Would doing a job to do with helping others with anxiety/depression make me worse?

[little.miss.worry]

Hello!

Baiscally, i'm in my second year at University. Studying Education (It's not all to do with teaching, there's other professions you can go in too). I've come to realise I don't actually know what I want to do with the degree by the end of it. So, I went to see a careers advisor today, and she gave me a website link in which you fill out questions and tick which degree you're doing and they suggest 10 professions that you may be interested in. So I did all of this.. and I've come across a really amazing job, not to mention rewarding.

The job is a child psychotherapist. So basically, it's like a counsellor, helping children and teens.. the following things you help people with are:

• depression
• anxiety
• development delay
• phobias
• aggression
• gender dysphoria
• consequences of child abuse
• self-harming
• learning difficulties and disabilities
• eating disorders

• psychosomatic disorders

I personally think i'd be brilliant at doing something like this. Because I don't think I'd be cut out to be a primary school teacher.. and to be honest, I think i'd find something like that more enjoyable.. because I like helping people.. it's what I do (or, try)

Basically I want your opinions.. obviously I'd be facing people with issues that I have faced myself and part of me is petrified it'd give me triggers.. in terms of anxiety. I'm hoping it wouldn't.. but I am a little scared about it. Or should I just try and not think about that.. and cross that bridge when I come to it? Heck, I might even learn some ways to help my anxiety. Like I said though, i'm in my second year.. but we've been told that we have to start thinking about what we want to do now.. to be prepared basically.

So what do you guys think.. is it worth a shot? Or should I be cautious because of my own problems? Any comments will be taken on board.. so thank you!

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 19:11 ----------

No one then...? :

[Shazamataz]

I'd say if it's something you want to do then go for it! People who have had experiences are much better able to empathise and likely make the best therapists.

[little.miss.worry]

I'd say if it's something you want to do then go for it! People who have had experiences are much better able to empathise and likely make the best therapists.

Hey, thanks for the reply!

Thank you for the advice also! I think I may go for it, because I can't let anxiety get in the way of it and that's true! At least I'd know where people are coming from with it all

[dakotasmom]

I'm studying Education also (planning on becoming a Special Ed. teacher) and I say go for it! I thought coming on this forum would make my anxiety worse but it's actually helped me to share my personal experiences with others and it makes me feel good to help them out. I think if you go into a career as a therapist it will actually turn out to be a rewarding experince for you, just my opinion of course

[little.miss.worry]

I'm studying Education also (planning on becoming a Special Ed. teacher) and I say go for it! I thought coming on this forum would make my anxiety worse but it's actually helped me to share my personal experiences with others and it makes me feel good to help them out. I think if you go into a career as a therapist it will actually turn out to be a rewarding experince for you, just my opinion of course

Thank you so much for your response! I think you're right! I think it'll definitely be rewarding And I also think I'll really enjoy it which is a plus! And yeah, sometimes letting it all out makes you feel so much better!

Good luck with your course too though! Hope it goes well!

[mezzaninedoor]

I think it would be rewarding.

I'm just informally helping some people at my work at the moment and I thought that might trigger me but it has proved rewarding thus far

[debs71]

Hi,

My advice would be to think long and HARD about if you honestly, REALLY want to go in this direction. In my experience, jobs such as this (especially) are something that really need some drive and passion behind them....otherwise I fear they are doomed for failure.

I am always sceptical about career advisors, questionnaires or computers that just spew up a career that is deemed apt for that particular individual. What if the person has never dreamed of that particular career? What if the job may be suited to their responses, but when they are in it, they are not suited to that job??

I speak from some experience here. I left college without a clue of what job I wanted to aim for. All I knew was I wanted to work with children, so I got a job in a nursery as an assistant (for 6 months I thought) while I decided what I wanted to study at Uni. 5 years later I was still there, mainly as I got stuck in a comfort zone really. I was then unceremoniously made redundant when the nursery closed down, without any warning or notice, or redundancy settlement. I had to take my boss to court. The whole thing was a nightmare.

I made my mind up there and then that the next career I chose was going to be a secure one, where that NEVER happened to me again.

I casually saw an advert in my local newspaper for a Diploma in Child Nursing. Within 5 minutes I had decided that was the thing to go for........boy was I wrong. Within a year of qualifying as a nurse I knew I was in the wrong job. I simply could not deal with the pressures of the job and the stress, but i put my head down and got on with it. I stuck in it 10 years, but my mental health has been badly impacted.

Sorry to bore with my story. I know my experience is not necessarily everyones, but I am just trying to demonstrate that certain jobs bring with them a LOT of responsibility, a LOT of stress and a LOT of burdens, even subconscious ones. These are the jobs that require not just a vague interest or notion that it might be an appropriate job for you, but a real bloody-minded passion for.

I do have to say that I think Child Psychology/Psychotherapy is one of them.

Working with children in any shape of form can be challenging, but children with psychological issues is very challenging. It demands a lot from someone, and my worry would be if that someone is themselves vulnerable.....just not sure about how a job like that would impact them.

