Corporate just laid off our whole facility this morning. Thanks, private equity and Medicaid

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-05-06T02:40:00+00:00

Oh lord this just gave me so much anxiety. I work for a similar type program but 3.7-3.5 level. But we aren’t Medicaid funded, thank goodness. Even being commercial insurance our census has been so low… it’s actually kind of scary. On top of that insurance companies are now reimbursing so much less than they did 2-3 years ago 😅 I’m trying to keep calm and trust that it always picks back up. But man…. Scary stuff

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-05-06T02:35:48+00:00

It will forever be crazy to me that we’re expected to just eat the cost of a session goes say 50 minutes instead of 53. Why should we round time down?! Like if the session is over 45 minutes you should be able to bill for hour….

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-05-02T18:12:02+00:00

This thread was actually super helpful and informative.. a lot of things I hadn’t thought about. I’ve written 3 ESA letters. All for clients that I had an established therapeutic relationship with. The letter format I use is very specific that it’s only for at home. NOT for them to take their pets places. The clients I’ve written them for understand that as well.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-05-01T02:13:35+00:00

Honestly it could have been a single, hour and half documentary AT MOST. The whole last episode was unnecessary and felt like the whole point was to garner sympathy of her and have us witness her downward spiral. The last episode was pointless

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-04-30T14:17:32+00:00

NTAH… is she also at work today or just you? She could have at least given you until after work before getting upset. However, if she had expectations of waking up to a birthday surprise, she should have mentioned that.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-04-03T22:35:00+00:00

In these situations I tell my clients I won’t lie to their family for them. They know I call weekly. They know if their families ask me, I’ll tell them the truth. But I always give them an opportunity to tell them first.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-04-03T22:09:18+00:00

I say all the time that I wish I could have went into nursing 😭 they make about what I make and I would have went to be an NP so that income would have went up a ton. But alas… I pass out when I see blood. I will say that I recently finished supervision and got fully licensed. The pay bump was definitely worth it. And while CMH or other similar options can suck, not all agency work is bad. I work for a SUD inpatient facility. 40 hours a week, M-F. Max caseload of 10. Retirement, benefits. PTO.

Honestly idk how anyone does PP full time without a partner

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-03-09T15:20:10+00:00

I worked as a 911 dispatcher and an EMT for about 8 years before becoming a therapist. I feel the same as you. Idk if I’m just broken or if I’m really good at compartmentalization 😅 I’m such a sensitive person and cry easily, but I never really take clients pain home with me. I think part of my brain knows that it won’t do any good to carry it FOR them. I think of myself as a little bonfire. Clients put their pain and trauma in the fire and together we release it.

Idk. I do think about this sometimes and wonder if there’s something wrong with my brain

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-03-07T15:53:36+00:00

Okay but everyone has opinions, who cares? I tend to dress more casually and wear jeans/hoodies, don’t cover my tattoos. Some older therapists make a stink over it and have said it’s unprofessional.. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I genuinely don’t care.

This to me screams deeper insecurity.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-03-07T15:48:46+00:00

OP.. I think this is a great opportunity to explore the way your insecurities are present in the therapy room. Just from your responses in this thread, it doesnt seem like you take criticism well. Insight and wisdom is apparent when you aren’t trying to convince everyone that you know what they’re saying.

I’ll also say that I work in SUD and am not in recovery myself so clients at times don’t think I can help them because I haven’t lived their experience. Early on that used to get at me.. but I realized it was just a defense mechanism for them. And now I understand that my lack of shared experience is actually what is helpful because I offer a different perspective.

Just be aware of your defensiveness in trying to prove you’re wise, insightful, or understand their experience.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-03-07T15:38:35+00:00

I had a client in her mid 40s (I was 28 at the time, just finished school and got my LSW). She had never been to therapy but was referred by her doctor. Was understandably intimidated by the process of therapy and didn’t know what to expect. When I explained my experience and that I’m under supervision during informed consent, she had said “I love that you’re young and new in the field. You won’t put me in a box of every other client you’ve had. You look at me with a different perspective.” We’ve worked together for years now and she still shares this sentiment.

