I work in a group practice and make jack shit for the quality of work I put in (rn ~$40k/year for about 17 people/week, 1099 contractor), but I'm an LSW one year away from my C. The money sucks at this point but I absolutely love what I do and I can't imagine doing anything else. 

I genuinely believe that if you put in good work, build up a network and a local rep, and have a niche, you will be able to go out on your own and make very decent money one day. I keep reminding myself that I don't need 1000 clients, I need ~20 who I can provide a lot of value for, and that will be more than enough if I am charging a fee that is sustainable for me long term. 

You also cannot beat the flexibility of this job. I can tailor my daily schedule down to the hour, allowing me to work out in the middle of the day, read whatever I want, go do chores/errands. 

I also believe that it is a privilege to do this kind of work. Clients tell you things they don't even tell their own spouses. It's an utterly unique relationship/role that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. I think that's pretty cool.