Gareth Barnes, a 50-year-old former law firm employee, found his career unfulfilling and decided to embark on a new path as a psychotherapist after his therapist asked about his happiness at work. He now has a counseling qualification, a job at a workplace therapy provider, and his own private clients. This career shift reflects a broader trend of individuals from various professions, including farmers and investment bankers, pursuing counseling as a means to escape the corporate grind and find more meaningful work.
The popularity of psychotherapy has been on the rise, with data showing an increase in membership to counseling and psychotherapy organizations in the past five years. The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, for example, experienced a 27% increase in membership to 66,000 between April 2020 and April 2021. This surge can be attributed to the growing demand for mental health services, as evidenced by a 25% increase in the number of people seeking NHS mental health services from 2017 to 2020. Private providers also report an increase in individuals seeking self-funded therapy.
Farmers, in particular, have shown a strong interest in counseling as they seek stability in an uncertain industry. A partnership between a therapy training provider and a charity offering free counseling to agricultural workers attracted over 400 clients, with some enrolling in mental health first aid training and considering advanced courses. This highlights the potential for counseling to provide alternative career paths in traditionally unrelated fields.
Although becoming a therapist can be challenging, with certain countries requiring several years of study and qualifications, such as Austria and Germany, the UK does not have legal restrictions on who can call themselves a therapist. However, professional accreditation bodies like the BACP demand similar levels of training and practitioners are expected to join them. Prospective therapists typically undergo a foundation course, a certificate in counseling skills, and a longer course that combines classroom learning with on-the-job training. While some government loans can fund these courses, many trainees need to continue working or use savings to finance their career change.
Despite the increase in demand for therapy-related jobs, new therapists are not guaranteed employment. Job postings for therapy-related positions on Indeed have increased by 80% since before the pandemic, but interest in these roles has only risen by 9%, indicating that the influx of trainees has yet to surpass the available work. Additionally, a survey conducted by the BACP found that only 40% of respondents believed they could earn a living from counseling work, with 74% stating that their therapy work brought in less than £30,000 in income.
Still, individuals like Samia, who works in media production, are attracted to counseling for better work-life balance and to address the lack of diversity in the profession. Samia plans to specialize in child and adolescent psychology while continuing her consulting work. The journey to becoming a therapist involves significant personal growth and self-reflection, as prospective therapists often have to undergo therapy themselves. The cost of training can be steep, and some individuals find the high expenses to be a barrier to entering the industry.
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