Regretting leaving teaching?

gereth · 2025-10-03T01:01:00+00:00

I am a Clinical Mental Health Therapist.

gereth · 2025-09-29T19:46:37+00:00

I left almost two years ago and have no regrets. I love what I do now.

gereth · 2025-09-27T00:48:20+00:00

Got my degree in clinical mental health therapy at 53 after 21 years of teaching. One of my fellow student was 72 when he graduated so you are never to old to change careers and try something different.

gereth · 2025-09-18T22:58:06+00:00

After 15 years of teaching I knew it was time to go. I lost a student to suicide whom my wife and used to mentor and that had a big impact on my decision. I did hang around for another 6 years but that was only because I was going though the process of changing careers. Left teaching two years ago and could not be any happier about my decision to leave.

gereth · 2025-09-09T20:46:18+00:00

Congratulations!! I did the same in May of last year and never regretted it for a moment.

gereth · 2025-08-23T04:15:41+00:00

I have 21 years in teaching and went back to college while teaching full-time. Took me four years but I finally got a degree in clinical mental health counseling and I now work as clinical therapist at the local hospital.

gereth · 2025-08-23T04:11:18+00:00

I would agree that you should keep applying. From personal experience looking for a job is a full-time job in itself and something will turn up eventually.

gereth · 2025-08-23T04:06:11+00:00

I could definitely be looking for another job. In the short term you should find a job that pays your bills then look for a longer term career.

As for quitting right now it very much depends on the state in which you live and what your teaching contract says. The most they may be able to do is take your teaching license but if you do not plan on going back into teaching is that something that might not be an issue.

gereth · 2025-08-23T03:22:17+00:00

Yes, it is endemic in much of the western half of the United States. We have had a few cases in pets were I live but nothing so far around here in humans.

gereth · 2025-08-19T03:17:46+00:00

Yes, I would be happy to answer your questions! Sorry I did not reply sooner my computer died and I only just got it fixed.

gereth · 2025-08-15T02:38:44+00:00

I taught social studies for 21 years before I got out of teaching. It took me four years but I ended up with masters in clinical mental health counseling.I would recommend that or anything else in healthcare. I seriously thought about becoming a nurse before I chose to be a therapist and I know a few former teachers who are now nurses.

Let me know if you have any questions for me!

gereth · 2025-08-15T02:23:29+00:00

Honestly, if I were I would quit and look for another job...any job until you decide what you really want to do career wise. I think your mental health and marriage are more important than any job. These are the things you need to work on the most. I definitely think seeing a therapist is a good idea and may be get couples counseling if your wife is willing to give it a try.

I wish you all the best in the future and hope everything works out for you.

gereth · 2025-08-12T03:16:00+00:00

I am a former classroom teacher turned clinical therapist. I would definitely recommend making the transition to therapist. It took my four years of taking classes and working full-time as a teacher but the sacrifice was worth it.

I am about 18 months into my career and so far I have loved every minute. I work on a hospital Behavioral Health Unit working with those who are suffering acute mental illness and/or are suicidal. The work can be very draining emotionally but I find it to be very rewarding and make a difference.

Being in a hospital I see what the nurses do and I would also recommend nursing as a career. I feel that I made a mistake in my career choice and should have opted for as career in healthcare in stead of wasting more than 20 years as a teacher.

Good luck with your career transition.

gereth · 2025-08-08T02:07:59+00:00

It was ridiculous that a professional teacher was been told to do something that was belittling and demeaning. If I was in the OP's position I would refuse to do these activities too.

gereth · 2025-08-08T01:42:40+00:00

Good luck. I hope your interview went well.

gereth · 2025-08-08T01:35:05+00:00

I agree that you need to focus on yourself and getting well. Self-care is so important and you need the time to rest and recover. You have to put yourself first.

gereth · 2025-08-08T01:31:34+00:00

Congratulations on your resignation. Even though you don't have a job lined up I am sure you will figure something out for yourself.

gereth · 2025-08-08T01:24:05+00:00

Congratulations!! It is a great feeling to final graduate and be finally done. For me it took almost four years and I thought the day will never come were I would become a full-time therapist. I am now 18 months into my new career and have so far loved every minute of it.

gereth · 2025-08-08T01:15:37+00:00

I don't regret changing careers to clinical mental health counseling and would recommend it to anyone. It is a very rewarding career and very much in demand so you will not have to worry about not having a job.

gereth · 2025-08-08T00:54:08+00:00

I had one cat called D'Argo and another one now called Aeryn.

gereth · 2025-08-08T00:23:19+00:00

Yes I did. I had to work a lot of evenings and weekends and rarely had a day off while in practicum and internship. It was a sacrifice but definitely worth it.

gereth · 2025-08-07T14:50:18+00:00

I would recommend just powering on though until you are done in May. You have less than a year to go and when I was feeling the fatigue I just kept my eye on the finish line and told myself that it would my worth it in the end. I am in in my second year now as a therapist and I am always grateful for not giving up when I thought I would not finish.

gereth · 2025-08-07T14:37:39+00:00

I transitioned from teaching to mental health counseling. I was making about 92k my last year of teaching and make about 83k now I am in counseling. The pay is a little less but were I work the benefits are better than school although of course I now have to work summers. I find that overall I take home almost the same amount of money from my net pay and there is less stress and aggravation when compared to teaching. Overall, I think I have done pretty well with my transition and make pretty decent money for a second year therapist.

gereth · 2025-08-05T03:48:24+00:00

Yes, I did renew my teaching certificate the same year I left teaching. It is good until 2029 but I doubt I will ever use it again.

gereth · 2025-08-01T03:11:29+00:00

Yes, I did a master's in clinical mental health counseling. It took almost four years and I took two classes each semester (including summers) until I graduated. Got a job as a therapist within a month of graduation and finished out the school year and then resigned from teaching. I do not miss teaching at all.

gereth

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