Career Change Tips: Finding the Courage to Let Go

[@heretic_hb448]

Hi John-Paul - Thanks so much for this video. It really resonated with me when you talked about feeling that connection to ourselves and the world. I feel like I’m more disconnected than ever before. I’m 28 and work in commercial construction management. I chose the engineering route in college over psychology because of the money/career prospects but I’ve never been happy in this industry. I’ve felt pulled to psychology/therapy for a long time and it’s becoming increasingly intense as I get older, but it’s nerve wracking to make a change and go back to school. I appreciate all your insight.

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

Thanks so much for saying, I really appreciate it. Great to read at least some of your story and, yes, although the industries were different, it sounds like we’ve had quite a similar experience with the career. I’d really encourage to look into it all further, which it sounds like you’re drawn to doing anyway. Let me know if you have any questions you’d like me to answer on the channel and I wish you all the best with it generally. Would love to hear how it all goes too if you feel like it. Thanks again, John-Paul

[@richardcampbell9283]

Thanks John-Paul. Great video and just what I need, to keep me going on my journey. Full of self doubt and tentative excitement about the future. Merry Christmas 🎉

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

Thanks for saying Richard, I really appreciate it. I look forward to speaking in the New Year and a very Merry Christmas to you too 😊

[@smurfeyo]

Lovely video John-Paul, i have decided to listen to my inner voice and pursue psychotherapy training next year down in Bristol, wishing you a merry christmas!:)

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

That’s great to hear about the training and thanks for what you say about the video, I really appreciate it. Let me know how it all goes if you feel like it and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year too 😊

[@kaydappa]

Thanks for the video John-Paul. I wonder, how did you decide on the approach/modality you wanted to take as a therapist? Also, do you see much difference between training to be a counsellor vs. a psychotherapist. For context I’m also based in London.

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

Thanks for your comment. In terms of approach, I went for an integrative course and then put together the elements that I thought worked best when I went into practice. It’s therefore a combination of modalities. I’ve also lots to the model I use through continuing professional development after qualifying. I don’t see much difference in training to be a counsellor vs a psychotherapist as far as how clients see ‘therapists’. Something to be aware of though is the SCoPEd framework that’s being introduced now. That will make the difference more significant in the future I think. If you Google SCoPEd you’ll see more about it.

[@k.f.9875]

Hey John-Paul. I got a PhD in philosophy 10 years ago. I did teaching at university for a while, did some research work, and was a freelance journalist for years. For some personal reasons, over recent years I have become increasingly interested in clinical psychology and psychotherapy, both research and practice. I would like to change my career to that field. But I have some questions and doubts, and don’t know where and how to start.

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

Thanks for your comment, great to hear some of your journey. Yes, it’s always going to come with doubts and concerns, but I think the great thing we have now is access to so much in terms of information and the potential to connect with others going through the journey through the internet and social media platforms etc. I’d suggest looking at UKCP’s website which has a lot of information about training as a therapist, BACP’s does too. As well as that, I’d try to connect other people who have made the journey you’re thinking of making. Of course we’re all different, but I’m sure there will be helpful things that come from that. I’d be really happy to speak with you about it, but because of other commitments, I only generally do that now by way of a formal coaching session.

[@amychiu4838]

Hi John-Paul. Happy New Year! I am amused by your life story. I also have a similar background with you. I have a legal qualification in another jurisdiction and recently arrived to the UK. As I am looking for my first job and would like to get a job asap, I am in a dilemma on whether to start my first local job as paralegal and strike for a pass in SQE exam this year, or instead exploring my possibility to the area of psychology (as i am interested to have a career which I can help people when they are facing life difficulties mentally). So, I am considering to become a counsellor or psychotherapist as my long term goal. However, I would like to explore and understand via experience first to see if my qualities are compatible and whether I genuinely love the job nature of counselling. So, mindful if you can share how you could ‘testify’ before you started pursuing your study in transpersonal psychology? And whether any advice or suggestion on getting a real taste of the job nature as counselling? Many thanks!

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

Hi Amy, Happy New Year to you too and thanks for your message. A couple of things occur to me reading some of your story and the first is that most of the 'foundation' courses in counselling and therapy would be part-time, so, although this isn't without it's challenges of course, you could most likely be doing one alongside your job. You can then see how you feel about both and be getting an income whilst you do your training too. I also wonder whether you could do some voluntary work in addition to, or instead of at this stage, doing a counselling course, to see if you enjoy the area of emotional/mental health support. All kinds of organisations, like the Samaritans and SHOUT, offer some training to be telephone support for people with mental health/emotional concerns and difficulties. Something like the Marmalade Trust, which is a loneliness charity, would also I'm pretty sure have a system of befriending for people you might be able to take part in. When I took my year career break for example, as well as the foundation course in counselling, I also volunteered for THT, a telephone support line. It's all good experience for seeing how you feel being around people in a supportive/therapeutic context. If anyone else reading this has any other ideas of course, do feel free to add them.

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

By the way, as well as the reply below, I'd also suggest that having your own counselling or therapy is a really good, perhaps even essential, way to see what you think of the therapy 'process'.

[@amychiu4838]

@@JohnPaulDaviesTTP Thank you and I deeply appreciated with your detailed replies. I am considering to take take either a level 2 CPCAB Certificate in Counselling skills or the Alef Trust's certificate program in Transpersonal Coaching. I understand that counselling is different from coaching, but I am not sure which path is more suitable for me and I just would like to explore. I am most interested in the foundation course that you had taken, but unfortunately I am not settled in London (and hence physically impossible to attend the course this year). Wonder if you can give any comment and suggestion on both courses in terms of their accreditation and career path? I understand that my questions are a bit long and wonder if we can connect and further communicate by email. Thank you and have a good day.

[@JohnPaulDaviesTTP]

@@amychiu4838 hi Amy, yes good idea about email, why don’t you message me and we can go from there. It’s [e-mail]