Have you heard the startling reality of our therapy field? That 50% of Marriage and Family Therapist Associates and Registered Interns did not get licensed over the past 10 years, and 40 % of Professional Clinical Counselors did not get licensed over the past four years in California? This is all according to the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the licensing board for LMFTs, LPCCs and LCSWs. This means graduates who registered with the licensing board did not end up getting licensed within the required timeframe, and they didn’t apply for an extension. This situation is occurring across the U.S.–not just California.
So, why do you think this has been happening to your fellow pre- and provisionally-licensed therapists and counselors? They’ve been getting disullisioned by the whole field as a result of what they’re personally experiencing. And calling mercy, throwing in the towel and understandbly so. I don’t want this to be you, if you feel this is a career you are meant to do.
I’ve always had a heart for the underdog and teaching, so I became a supervisor first and as I’ve worked with more pre-licensed therapists I’ve heard how plain awful a lot of sites and supervisors are to work for, and how these therapists often don’t even feel like they’re doing therapy, because they need to meet productivity standards, meet with high numbers of clients and complete mounds of paperwork–not to mention inner office politics and difficult personalities to contend with.
Aside from those situations, it’s hard for many to find paid work they want to do and that’s in line with their goals and aspirations.
Specifically, pre-licensed counselors and therapists across the states are:
-getting overwhelmed with everything they have to pull together to make it to licensure
-having trouble earning enough income and licensure hours
-having a difficult time growing into the kind of therapist they dreamed they’d be one day because of the problems they’re encountering
As I learned of these problems last year and as I’ve worked with many pre-licensed therapists one-on-one and in groups, it’s become my mission to do my part and help eradicate these issues. I started with a blog to write on topics near and dear to my heart, that I wished someone would’ve written on when I was a graduate. And I do consulting and coaching to help pre-licensed therapists navigate the licensure process and overcome problems along the way. Many have shared how incredibly helpful I’ve been to them, which I share with humility and gratitude to be of service.
Now, I’ve added to that by getting involved with my professional association and creating products and services–and free resources–to address the problems and help more future therapists become successful. The best way I can help is to set you up for success in ways that keep your emotional and mental well-being in tact.
So, if workplaces continue to be toxic and not pay you well enough, or you can’t seem to make ends meet and earn enough hours where you’re at, you know the best way around that without having to get burned out or give up altogether? And the best way to ensure you have an enjoyable job and clinical career?
Advocate for yourself, which entails looking out for yourself and your career while putting in some time and effort to make the right things happen for you. While it’s nice that our professional associations are involved in advocacy, you can’t sit around and wait for some progress to happen that’ll some day hopefully trickle down to you. You have to stand up for yourself and make strategic choices that are in your best interest. And I’m in your corner to do so!
- First is by creating your own career and position, by starting in a private or healthy group practice. What I mean by a healthy group practice is finding one that is operated by honorable leadership that run their operations ethically and will pay you a fair rate. With finding a private practice, you want to find your ideal supervisor because that person will have a significant impact on your development as a therapist. In many states, it’s legal and ethical to start and grow a money-making practice while you earn hours toward licensure. If you want a cozy, comfortable work environment where you can earn more per hour than in almost any other job in the counseling and therapy field, then getting into a private or group practice is the best way to go. In a recent free training and challenge I did with pre-licensed counselors and therapists, we discovered in over 10 ten states it’s lawful to be in a practice either with a supervisor on site or a supervisor you pay who’s offsite. And we discovered what the parameters are. Here’s a couple comments they made:
“I am not impressed with the way the agencies treat mental health services and the professionals who offer these services. We are overworked due to productivity requirements and it’s always all about the money. I need a better way to provide services to people who need it.” -Pre-licensed therapist in Arkansas
“I complete my Masters in Psychology/MFT in September and wanted to get a heads up on what to expect on my journey to licensure. And to qualify for the introductory price for the official course to follow:) -Pre-licensed therapist in California
“Thank you for being a guiding light to private practice!” Pre-licensed therapist in California
“Thank you very much, Tyra, for all you do to support and guide us! -Pre-licensed therapist in Pennsylvania
2. After you start and grow your practice or caseload, the next best thing to do is create additional ways to earn income, otherwise known as additional streams of income. As clinicians, we have a lot to offer people in terms of taking them through a process of healing and growth. As creative people there is a lot of room for adding to our repotoire in terms of what we can create and be paid for.