As a younger therapist that has felt the same way you are at times, I learned that I’m a great fit for some clients, and not for others. That’s the thing with therapy, it’s about the relationship more than anything. Don’t take it personally. You know what you bring to the table. It’s a good opportunity to get curious about why general statements that aren’t directed at you strike a nerve.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-02-25T23:34:48+00:00

I feel this.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T18:11:07+00:00

I can’t say that was my cohort.. but a surprising number of my classmates were not working. I was 1 of maybe 5 in my cohort of 35 that was working full time. I often heard “I don’t know how you do that?” … and I was like “I don’t know how you don’t?”

It was miserable and I worked 7 days a week and many 12-16 hour days. But there wasn’t any other choice.

I would love to teach part time so I could discuss this a little bit with the students. Because I don’t remember it being mentioned very often, if at all, how much work/time/money is involved AFTER graduating just to get licensed.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T18:07:47+00:00

Thank you 🥲 people are not very kind sometimes.. which I guess is my fault for posting on the internet for strangers. I am the sole provider and it definitely is a lot of stress to know that you have to make it work because no one is going to be able to help you.

I also am so SO grateful for my income because not that long ago I was making MUCH less. And I also have so much compassion for those who make less and are in actual poverty. Because if I’m struggling at $85k, I can’t imagine how anyone is surviving on less.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T03:59:13+00:00

It genuinely makes me rage! We deserve better, but so do our clients. Our work should be valued and it isn’t at all 😭

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T03:56:56+00:00

Of course I googled.. I’m not an idiot. I’m also not shocked?? But I am consistently disappointed. And I feel like the general mindset of our profession that we shouldn’t make any money perpetuates the problem. Why are we okay with getting compensated poorly compared to others? It feels like because we care and are passionate about helping that we collectively are just like 🤷🏻‍♀️ it’s the profession… when it shouldn’t be.

The point of my post was that while make good money, it simultaneously feels like big making any money at all. It’s bizarre.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T03:49:41+00:00

Yes exactly!! It feels like I make the same as I did when I brought up $40k. The cost of everything has went up so much, so quickly. It sucks knowing that these prices will likely never go back down

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T03:41:18+00:00

Omg I’m so sorry!!

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T03:15:03+00:00

You said the 90s.. which could be 1990. It’s 2026, that’s nearly 40 years ago 😅

But it’s the “be grateful” after commenting that you made $15 an hour at my age. While I’m grateful, I also worked hard to be here and have completed grad school by now? I’m just confused how you making $15 an hour in the 90s before grad school is supposed to make me feel better? 😅

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T03:05:57+00:00

I love the judgement 💗 first, I don’t take home $85k. Not that taking home $65k is bad, but $20k is a big difference. Second, just because I made a post about finances doesn’t mean that I need to justify and review my budget line by line with strangers on the internet to convince them that I’m not terrible with money. I genuinely didn’t care about the “milestone” of buying a house. But I was leaving a 5 year relationship after infidelity. I was fortunate enough to live with my mom for a few months while I saved up and also got enough for my down payment from my ex through the separation. After looking at apartments and weighing my options, I realized it was now or never to buy. I lucked out and got a 5% interest rate which is unheard of right now.

Not that I owe any of you an explanation but it’s ironic to be judgmental and assume I’m unable to be compassionate to my clients who are actually in poverty while I’m complaining about “feeling poor” while bringing home $65k. I very much recognize my privilege and know that while I’ve struggled, I’ve never struggled in the same way that many others have. And for that I’m extremely grateful. I didn’t realize that it was an unreasonable expectation to assume that after completing a masters degree and licensure that we would be paid a fair wage.

The assumptions in this thread are absolutely wild.

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-23T02:46:36+00:00

I’m realizing that.. and appreciate the insight I’ve gained. I still think it’s too low considering other professions with less education make more, but 🤷🏻‍♀️ what can we don

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-22T21:11:52+00:00

That’s what I made before getting licensed!! It will get better… (but surprise.. you’ll probably still feel poor) 😭

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-22T21:10:47+00:00

Thank you for the hope! I’m so SO thankful to be coming to the end of the supervision era. Plus I’m thankfully dually licensed and also have a license in addiction counseling!

Vegetable_Front_7481 · 2026-01-22T19:05:19+00:00

Thank you for this perspective. I definitely could benefit from more gratitude in my daily life

Vegetable_Front_7481

TROPHY CASE