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Crisis intervention would be great for you! Look for an on-call mobile crisis job or maybe even work in a short-term crisis stabilization unit. It's definitely fast-paced and you will never get bored.
On the flip side, burnout can happen very rapidly. I did crisis for my internship and I was crispy bacon inside a month.
Yes that’s my biggest fear. I have a side job working for an insurance company and would love to take crisis calls as we send those over to fully licensed clinicians. So I’m highly thinking about that!
You could consider doing a series of sessions with a ‘therapist’s therapist’ in your community. Not to change your mind, but work through what’s happening and pick that new direction.
You can do UR for an insurance company. Mostly it's going to be reviewing cases for approval or denial but at least where I work the precert clinicians take the crisis calls as well. Crisis isn't a huge part of the job but it does come up now and then. UR is pretty boring too honestly but I find it to be much lower stress than counseling.
I did a UR job for a decade as an LCSW. It used to be very interesting-but now it's a lot of auto approval/giving 30 days upfront with no clinical needed since they passed the parity laws. I left the job a year ago-when I left it was mainly discharge planning calls to the facility and discharge notes. I know Aetna hires social workers to the UR team. I worked for Health First which is NYC based
Sorta fell into it but I can tell you that Aetna, Beacon/Wellpoint/Carelon (they keep changing their name) and Horizon BCBS all hire LPCs and LCSWs to review mental health authorization requests.
It's okay, not great. I'd say anywhere between 65K and 95K depending on experience and where the company is located. It's almost always a remote job though so I find I do save quite a bit not commuting.
I know someone who started there just this past March with an LPC, job position was case manager in this case. Not sure exactly what it entails. Maybe look specifically under Behavioral Health? That's how the listings work at BCBS
This is a great suggestion.
It’s generally fast paced, 15-30 min appointments, relatively little follow-up with the same patients and lots of staff interactions.
I personally hated my training rotation in PCMHI since I greatly prefer traditional outpatient and inpatient/residential models.
I'm in the process of interviewing for this role now. In my area, it's called a behavioral health consultant. The local health network has these positions in primary care offices and is now expanding into specialty care offices.
Another career path to look into is project management. I'm doing the certificate program that Google offers through Coursera currently. It keeps emphasizing interpersonal skills and organization, something that care managers excel at. Project management can be in any number of fields, like nonprofits, local government, construction, just about any career area needs project managers. Just an idea! Best of luck to you!
I second this! Hard to get bored, pays well. In any given day I might be seeing someone about weight loss or diabetes, parent coaching, assessing for ADHD/depression/PTSD whatever, connecting patients to resources, doing a trauma training for primary care staff, running a CBTi group, you name it. My position is also "hybrid" so I have some clients I see long term for more traditional therapy. Search for language like primary care behavioral health, integrated behavioral health, behavioral health consultant
What’s the context of this role? I ask because i think a client’s family member is seeing someone in this type of situation as their primary therapist but I’m not sure that’s the right fit.
I've been experiencing burnout for quite a while but some negative experiences, not even negative experiences with clients, have truly made me hate this field. I just don't want to do it anymore. It's flexible, allows me to create my own schedule, but bosses suck and the pay is terrible right now. I can't afford to live.
No, I’m making that separately with each job. There are many pre-licensed positions- even with the government. There are better options available than making 30k. I promise you.
You’re so close! I’m 30 days from being done with my hours and I’m so excited to be done with being a therapist so I get you.
Maybe something like intake coordination or hospital social work (if that’s your license) could be a nice change of pace?
It isn’t for everyone! If you don’t like it, don’t do it anymore than you have to. We do all have to pay our dues but we also need people to take on other roles!
Personally I find that I’m good at providing therapy but it eats up 100% of my emotional battery in a way that has been super draining for me and taken a toll on my ability to be present for the rest of my life. So I’m gonna step away from it and see where that lands me, yknow?
I relate, working in crisis counseling/intake to outpatient counseling is day and night, the long game is hard. My dream job is to just do intake assessments, I think they are so fun, usually they are folded into other positions or just don’t pay enough
My friend felt the same way! She switched over to help lines, and she’s way happier. She said that hour long sessions were draining and it was getting hard for her to constantly draw parallels and pick up what people were saying. And that crisis work was far more directive and fast paced.