You can create therapy or counseling-related products and services and even non-clinical products and services. If you’re willing to try out ideas and test them with markets, then you can serve people and add to your income by creating something they need or want. Coaching? Books? Games? A unique service you can offer based on your talents and strengths? I help both pre-licensed and licensed therapists create web site and marketing content, as well as formulate ideas for new product and service offerings. Check out my writing services page here: https://earlycareerclinician.com/therapist-writing-services/
3. Another way to position yourself for success and remain on the path to licensure is to avoid community or county mental health jobs if possible. Anything that is contracted with the department of mental health through state or county-funded programs qualifies in this category. The reason is simple and complicated at the same time. It’s simple because more often than not those are the types of jobs where pre-licensed therapists are being overworked and underpaid. It’s often where toxic and and abusive supervisors and staff work. Unfortunate yet true. There are certainly decent community mental health agencies and you have to do some deep searching and vetting out to find the one’s that fall within that category. This is a complicated issue because there are available jobs within this category for pre- and provisionally-licensed therapists. And many get into these positions unknowingly, and then become in a bind because they’re dependent on the income.
What you may not know though is there are so many other options in terms of paid positions, that are also great to do alongside a private or group practice, to earn more hours and income until what you make from your practice allows you to focus solely on that.
There’s:
-schools, both elementary, high school and colleges and universities–you can be a counselor for children and adolescents and become a professor at undergraduate and graduate universities, all of which can offer decent pay
-clinics or treatment centers, such as substance abuse and eating disorder recovery–these can offer competitive pay and provide invaluable experience that you will definitely utilize working in private practice, since substance and eating and body image issues abound in our communities
-privately-owned non-profits, such as homeless and women’s shelters–these can help you gain valuable experience working with the underserved and those in great need; pay varies
-at-risk youth group homes–if you want to gain experience working with resistant clients or those who have had a lot of trauma in their upbringing, working in foster or group homes will help thicken your skin and give you experience with teens who are hurting and acting out a lot
-the autism-spectrum disorder school programs and centers–these are kids who have been unfortunately affected by the epidemic resulting in some kind of development issue. They can be challenging yet rewarding to work with; this population is growing and parents tend to want to get their children help so programs are increasing to help both parents and children; pay tends to be competitive
Sometimes you might need to work one, two or three jobs to earn enough hours and income. But if you make the right choices at the right time and in the right order, you can do so without burning out and maxmizing your opportunities to make it through the road to licensure successfully.
Starting and growing a practice while you’re pre- or provisionally licensed is the best time because you have so much going for you in terms of getting your money-making practice in momentum. So that you’re earning while you’re learning–and making the maximum amount of income possible at your registration or licensure status. On top of that, you’ll have a well-established practice by the time you’re licensed.
Those who wait until they’re licensed to start a practice often face an uphill battle, because they have to unlearn certain ways of being a therapist; they have to suddenly learn how to run a business and they don’t have a supervisor to lean on or consult with, along with the other support available to pre-licensed therapists, such as the resources and services I offer. While you’re pre-licensed you have the opportunity to learn about the business side of things without shouldering all the responsibility of it.
If you want to start in a private or group practice and get set up for success, sign up on the waitlist below for my new course that’ll rocket you into to starting your money-making practice with a supervisor. (Please note the terms used in each state varies: e.g. In Ca., it’s called a private pay practice or caseload and in other states it’s commonly referred to as your private practice under supervision with your supervisor’s name and license number stated).
Click here for the waitlist sign up and to learn more about, “How to Start and Grow Your Pre-Licensed Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide to Hit the Ground Running!” Don’t miss out on the introductory rate and extra bonuses for signing up early. There’s no charge until the course launches and if you’re one of the first 50 to enroll you’ll get a significant early bird discount.
This course will give you step-by-step guidance on how to find an ideal supervisor and site for you, how to negotiate, get clients and build a caseload and how to best handle calls, emails and first sessions.
What goals do you have during pre-licensure to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success?
Tyra Butler is a therapist and the founder of the Facebook group Early Career Clinician Community where she gives some of her best tips to succeed on the road to licensure. She works with pre-, provisionally-licensed and early career therapists to help them find paid work, start and grow their practices and make important decisions and career moves. She offers coaching and consultation, and as a professional writer provides copywriting coaching to create web site, marketing content and formulate innovative ideas to create additional income. Tyra has been in private practice for 9 years, with 15 years in mental health, business and professional copywriting. Learn more about her services and blog here. Contact her here.
