MA/MS Should I quit my full-time job?

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Nutritionguru

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I have worked for the same company for the past 15 years (my first and only job from grad school), my current salary is low $50s and I live in the Midwest. Five years ago I want back to school and obtained another Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I complete supervision and get my LPC license this March (worked as a contract therapist to get supervision hours while still working my full-time non-counseling job).

Now I'm in a dilemma, should I quit my non-counseling job and pursue private practice full-time? I have a private practice started, but I have only had about 10 clients in the past 2 years. I have no clients at the moment. I make $28/hr as a contract therapist, seeing about 5-7 clients a week. I'm confused because I don't know if I can make more if I go full-time in private practice. For it to be worth it, I have to make more than I'm making in my current job (gross of $65,000 minimum so as to take care of overhead costs).

Any feedback? I love my current job, very flexible, great benefits, but I feel I can do much more in my life if I can go into private practice. It's getting really hard to work full-time and then work two evenings a week as contract therapist (I have young kids).

I have a Masters in Nutrition and a second Masters in Counseling which sounds like a great combination.

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Can you slowly transition into a full time private practice? Maybe reduce your day jobs hours so you can boost your private practice clients and get your name out there more? It's really your call, but a decent salary and benefits are hard to come by especially when your practice is still in the early stages.
 
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