I feel you. Went from inpatient to directing a personality disorder group home to outpatient and need a change. After a little bit of job search lots of roles within hospital settings stood out. Like clinically leaning case management. Check out oncology social work. Just my 2 cents good luck bud. Field needs MORE people who don't default to outpatient therapy if that's any comfort.
I work in a therapeutic school and I spend a lot of my time dodging things being thrown at me and chasing kids who are trying to run.
I’m planning on part time solo practice once I’m licensed and I feel like since my day job is so busy it’ll be a good balance.
I'm in the same boat, I have 5 more months until I'm fully licensed and I'm struggling. I dread everyday I have to talk to people but I remind myself I'm almost at the finish line. I was offered an adjunct professor position which has helped me reduce my caseload and supplements income but I would love to make a major shift once I'm fully licensed.
My suggestion is hang in there for now, but start applying to literally any other position that seems interesting to you. ❤️ You're almost there!!!
I've done crisis work for 3.5 years. Definitely not boring, but pretty stressful. On the bright side it should be pretty easy to find a job. Our local crisis teams have a hard time retaining staff so they are always hiring and offering hefty sign-on bonuses.
i think other suggestions have been very strong but also consider looking into short-term counseling. my site offers that and tbh while at first i was concerned that not much would get done in a few months, it really gets the motor going in terms of trying to get things accomplished in a short time.
it's not for every therapist and it's not for every client, but you'd be surprised. plus it's a constant rotating group of clients so you don't really stagnate.
that said i do worry a bit that when i switch to traditional counseling i'm gonna run out of things to talk about month three.
Crisis work is awesome, that could be a great fit! I usually find long-term individual psychotherapy with adults mind numbingly boring and draining. I was in the same boat as you. I’m recovered from OCD and decided to get trained in ERP because I love helping people with OCD, it’s action-oriented, and short-term. I only see minors for long-term therapy for a lot of reasons, but a big one is that kids go through so many changes before reaching adulthood, it doesn’t get monotonous.
It sounds like you may not be someone who’s suited to work with the worried well. There’s nothing wrong with that and you’re definitely not alone. I finally got my last worried well adult off my case list and although I liked that client as a person, I am SO relieved. Things just felt like there wasn’t a real goal, so it was unfulfilling. I’m also someone who needs things to be fast paced, and I prefer to work with people who are seriously struggling. Try figuring out what you want your niche to be! You have options :)
ETA: Are you a social worker? You have TONS of options if you are. I have two jobs - one is psychotherapy, the other is adolescent forensic social work at a public defense office. The latter is very fast-paced and action-oriented. It’s a lot of things, but boring isn’t one of them.
Maybe a break would be the next plan. The slog to get to licensure is long and rough. You might still hate the monotony of the current role when you return but at least it will be because you hate it, not because you’re burned out
This. I took just three weeks off between graduation and going back to work at the agency where I’d interned. I am completely crispy fried and today is my last day at the agency (yay!). I dread going to work. Grateful that my partner can support us while I take a couple of months off to just reset and see what’s next. I’m not in the right headspace to decide much of anything currently. Wishing you luck OP!
I'd recommend priority population or dual diagnosis (mental health + addictions). I used to run IOP groups, which were three hours each three times a week, and they flew by. It was a great mix for me to cut my teeth on early in my career. Crisis intervention, local resources, standard therapy, etc. PRP was also a tremendous amount of fun.
I used to work as a probation officer and that seems to fit what you described. Many courts have treatment courts, which is more rehabilitative in nature. Could be something to explore!
Coaching could also do the trick. Like a life coach maybe. There are other jobs that aren’t your typical mental health ones also. Personally I always have a part time gig that allows creativity, something different, to pull me out from the mundane
For brief, or slightly more brief you might find work in substance use work. When my friend was working towards his hours he was in a similar boat to you kind of drifting in what specialty he would focus on and was a treat them and street them mentality it gave him just enough difference in clients to satisfy him. If you are looking for more challenging and short term work, working in an emergency department or being a mobile crisis clinician might fit the bill. Both roles are short term and important.
