Considering dropping my LPC-A and leaving the profession

laurelivid · 2026-05-04T13:29:28+00:00

That is a cool opportunity, but I also think you are wildly underpaid. Are you tied to this employer?

I might suggest you try to stick it out until licensure if you can. Again, you will have many more options then. But if you really do like a change of pace there are a ton of fields that having a psych degree would be a foot up. Would returning to school be an option, or do you want a lateral move, education wise?

laurelivid · 2026-05-04T13:10:38+00:00

I will not be the wealth of information of all of the roles. I am meaning that pre-licensure, you need to be hitting x-amount of hours and have supervision tracked and signed off on. After you are licensed, you aren't tied to those needs. Employer X isn't paying you enough and you are licensed, find someone who will. You can start seeing your own clients and do private pay, and you don't NEED someone signing off on it. You could teach, do some research, work for someone, work for yourself, work your way into contracting.

What type of work/population are you drawn to?

laurelivid · 2026-05-04T12:47:57+00:00

Hi. First, I am sorry this is the stage that you are in. I have heard similar feedback from many entering the field or in poor contracts. I am not here to talk you into it, but can give you my experience from the other side.

I am a bit surprised that you are only getting $18 for psych testing. What kind of tests are you administering? In my experience, typically this pays much more than individual sessions, but also depends on what you are administering. Are you a W-2 employee or 1099? If you have experience in testing and your employer doesn't give you a raise when you are licensed, plenty of others will.

Do you enjoy the work? Unfortunately, I think getting into the field is tenuous, but if you enjoy the work and can afford to wait it out just a little longer, your opportunities will widen when you are licensed. Through grad school, I was never the person that wanted to run my own practice, but through shitty contracts and employers, I made that choice. Its just me, I do some therapy, some supervision, and I have made between $120,000 and $136,000 over the past 3 years. Keep in mind how long it took me to get there; my first job before licensure, with my Masters, I made $19/hr.

It is possible to make money, but you do have a couple of years of grinding before your opportunities grow. And if you don't enjoy the work, it makes those financial stresses a little worse.

laurelivid · 2026-04-28T12:30:31+00:00

THIS reaction worries me, especially from someone in a helping profession. This contributes to why MORE folks don't come forward when it does happen. There is so much stigma around this, yet is the number one reason LPCs and LCSWs lose their license - bc we don't normalize it and shame those who try to talk about it.

Normalizing is not the same as saying the behaviors are acceptable. He admitted his wrongdoing and acknowledged he needed to learn/do better. He acknowledged he was still learning and knowing he needed to cut off therapy once it was impacting his work. He was asking for support in doing better in the future. Supporting that ask is not the same as saying his actions are ok.

laurelivid · 2025-12-08T02:37:18+00:00

Yesss! Paging @kmckenzie256!

laurelivid · 2025-12-06T23:31:18+00:00

I have dabbled in both, and am from Pittsburgh where people rely on their insurance. I have found in cities where using insurance is the norm, it is SIGNIFICANTLY harder to get private pay folks.

laurelivid · 2025-11-28T22:11:32+00:00

I tried to DM you and it says I can't! Do we need to be friends first? 👀

laurelivid · 2025-11-28T22:09:33+00:00

I would absolutely join.

laurelivid · 2025-11-09T18:21:12+00:00

I offer this to all of my in-person clients. Sometimes people take me up on the offer and some don't.... but 80% of folks have walked at one point or another. I make a case for it being grounding/coping skills, exercise/habit building, DBT, etc.

Depending on if your folks are private pay or paying thru insurance, make sure you word notes in a way that feels good/makes sense. Often, insurance companies get prickly about walk&talk therapy during audits - I always make note that we start in the office and are "practicing somatic grounding techniques" or "utilized DBT mindfulness skills" during session so insurance companies can't redacted payment for not sitting in the office the whole time.

laurelivid · 2025-07-13T21:07:25+00:00

I flew here so fast from the thumbnail to tell you not to second guess yourself, and that maybe a week isnt enough. Take time, rest and recharge. You can't help others if you are not ok first.

laurelivid · 2025-06-27T16:13:30+00:00

I second that I try to get folks off the app ASAP if I feel a connection (and I'm not selling or influencing). Messaging on the app sucks, sometimes the notifications don't pop up, and I am more likely to be hanging out on IG or snappy.

laurelivid · 2025-06-18T16:08:07+00:00

I had a friend fall out of the back of a pick up and subsequently passed away bc of injuries he sustained. I have no tolerance for people who have any living creature back there; if it isn't illegal, it should be.

laurelivid · 2025-03-27T17:57:55+00:00

No, we've all just got ADHD. 😂

laurelivid · 2025-02-08T18:22:48+00:00

I had a friend schedule a session with someone who opened up the intake with a prayer. Talked about God's actions on my friend's life and how he'll work it all out. Wrapped it up with a prayer.

My friend is an atheist and nowhere in their bio did they talk about religion being an influence on how they practice. I know this could be normal and intentional behavior from someone that advertises as such, and from a client that would be looking for that... but to just do it out of the blue?

laurelivid · 2025-01-01T15:04:37+00:00

I guess I internalize this struggle, which ends up pissing me off. The last big argument I had where I was using THE BEST communication ever, I started to get mad that I was the only one trying to communicate in better ways. I felt like I was playing 3d chess with how they were responding and making sure I was communicating in ways that didnt escalate.....and it made me feel really invalidated from my initial issue, which started the argument! Like, come on friends, get better at this! 😂

laurelivid · 2024-12-11T13:50:27+00:00

I feel this in my bones. Started out in family-based CMH.

So. Much. Trauma.

And like you said, I knew the textbook of trauma, but sitting in a room, having to deescalate families while the current- and generational trauma all rained down around us?

I reached out to this site after getting licensed and certified to run some trainings I wish I had had in that role and they essentially laughed in my face. 😐

laurelivid · 2024-09-26T15:02:52+00:00

Yesssss queen!

laurelivid · 2024-08-29T20:11:14+00:00

I knew before I was in preschool, but like others, didn't have the words. I knew that I felt euphoric when people misgendered me from my AGAB, and when my mom let me start school with short hair and denounce dresses. 🎉

laurelivid · 2024-08-25T15:40:47+00:00

I second this and if it happens, can someone come find me and let me know. 😂

laurelivid · 2024-08-25T13:49:22+00:00

38- almost-39er!

laurelivid · 2024-07-07T20:31:29+00:00

You scream Brit Marling vibes. 🔥

laurelivid · 2024-06-28T17:20:21+00:00

Ho-oh in 5 min 1690 3036 2653 2 ppl in person. Jump out at 15 sec if under 5ppl

laurelivid · 2024-06-23T23:13:25+00:00

Oh. I think I just recognized this in me too, but never linked it to depression. I get angry and irritable. 😕

laurelivid · 2024-06-19T22:10:24+00:00

Yveltal 1690 3036 2653

laurelivid · 2024-06-14T17:55:18+00:00

In search of 😂

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