If you love introspection, psychology, and have big empathy for other people, you might think you’re supposed to be a psychotherapist, but you’re not sure about it, due to burnout concerns. There are many many career alternatives to being a therapist that are worth a look.
I see it so often that kind-hearted or highly sensitive people (HSP) think becoming a therapist is the only option, even if they also worry it could get draining to empathize all day long. For some, it’s a perfect choice, without burnout, but it’s not for everyone!
This question of “what other jobs?” comes up a lot for introverts and highly sensitive people (HSPs) who can listen so well, and enjoy depth of connection, and read people so well… but they also know how they can lose energy with too much of it. You are built for caring, but…
Some people have already gone down the path of getting a master’s degree (such as in counseling or an MSW), to become a psychotherapist, mental health counselor (MHC), or marriage and family therapist (MFT), and then realize it’s not an ideal fit.
Worse, some are already burned out therapists, wondering what else they can do now that they have invested in this one known path. 🥵 I feel for you. Burnout is no fun.
The good news is that there are lots of alternative ways to express your talents and interests in psychology, depth, and helping — many of which could be less taxing on your energy and still pay well.
In this post:
- List of alternatives to being a psychotherapist.
- How to learn more about the ones that interest you.
- What about the worries of choosing something alternative?
- Making life easier for current therapists.
Alternatives to Being a Psychotherapist
Think of this list as only a starting place to help you brainstorm other jobs. As you read through, notice which ones strike a chord in your heart. Then, gather more information on those. (See below for ideas on how.)
The key is to get enough information about it and to consider what’s right for you, your interests, and your need for balance and rest. (It’s not as simple as just picking from a list.)
Health care fields involving psychology
- Occupational therapist (OTs can specialize in child development, sensitivities, neuroatypical, and more)
- Child development/ early childhood intervention specialist
- Speech and language therapist/ pathologist (all kinds of communication issues)
- Sleep specialist
- Nurse
- Neuropsychologist/ neuropsych evaluations
- Personal trainer
- Wellness coach
- ADHD counseling or coaching
- Careers in neuroscience
- Revise your therapist role to become more sustainable and enjoyable for you. [Private Practice Resource Hub]
Mind-body/holistic health care (alternative/complementary medicine)
- Acupuncturist
- Massage therapist
- Rosen Method Bodywork practitioner (bodywork and emotional work combined)
- Shiatsu massage
- Energy medicine practitioner, such as Reiki
- Somatics professional (as an adjunct to various types of therapy and body work)
- Yoga therapy
- Ayurvedic practitioner
- Other complementary, alternative, and integrative health practitioners
Creative arts that can be therapeutic
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Movement therapy
- Voice teaching
- Vibrational sound healing
- Expressive arts therapy (sample degree for this)
Professional coaching for growth and development
- Life coach
- Career coach
- Grief coach
- High Sensory Coach – use your HSP talents to help others. (Training info.*)
- Business coach (such as work/life balance coaching for solopreneurs)
- and so many other coaching specialties…
Career support
- Leadership coaching and training
- Human resources: talent development, hiring
- Recruiter
- Career counseling at a college
- Executive coach
- School guidance counselor
Consulting and training related
- Professional organizer
- Workshops and groups facilitator
- Meeting/Event Facilitator – such as strategy planning facilitation, company retreat facilitator, etc.
- Events planner
- Team building/ community building, such as being a ProjectConnect facilitator.
Workplace related
- Leadership roles (Yes, introverts make great leaders and it’s so much about people skills.)
- Organizational psychology/ organizational development
- Productivity consultant
- Trainer on whatever topics interest you
- Project manager
- Program manager
Heart-centered marketing related
- Authentic marketing and branding (These are really about applied psychology and sociology.)
- Content writer for a topic that interests you
- Graphic designer, and logo designer especially (because it requires understanding the essence of people and ideas and expressing it visually)
- Website designer for heart-centered professionals
Social services
- Geriatric social worker
- Volunteer program manager in social services
- Grief counselor
- Supervisor or mentor for therapists
- Case manager
- Probation and parole officer
- Youth counselor
Spiritual/ mindful guides
- Interfaith chaplain and/or spiritual direction
- Intuitive guide
- Psychosynthesis (blending psychology and spirituality)
- Astrologist
- Meditation teacher
- Clergy
- Workplace mindfulness training/ specialist
- Workplace wellness director
Alternative approaches to stress reduction/ therapeutic healing
- HeartMath practitioner or trainer
- Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) practitioner
- Inner Bonding practitioner
- Focusing facilitator
- KonMari consultant (decluttering to spark joy)
Research related
- Psychology researcher
- Psychology professor
- User experience (UX) design/ customer experience research – (It sounds technical but it’s about understanding people and making things easier for them.)
How to Learn More About Fields that Spark Your Interest
5 possible ways to explore ideas:
- Check out your LinkedIn connections to see if anyone you know is doing something like it. Ask them questions.
- Find an online group for people in that field and consider looking around or asking questions in there.
- When you want to dig in a little bit more with your favorite ideas, consider taking a brief low-cost course online to give you a small taste of it. (You can find good stuff for around $25 USD.)
- Consider an interactive course to help you choose your best fit, and/or a course to help you learn about self-employment for introverts and HSPs.
A good starting place:
Roadmap to Your Career Sweet Spot: a free tiny course for sensitive souls
“What Will People Think If I Choose Something Alternative?”
Perhaps you think your new ideas will come across as strange to those who’ve known you as a therapist or engineer or whatever your current path. Here are some insights that might help:
- Cheryl’s story: Why as a psychotherapist I have turned my focus to reading Akashic Records.
- The Worry About Being Seen as Too “Woo Woo”
- How To Find Your Right Career Path: Myths and Truths
- If you’re exploring coaching as an option, here are some support options for coaches.
- If you’re worried about self-employment and marketing, see: self-employment can be easier.
Making Life Easier for Current Therapists
A lot of people who land on this page are psychotherapists who are stressed out and/or too alone with their work. (All too common, based on the hundreds of people visiting this page every month.)
You might be in the “Should I stay or should I go?” question, and maybe not sure how to resolve that or who to talk to.
If you want some support and connection around any of this, here are 2 ideas:
- Get some meaningful connection with your peers in a Connection Circle for Clinicians. This is not a peer supervision group. This is about filling your cup in a genuine way, with people who get it, facilitated by a former clinician who started ProjectConnect.
- Consider career coaching for sensitive souls/HSPs and introverts, to have some support from someone who gets you. Most coaching is done by phone or Zoom so location doesn’t matter. The fit is what matters.
* Disclaimer: If you use the link above to the High Sensory Coach training, I might receive a referral bonus from them, but I can honestly endorse their work after getting to know the leader and the program.