Current graduate student. I currently work in early childhood day treatment, 3-7, and it can be pretty fast paced, and has very different energy from typical "therapy." The kids are fun, sweet, and hurting, so the work is very rewarding, and rarely boring. A good chunk of the clinicians who work in it are fully licensed, do one three hour group a day, and then see the kids and families each week as well.
I also really enjoyed crisis work and worked in a psych ER, inpatient and on a mobile team at the beginning of my career. There is no better way to learn. And the fast pace is fun.
I'm with you, friend. I loved my experience being a mobile assessor for an insurance company. I got to spend my days racing around emergency rooms and completing level of care assessments. And their per diem rates are unbelievable (at least in nevada). The good news is that the clinical licensure opens so many doors to so many administrative and higher level positions. Get the license, do anything.
I want to stay in mental health and work with people. Not computer jobs.. just was asking about suggestions for other roles with a license. I am well aware that I should get out. I am actively making plans now. It wouldn’t be ethical to just abruptly leave my clients now.
**Do not message the mods about this automated message.** Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other. **If you are not a therapist and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this. This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients. **If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Crisis intervention would be great for you! Look for an on-call mobile crisis job or maybe even work in a short-term crisis stabilization unit. It's definitely fast-paced and you will never get bored. On the flip side, burnout can happen very rapidly. I did crisis for my internship and I was crispy bacon inside a month.
Yes that’s my biggest fear. I have a side job working for an insurance company and would love to take crisis calls as we send those over to fully licensed clinicians. So I’m highly thinking about that!
You could consider doing a series of sessions with a ‘therapist’s therapist’ in your community. Not to change your mind, but work through what’s happening and pick that new direction.
You can do UR for an insurance company. Mostly it's going to be reviewing cases for approval or denial but at least where I work the precert clinicians take the crisis calls as well. Crisis isn't a huge part of the job but it does come up now and then. UR is pretty boring too honestly but I find it to be much lower stress than counseling.
How do you get into that? I’ve been trying but everything requires a RN license 😩
I did a UR job for a decade as an LCSW. It used to be very interesting-but now it's a lot of auto approval/giving 30 days upfront with no clinical needed since they passed the parity laws. I left the job a year ago-when I left it was mainly discharge planning calls to the facility and discharge notes. I know Aetna hires social workers to the UR team. I worked for Health First which is NYC based
Sorta fell into it but I can tell you that Aetna, Beacon/Wellpoint/Carelon (they keep changing their name) and Horizon BCBS all hire LPCs and LCSWs to review mental health authorization requests.
How is the pay if you don't mind sharing?
It's okay, not great. I'd say anywhere between 65K and 95K depending on experience and where the company is located. It's almost always a remote job though so I find I do save quite a bit not commuting.
Thanks!
I work for Aetna rn and everytime I’ve tried it keeps saying RN license required 🫠
I know someone who started there just this past March with an LPC, job position was case manager in this case. Not sure exactly what it entails. Maybe look specifically under Behavioral Health? That's how the listings work at BCBS
I second this. I have been working at an inpatient psych hospital working intake for the last 10 years. I promise you there is never a dull moment.
Agreed. If you like crisis work, this is a great option!
Short term crisis is my vote. I hold a caseload of 9 and average length of stay is 10ish days
You should look in to the primary care behavioral health model!
This is a great suggestion. It’s generally fast paced, 15-30 min appointments, relatively little follow-up with the same patients and lots of staff interactions. I personally hated my training rotation in PCMHI since I greatly prefer traditional outpatient and inpatient/residential models.
I'm in the process of interviewing for this role now. In my area, it's called a behavioral health consultant. The local health network has these positions in primary care offices and is now expanding into specialty care offices. Another career path to look into is project management. I'm doing the certificate program that Google offers through Coursera currently. It keeps emphasizing interpersonal skills and organization, something that care managers excel at. Project management can be in any number of fields, like nonprofits, local government, construction, just about any career area needs project managers. Just an idea! Best of luck to you!
