LPC-A Career change

[goodlistener]

Hello all,
I am a full-time LPC-A in South Carolina doing exactly what I wanted to do... and I don't like it. The career itself doesn't fit me. My job is excellent, the pay is medium, my coworkers are great, I could not ask for a better boss. Some people could "settle" here and work for another 20 years. But it just isn't a good fit. I do not like counseling and am too solution-focused. This isn't a supervision issue, this is a personal fit issue. I am struggling against sunk cost fallacy. I am considering leaving work and getting my Ph. D. in I/O, or working HR, leadership development, talent assessment/management. Going straight into the market is hard because I would be on the bottom rung again. But I am basically on the bottom rung right now anyways. Does anyone have any personal experience changing to something along these lines? I guess I am throwing this into the void and hoping someone has some suggestions!

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[biomom]

I’m kind of in the same situation but I fight the sunk cost. I enjoy the clients but stress too much about interventions and competency. I’m considering a job in research temporarily ... or permanently. I don’t know what to do. I just often feel this is not a good fit for me as well.

 

[R. Matey]

I knew people who went into HR after doing LPC work. It's most definitely possible, but you might consider trying to network. Being a student makes it a bit easier. I'd recommend having a specific vision other than "not counseling" and then finding people who are doing what you want to be doing.

 

[summerbabe]

I am considering leaving work and getting my Ph. D. in I/O

I think the barrier to entry to an IO PhD is pretty high given that it's a heavily research/data-oriented degree and may require significant prep.

I'd recommend having a specific vision other than "not counseling" and then finding people who are doing what you want to be doing.

I think this is really key. You have an advanced degree, which is a big plus. But using this degree for some of these non-clinical purposes may require you to figure out what you're really good at and then how to market it and convince others to fork over their cash.

If you're looking for a salaried job, there are also a variety of college/university support positions (career center, academic advising, Greek life) that would likely see a counseling degree as valuable. Good luck!

 

[prodigiousflame]

what about working for an EAP program which is more short term solution focused counseling and maybe break into other roles from there? Or utilization review--working for the insurance side of mental health?

 

[foreverbull]

what about working for an EAP program which is more short term solution focused counseling and maybe break into other roles from there? Or utilization review--working for the insurance side of mental health?

Utilization review positions are extremely few and far between, so I’m not sure if that’s a realistic path. Usually a large company only needs a few per region vs. hiring many clinicians for direct clinical work. They do have remote positions but expect you to be licensed in their state, which can also be a barrier. As someone who has attempted to get into this path (unsuccessfully thus far with a doctorate), this is a path in which I would say knowing the right people who hire is everything.

Academic advising and working in the career counseling department of a university may be an option as mentioned earlier, perhaps? Transitioning to training other therapists on certain topics is possible, but a very high level of marketing savvy/salesperson traits will be required for that path.

It sort of depends on what you can see yourself doing for several years in the future, so that may take some time to figure out.

 

[chicandtoughness]

I was in the same boat for a time, and it took a while for me to figure out what I wanted to eventually do instead.

I do not like counseling and am too solution-focused.

What do you mean by this? There are forms of counseling that can be very solution-focused. Some folks above mentioned EAP. You could also do career counseling, work at higher levels of care (inpatient has very little "deep work" and focuses more on stabilization and case management), school counseling...

As someone who has run from several careers knowing it wasn't a "good fit" but not sure what WOULD be a good fit, I definitely recommend you take some time to determine exactly what you don't like, and exactly what you do like. I have switched careers many times thinking it would be different, but the same **** shows up everywhere, just in different forms. It really is a "pick your poison" situation.

HR is hard to break into unless you have connections or a background in HR. Trust me, I've tried, and that was WITH connections. It will be difficult to get a PhD in I/O without research experience. There are masters programs in I/O you might look into. Alternatively, go back and get an MBA and do consulting for the big money.