Without wishing to sound like a total cynic and downer, I do agree though that your own experiences would doubtless be very beneficial for you and them, as you could really connect with them, how they are feeling and offer insights that others could not. You could truly empathise with them, and this will bring something to your time with them.

I would just worry though that their issue may be a little too close to home for you, and trigger a flare up/relapse or suchlike for you.

Bottom line is that this is a decision only you can make, hon. Choosing a career is a personal and important decision. xx

[Fishmanpa]

Read the signature in my post... "Enjoy the work you do".....

Positive thoughts

[swgrl09]

It depends on the person. I am a marriage and family therapist, but work with individuals too. It is definitely possible to be a therapist or psychologist and struggle with your own mental health concerns - in fact, a lot do. We're human too, right?

It's about getting supervision, being honest with yourself if something is too triggering and stepping back, and a LOT of self-care. Yes, there are days where my anxiety is high and I struggle. But that would happen with any job, right? But I do love with I do and it is really rewarding. I can't see myself doing something else.

The best advice I could give would be to shadow people in the profession, talk to people, and self-care, self-care, self-care.

[little.miss.worry]

I think it would be rewarding.

I'm just informally helping some people at my work at the moment and I thought that might trigger me but it has proved rewarding thus far

That sounds brilliant then! I'm glad it isn't affecting you in a bad way!

---------- Post added at 21:45 ---------- Previous post was at 21:40 ----------

Hi,

My advice would be to think long and HARD about if you honestly, REALLY want to go in this direction. In my experience, jobs such as this (especially) are something that really need some drive and passion behind them....otherwise I fear they are doomed for failure.

I am always sceptical about career advisors, questionnaires or computers that just spew up a career that is deemed apt for that particular individual. What if the person has never dreamed of that particular career? What if the job may be suited to their responses, but when they are in it, they are not suited to that job??

I speak from some experience here. I left college without a clue of what job I wanted to aim for. All I knew was I wanted to work with children, so I got a job in a nursery as an assistant (for 6 months I thought) while I decided what I wanted to study at Uni. 5 years later I was still there, mainly as I got stuck in a comfort zone really. I was then unceremoniously made redundant when the nursery closed down, without any warning or notice, or redundancy settlement. I had to take my boss to court. The whole thing was a nightmare.

I made my mind up there and then that the next career I chose was going to be a secure one, where that NEVER happened to me again.

I casually saw an advert in my local newspaper for a Diploma in Child Nursing. Within 5 minutes I had decided that was the thing to go for........boy was I wrong. Within a year of qualifying as a nurse I knew I was in the wrong job. I simply could not deal with the pressures of the job and the stress, but i put my head down and got on with it. I stuck in it 10 years, but my mental health has been badly impacted.

Sorry to bore with my story. I know my experience is not necessarily everyones, but I am just trying to demonstrate that certain jobs bring with them a LOT of responsibility, a LOT of stress and a LOT of burdens, even subconscious ones. These are the jobs that require not just a vague interest or notion that it might be an appropriate job for you, but a real bloody-minded passion for.

I do have to say that I think Child Psychology/Psychotherapy is one of them.

Working with children in any shape of form can be challenging, but children with psychological issues is very challenging. It demands a lot from someone, and my worry would be if that someone is themselves vulnerable.....just not sure about how a job like that would impact them.

Without wishing to sound like a total cynic and downer, I do agree though that your own experiences would doubtless be very beneficial for you and them, as you could really connect with them, how they are feeling and offer insights that others could not. You could truly empathise with them, and this will bring something to your time with them.

I would just worry though that their issue may be a little too close to home for you, and trigger a flare up/relapse or suchlike for you.

Bottom line is that this is a decision only you can make, hon. Choosing a career is a personal and important decision. xx

Thank you for the reply! See orginally I wanted to be a counsellor, for teens and children but, I got told doing an education degree would put you on the right path for it and then, towards the end of first year I got told I couldn't.. :( So finding out I could is amazing and it's something I'd really love to do!

Oh gosh! It seems like you went through a lot with the whole nursery thing! That's so terrible!!

I totally understand where you're coming from though! I've thought about the stress etc but I honestly think I can handle it and it's what I should do as it's something i'd like to do so I think I may do it

Thank you so much for your advice though! it's helped me understand more that some careers aren't for everyone

---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:45 ----------

Read the signature in my post... "Enjoy the work you do".....

Positive thoughts

Thanks for that!

---------- Post added at 21:47 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------

It depends on the person. I am a marriage and family therapist, but work with individuals too. It is definitely possible to be a therapist or psychologist and struggle with your own mental health concerns - in fact, a lot do. We're human too, right?

It's about getting supervision, being honest with yourself if something is too triggering and stepping back, and a LOT of self-care. Yes, there are days where my anxiety is high and I struggle. But that would happen with any job, right? But I do love with I do and it is really rewarding. I can't see myself doing something else.

The best advice I could give would be to shadow people in the profession, talk to people, and self-care, self-care, self-care.

That is very true! Everyone does have their own struggles and problems they have to face unfortunately! And yeah, I understand, It will be challenging as a whole but I think i'd love it and enjoy it! and thank you, I will do!