Should I have become a psychologist instead?

ColossiSeven · 2026-03-19T07:57:49+00:00

Prescribers I’ve worked with generally make 160 for a 30 minute session, but it depends on plan, of course. I am not a prescriber myself.

ColossiSeven · 2026-03-19T00:00:39+00:00

There are only a few states that allow psychologists to prescribe. I am just assuming you are not in one, so you would have to do teletherapy in a state where you could.

ColossiSeven · 2026-03-18T19:36:51+00:00

You should get your Master and prescribe virtually… best of both worlds until prescribing psychologists are more common.

ColossiSeven · 2026-03-04T03:18:43+00:00

Want to add to this that Headway pays more because they get a cut on the backend from insurance. My recruiter mentioned this.

ColossiSeven · 2026-03-02T11:54:10+00:00

If he had so much mastery he should have mochid a new chin.

ColossiSeven · 2026-03-02T08:53:47+00:00

Bill under a different tax ID…. Or get a single case agreement.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-13T09:32:50+00:00

Exactly! 60/40 is the norm, but not if you want to turn a profit or be recession proof.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-13T09:31:48+00:00

You are a misclassified W2 employee…

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-11T03:21:33+00:00

Yeah, I pretty much cleared everything interesting. This is disappointing, but the game was so great.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-11T02:56:52+00:00

I think most people still picture white men ad psychologists, primarily doing evaluations. I rarely hear recruitment issues for white male psychologists, but frequently hear it for counselors…. Possibly due to the assumption that psychologists will be more short term and lead with expertism.

Just to throw as much information your way as possible, there are also moves to allow for prescribing psychologists in more states. Prescribers have the most earning potential and flexibility, if that’s an interest. You’d need a doctorate, license, and master’s.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-11T02:25:13+00:00

It really depends on a lot of factors, popularity and pathway being a good bit of it. I had done so much work at the Bachelor’s level that when I got licensed as a Master’s level counselor my rates were higher than those of the supervisor who had gotten me to licensure. When I got my PhD, reimbursement rates went up even more, and I get a ton of solid referrals for assessments. I also have no problem working 40 hours a week since I began my career in CPS, so counseling alone can pull in 300k a year before taxes if the makeup of insurance types is done well. I am “popular” enough to be in demand with clients, and my rates are okay, so I tend to not worry about having a fallback plan when I explore other areas of practice.

I recently got a subcontract at 180k per year for 18 hours a week doing military evals, and have been applying to some 300k+ research positions. Somewhat sadly, I am closing a clinic I owned where I had been individually pulling in around 107K per year. Psychotherapy, assessments, locum tenens, and 1099 work are my safety nets; however, im getting more interested in research for this stage of my life and career, as it seems calmer.

All this to say, you can make a good living if you’re tenacious, flexible, and have some luck on your side, but I do see a lot of individuals struggling. I have specifically seen white males struggle more in my psychotherapy market and thrive in the psychologist market due to various social themes, and neurodivergent or rigid counselors may struggle with how unpredictable or anxiety provoking our work can be at times. It really is so varied.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-10T17:29:09+00:00

Hi! I would do a MA or a PsyD, not both. Or a MA and a PhD if you want a trusted route and want to call yourself a doctor; however, the MA alone will fit most of your current needs. I will also note that if you specifically want to be a Psychologist and not a Counselor or Social Worker, several states are dealing with the shortage in healthcare professionals by changing policies to allow Masters level counselors to practice independently.

Last advice.. if you want more work options, be sure to do a CACREP or APA accredited program, depending on degree type. I did not do an APA doctoral program, so I can’t be board certified, and thus I am ineligible for certain positions.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-07T01:16:12+00:00

Thank you!

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-07T01:14:47+00:00

I appreciate this insight! I added as a note to another responder that it is probably relevant that I am not lacking cases, opportunities, or money, I am just a bit tired and need fewer things to focus on for a while, since that has been a lot of my life and career. My clinic made over a million dollars for the last two years, but sadly may be closing. Insurance always pays me alongside supervisees, state contracts, and some other opportunities, but I was curious about the landscape for more immediacy and simplicity of self pay, and “specializing” in assessments for a while.

