‘Where’s my incentive to work in mental health?’
19 December 2017In theory this is great – most people agree that the demand for talking therapy outweighs the supply of therapists.
I have had no incentive apart for my own personal drive to work in mental health
Hunt says that he is ‘giving incentives to those considering a career in mental health.’
I have had no incentive apart for my own personal drive to work in mental health.
Two years ago I qualified as a psychotherapist after spending a huge amount of my own money on five years of education.
I’ve taken an introductory evening course, a postgraduate diploma and a masters. I thoroughly enjoyed them all.
Unlike teachers, the government gave me no money to train as a therapist
But unlike teachers, the government gave me no money to train as a therapist.
And now that I am qualified, like all therapists, I am working to gain enough face-to-face client hours before I can become accredited, and therefore start applying for paid counselling jobs.
Money is not the reason that I am drawn to work in mental health, but it’s vital
I don't disagree with this, I think it's vital experience.
I gain immense satisfaction from working as an honorary therapist and money is not the reason that I am drawn to work in mental health, but it’s vital.
Because therapists are expected to pay for their own expensive education and work for free to gain client hours - only a certain type of person is able to enter the profession.
The system doesn’t work. And I’m not sure that announcing new therapist posts covers the cracks.
I would like to see the government treat trainee therapists the same way as trainee teachers, for surely the jobs are of equal importance for people of the UK.
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