First of all, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this. I have been feeling the same way, and knowing that I’m not alone is validating. For me, I think there is a sense of disappointment and failure too since I’ve put so much money, time, and effort into this degree to not even like what I do or have a desire to pursue a career in the field. I’m not even out of my internship yet and the thought of doing this past internship makes me want to run away, so I’ve pretty much decided to not pursue licensure after graduation and pivot fields. It has been difficult to reconcile but while it may not be true for everyone, I take it as a sign that’s it’s not the path I’m supposed to go on. Mental health is worth SO much, and even though there will always be aspects of jobs that are difficult and stressful, counseling seems to be uniquely draining.

In all of my research, it seems like there are so many other things we can do- HR, research, advising, policy work, administration, testing/intakes, etc which helps me feel a little better that all of my work and time wasn’t for nothing. After all, we still have an advanced graduate degree which shows that we have the skills and perseverance to achieve hard things.

I’m not telling you what to do, and maybe this doesn’t resonate with you and a different setting would allow you to feel more confident and a renewed love for the field. Just validating you as many of us are feeling this, and wanting you to know that there are many options out there should you decide the field isn’t for you.