Today Jeremy Hunt announced an extra £1.3bn to spend on mental health care and an additional 2,900 therapists to help adult talking services.

In 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.

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below