.

JMM-uc

Wed, Aug 05 2015, 6:52 pm

samantha87 wrote:

And just to add, it really depends on the therapists level of education and reputation. There are MSWs taking insurance who get $60/hour, hardly rich territory, and there are psychiatrists (MDs) who get $350/hour. IME, more expensive does not equal better.

You don't see a psychiatrist weekly!

JMM-uc

Thu, Aug 06 2015, 3:45 am

samantha87 wrote:

Just had to add that $350 an hour is INSANE!!!