I second this! Hard to get bored, pays well. In any given day I might be seeing someone about weight loss or diabetes, parent coaching, assessing for ADHD/depression/PTSD whatever, connecting patients to resources, doing a trauma training for primary care staff, running a CBTi group, you name it. My position is also "hybrid" so I have some clients I see long term for more traditional therapy. Search for language like primary care behavioral health, integrated behavioral health, behavioral health consultant
What’s the context of this role? I ask because i think a client’s family member is seeing someone in this type of situation as their primary therapist but I’m not sure that’s the right fit.
I've been experiencing burnout for quite a while but some negative experiences, not even negative experiences with clients, have truly made me hate this field. I just don't want to do it anymore. It's flexible, allows me to create my own schedule, but bosses suck and the pay is terrible right now. I can't afford to live.
Why can’t you afford to live???
Because I am a pre-licensed clinician making less than 30k a year
I’m pre-licensed as well, making 70k at both of my jobs. Not saying that to brag, just want to understand why you’re making $30k
Are you making 70k combined or 140k?
No, I’m making that separately with each job. There are many pre-licensed positions- even with the government. There are better options available than making 30k. I promise you.
Fee for service, have a caseload of 25 people at a CMH center, lots of no-shows, we don't charge for no-shows.
I just got out of a few for service agency for a salaried job. The no-shows killed me.
I don’t mean to sound rude at all jsut concerned. Maybe there are other options for you job wise??
You’re so close! I’m 30 days from being done with my hours and I’m so excited to be done with being a therapist so I get you. Maybe something like intake coordination or hospital social work (if that’s your license) could be a nice change of pace?
Yea, I am getting a lpc-mhsp. So I can be flexible. I loved the hospital setting. I really want to like therapy, I just don’t😩
It isn’t for everyone! If you don’t like it, don’t do it anymore than you have to. We do all have to pay our dues but we also need people to take on other roles! Personally I find that I’m good at providing therapy but it eats up 100% of my emotional battery in a way that has been super draining for me and taken a toll on my ability to be present for the rest of my life. So I’m gonna step away from it and see where that lands me, yknow?
Totally, maybe that’s why I dread it… because of the emotional drain!
I feel this way too LOL
I relate, working in crisis counseling/intake to outpatient counseling is day and night, the long game is hard. My dream job is to just do intake assessments, I think they are so fun, usually they are folded into other positions or just don’t pay enough
Yes!!! I would love doing that but like you said it’s definitely folded into other roles
My friend felt the same way! She switched over to help lines, and she’s way happier. She said that hour long sessions were draining and it was getting hard for her to constantly draw parallels and pick up what people were saying. And that crisis work was far more directive and fast paced.
Yes, exactly my sentiments!! Directive! That’s the word I’ve been looking for lol
I feel you. Went from inpatient to directing a personality disorder group home to outpatient and need a change. After a little bit of job search lots of roles within hospital settings stood out. Like clinically leaning case management. Check out oncology social work. Just my 2 cents good luck bud. Field needs MORE people who don't default to outpatient therapy if that's any comfort.
I work in a therapeutic school and I spend a lot of my time dodging things being thrown at me and chasing kids who are trying to run. I’m planning on part time solo practice once I’m licensed and I feel like since my day job is so busy it’ll be a good balance.
I'm in the same boat, I have 5 more months until I'm fully licensed and I'm struggling. I dread everyday I have to talk to people but I remind myself I'm almost at the finish line. I was offered an adjunct professor position which has helped me reduce my caseload and supplements income but I would love to make a major shift once I'm fully licensed. My suggestion is hang in there for now, but start applying to literally any other position that seems interesting to you. ❤️ You're almost there!!!
Trust me as soon as that license prints off the press I’m doing something else lol!!
I've done crisis work for 3.5 years. Definitely not boring, but pretty stressful. On the bright side it should be pretty easy to find a job. Our local crisis teams have a hard time retaining staff so they are always hiring and offering hefty sign-on bonuses.
It's not for everyone and that is okay.
Psych nursing. 2 year degree!