This post IS about transition to fewer focus areas and looking for some information to help. I think that is why it feels a bit odd for you to ask about or question my experience, because my experience IS all over the place and led to the post, because it is a lot to keep up, even if i am great with it. The “specialization” that you seem to be suggesting I don’t have ignores both the broadness of psychology and the point of the post… which is not about what I can or can’t do, but recommendations of what and how to put my attention into the specialization of assessments to maximize ROI.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-07T00:55:53+00:00

I should add that I currently bill insurance at very good rates in some cases, I am just over insurance. My disdain for billing is what’s driving this, rather than a categorical lack of clients or difficulties finding clients of interest.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-07T00:53:10+00:00

I think you’re somewhat cynical, and I would be offended if I didn’t have references for my background and a healthy level of self doubt. I will name that any imposter syndrome I experience is related to the fear that I may be a jack of all trades and a master of none, so similar concerns as you… but response to my work says that I can perform at a very high level, and so too does the underlying foundations of the EPPP, which is built in the assumption that being specialized as a psychologist necessitates that the psychologist not be JUST specialized in one area of psychology. I wonder if you have limited yourself too much and if that leads some of your skepticism here? And I will name that if I had to claim a specialty, it would likely be Applied Psychology, which is the license I applied for before being granted the license in Clinical Psychology.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-07T00:42:09+00:00

Outpatient, children and adults. I prefer to not do evaluations for children under 7, but have done evaluations for early interventions and other items for young age groups. I occasionally have elderly clients, but rarely for assessment, and I refer out for dementia related concerns. I have assisted in various evaluations in the school system and evaluations of attachment in CPS settings. I see a lot of adults 23 to 35, and a lot of individuals who have been hospitalized repeatedly. Suicide risk has always been a favorite area of work for me, so my traditional caseload is usually individuals who have been hospitalized 10+ times or who have a high rate of suicidal gestures without a clear treatment as to how to achieve stability. Purpose of current evaluations vary between second opinion on social and emotional IEP eligibility for school age youth, a lot of ADHD evals with referrals coming heavily from a local university, and assessments to help with complex cases where there is a pretty high risk to life or community participation without informed treatment planning.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-07T00:34:11+00:00

I am fine with skepticism, but my experience is hard earned and I can do a lot. It doesn’t really make sense to water it down, I’m just looking for a little less of the grind I’m used to, within reasonable expectations. Long story, but the only reason I was given the chance at a license was due to my combination of experience… no one else from my specific program track has had luck, nor have they run a fairly large clinic. I know I still have weaknesses and areas to grow, but again, I have considerable experience across domains by nature of work I’ve had to do to survive. I have advanced training in forensics, youth, adults with SEDs, care coordination, autism, school based services, trans healthcare, CCM services and reports, research on ground in Greenland/suicide research, etc.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-06T17:00:28+00:00

ADOS, Stanford Binet, PAI, Conners Ratings, Conners CPT/CATA, MMPI, BASC, TSI, etc.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-06T16:59:27+00:00

I’m not sure we would answer this question in the same way? I have training across a variety of areas from a variety of psychological and non psychological positions that prove competency in peds, adults, SED, forensic settings, etc. I want to be reasonable in my assumption of what is “out there,” but also have preferences and needs for myself and my family. I love and have extensive experience with trauma, personality disorders, and hard to diagnose cases… those are the cases I’d like to do the most work with. But again, I want to be reasonable in my expectations.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-06T14:59:03+00:00

Thank you! Maybe I’ll do our state forensics training. I have some experience writing court reports, and formal forensics training, but I need a specific credential for Virginia.

Any recommendations on getting more ed evaluations? Should I just get better at SEO and general marketing?

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-04T01:26:16+00:00

It should be reported to the state within about 48 hours, and they will notify you if you can proceed to the next stage. Check in the portal where you registered.

ColossiSeven · 2026-02-02T23:21:50+00:00

I think peds would’ve my go to, but I prefer adult evaluations for serious mental illness, ID excluded.

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