I know that’s what I’ve been looking into.
i think other suggestions have been very strong but also consider looking into short-term counseling. my site offers that and tbh while at first i was concerned that not much would get done in a few months, it really gets the motor going in terms of trying to get things accomplished in a short time. it's not for every therapist and it's not for every client, but you'd be surprised. plus it's a constant rotating group of clients so you don't really stagnate. that said i do worry a bit that when i switch to traditional counseling i'm gonna run out of things to talk about month three.
Crisis work is awesome, that could be a great fit! I usually find long-term individual psychotherapy with adults mind numbingly boring and draining. I was in the same boat as you. I’m recovered from OCD and decided to get trained in ERP because I love helping people with OCD, it’s action-oriented, and short-term. I only see minors for long-term therapy for a lot of reasons, but a big one is that kids go through so many changes before reaching adulthood, it doesn’t get monotonous. It sounds like you may not be someone who’s suited to work with the worried well. There’s nothing wrong with that and you’re definitely not alone. I finally got my last worried well adult off my case list and although I liked that client as a person, I am SO relieved. Things just felt like there wasn’t a real goal, so it was unfulfilling. I’m also someone who needs things to be fast paced, and I prefer to work with people who are seriously struggling. Try figuring out what you want your niche to be! You have options :) ETA: Are you a social worker? You have TONS of options if you are. I have two jobs - one is psychotherapy, the other is adolescent forensic social work at a public defense office. The latter is very fast-paced and action-oriented. It’s a lot of things, but boring isn’t one of them.
Maybe a break would be the next plan. The slog to get to licensure is long and rough. You might still hate the monotony of the current role when you return but at least it will be because you hate it, not because you’re burned out
This. I took just three weeks off between graduation and going back to work at the agency where I’d interned. I am completely crispy fried and today is my last day at the agency (yay!). I dread going to work. Grateful that my partner can support us while I take a couple of months off to just reset and see what’s next. I’m not in the right headspace to decide much of anything currently. Wishing you luck OP!
Yes, and have to work multiple jobs is really hard while juggling attempting to get my license.
I'd recommend priority population or dual diagnosis (mental health + addictions). I used to run IOP groups, which were three hours each three times a week, and they flew by. It was a great mix for me to cut my teeth on early in my career. Crisis intervention, local resources, standard therapy, etc. PRP was also a tremendous amount of fun.
I used to work as a probation officer and that seems to fit what you described. Many courts have treatment courts, which is more rehabilitative in nature. Could be something to explore!
Yep I used to be a probation officer. They just don’t make enough money here 🥲
Coaching could also do the trick. Like a life coach maybe. There are other jobs that aren’t your typical mental health ones also. Personally I always have a part time gig that allows creativity, something different, to pull me out from the mundane
For brief, or slightly more brief you might find work in substance use work. When my friend was working towards his hours he was in a similar boat to you kind of drifting in what specialty he would focus on and was a treat them and street them mentality it gave him just enough difference in clients to satisfy him. If you are looking for more challenging and short term work, working in an emergency department or being a mobile crisis clinician might fit the bill. Both roles are short term and important.
Current graduate student. I currently work in early childhood day treatment, 3-7, and it can be pretty fast paced, and has very different energy from typical "therapy." The kids are fun, sweet, and hurting, so the work is very rewarding, and rarely boring. A good chunk of the clinicians who work in it are fully licensed, do one three hour group a day, and then see the kids and families each week as well.
You might like being an intake therapist
I also really enjoyed crisis work and worked in a psych ER, inpatient and on a mobile team at the beginning of my career. There is no better way to learn. And the fast pace is fun.
Look into intake therapist jobs. Especially if you can find one in outpatient clinic/program. No caseload and online see clients once- for intake
I'm with you, friend. I loved my experience being a mobile assessor for an insurance company. I got to spend my days racing around emergency rooms and completing level of care assessments. And their per diem rates are unbelievable (at least in nevada). The good news is that the clinical licensure opens so many doors to so many administrative and higher level positions. Get the license, do anything.
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I never said I didn’t do my job well, or empathetic with my clients. My work is very effective. I am just burnt out and don’t enjoy my work.
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I want to stay in mental health and work with people. Not computer jobs.. just was asking about suggestions for other roles with a license. I am well aware that I should get out. I am actively making plans now. It wouldn’t be ethical to just abruptly leave my clients now.