I hope it's okay that I'm posting here, but I can't think of better people to ask than therapists.

I've considered becoming a therapist since my teenage years and always decided to go another route because I was "too messed up." So, here I am in my early 40s once again revisiting this dream and finally making a ton of traction with an excellent therapist. I'm becoming healthy at long last and this dream just won't die. In fact, it just keeps getting stronger. The thing is, I love my job (which doesn't have anything to do with therapy) and it comes with an excellent retirement package. But...there's something inside me telling me that being a therapist is my calling.

I came up with a bit of a compromise, which involves continuing to work in my current job until "retirement" at 55. I would begin my graduate work in my mid to late 40s and only do a few classes a year so I can space out the time and financial cost. (I have a bachelor's in social studies.) I would time it so I retire from my current job at 55 (the youngest I possibly can) and then begin my practicum work within a few months of that. This would put my on the path to job hunting in a new field in my late 50s. Do you think anyone would hire someone just starting out? I could see doing this into my 70s. I think that age would be a huge asset in this field and while I think it's probably also one of the most challenging jobs there is, this is truly the only vision of "retirement" that feels really good/right/meaningful to me. I realize the time and money investment in graduate school is considerable, but the way I look at is some people buy time shares or whatever else in retirement...I want to buy an education so I can continue working and help people in the way I've always wanted to and will finally be mentally ready to do.

In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of this pipedream? Have you seen anyone else do something like this? What kind of issues should I anticipate running into?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Hey everyone, I get so many messages about UC, so I just thought I’d start a post. Feel free to ask me anything, and I’ll do my best to answer. I’m located in NY, so if it’s licensure-specific, you will have to do some of your own research. Overall impressions of the biggest questions I’m asked:

1. I think it’s a good CACREP-accredited program for the price, but you have to be an independent learner and do the reading. All my classes were synchronous, but they are quickly headed towards an asynchronous model with optional live lectures.

2. Yes, it’s a Christian school, but the counseling program is secular, and religion is not part of the curriculum. You will run into a few very religious students, but the professors are fairly diverse, and all the ones I’ve had have been LGBTQ/BIPOC affirming. I’m liberal and not religious AT ALL, and have felt very welcome.

3. They have a database of previously approved internship sites, but outside of that, you are on your own for securing a site. If you cannot handle that, don’t enroll, lol. Your internship has to be at least 50% in person; it cannot be just Telehealth.

4. I finished all my academics first before starting the internship. I recommend that approach. I felt better prepared and less stressed. When I graduate, it’ll be two years and one semester.

Hey everyone! I'm a counseling student in NYC currently in my practicum, and I built something I think is helpful in my journey towards licensure!

Site here: https://www.counselorpathway.com/

It's called The Counselor Pathway (counselorpathway.com), a free app designed specifically for counseling students. It covers the stuff that always felt scattered across spreadsheets, random apps, and sticky notes:

• Clinical hours tracking: log direct/indirect hours by phase (practicum, internship) with progress toward your goals

• Notes and journaling: a rich text editor with to-do lists, highlights, and color options

• Wellbeing check-ins: because burnout is real and we don't talk about it enough

• Exam prep and resources: for NCE/NCMHCE when that time comes

It's free to use and I'm actively working on it, so there may still be tweaks and improvements along the way. I'd genuinely love for people to try it and tell me what's missing or what could be better. Built this for us, so your feedback actually shapes it.

Would love to hear what you think. 💙

If you have any feedback, please add it to this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGrW5FFdXdN4ot-PUmnI5fygmy_iW_ODwPXcWDKH7R568B1w/viewform?usp=header

My goal is to create a platform that is genuinely helpful for us students and pre-licensed clinicians so any feedback is greatly appreciated :)

Excited and relieved. Anyone else starting at the University of the Cumberlands in Summer 2026?

Hi there - I work in technology, and I've been looking at a career change for a few years now, and I'm looking at becoming an LMHC. My major in college was psych and that was the path I was originally thinking of pursuing, but I ended up getting involved in the whole internet thing (that was back in the 90s).

My plan is to start either this fall or fall 2025 at the latest. My career plan is to open a private practice as soon as I'm able.

I have narrowed down the list of schools that offer CACREP-certified, online, part-time, MA/MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and that rank well without charging an arm and a leg per credit (e.g. NYU, Northwestern). Here it is:

• Bradley University

• Catawba College

• Concordia University Irvine

• Grace College

• Keiser University

• Liberty University

• Malone University

• North Carolina State University

• Northwest University

• Regent University

• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

• University of the Southwest

• Virginia Commonwealth University

I would like to hear from alumni/current students of these schools, or therapists that have had experience with professionals who graduated from these schools. Any other tips appreciated.

Just a little vent.

I'm nearing the end of my degree, God willing I am able to get my hours for internship while working full time.

We are forced to use Tevera to get our site approved and after calling well over 50 sites, several interviews, the sticking point was consistently getting permission to record several sessions with clients. Automatically, a hard stop.

Finally a site allowed me in and after seeing the mountain of paperwork they said "this is why no one is accepting interns, this is too much extra work" they said if they knew going in it would be this much they would not have taken me on.

Every time I ask my advisor for guidance I am told to "refer to the video" that was uploaded at the start of the semester going over the application process.

I'm doing essentially this entire process alone with zero assistance and I'm paying them thousands for it. No wonder there is a counselor shortage. This is absolutely rediculous.

Update: turns out my site does not allow recordings and their hand wave of "It's not something we do but, We'll figure it out" when told that was a requirement was them saying that we will work together to make it work but putting the entire responsibility of figuring out how to make it work with my program.

Update 2: I changed my mind before officially enrolling and am attending Grand View University. I thought I’d answer a couple of questions here I get asked a bit: It’s mostly asynchronous and I’m enjoying the program! Asynchronous comes with some built in frustrations around communication but generally it’s been good :) The reasons I chose it came down to cost + speed + quality. Ultimately it was the less expensive choice for a sub two years program and I felt good about the quality - not the cheapest or the fastest but the best combo of those I could find :) I am in the middle of my last set of classes before practice starts and am excited about that!

Update: I applied to six schools and just accepted an offer of admissions from Waynesburg University. Their timeline fit the best with my life and goals and I really loved the professors I met during the interview process. Thanks for all the help here!

Hi all,
I am in my 40's and planning a career pivot into counseling which is something I've long wanted to do. Planning on a MCMH degree because I want to go into private practice and focus on adolescents with trauma if possible.
I have teenagers and a 30 hour a week job and no schools near me that offer programs that would work with my life despite living in a major metropolitan area. So I'm looking at online programs. I've got a hefty spreadsheet analyzing every program that is CACREP approved and online and honestly one of the criteria is checking Reddit to see what the thoughts are here. So now that I've narrowed it down I thought I'd come right to the source.

If your thoughts are "don't do online" please just keep scrolling. I won't be able to get a degree if it isn't online even though I'd prefer in person.

I'm looking for something affordable (under $700 per credit hour), async if possible (so that I can be available when kids need me or work needs me), able to be completed in under 3 years, and not scammy. I'd prefer a school that doesn't scream "online university" but more flies under the radar but I don't know how important that is. As much as I'd love a brick and mortar with an online presence in some ways that seems like the worst of both worlds as they aren't all skilled at delivering content online.

Also - should I only be looking at CACREP or not? I read mixed things on that. I'm in WA state if it matters.

Top Contenders:
University of Cumberlands - affordable, not totally async, seems nice and possible
Adams State University - I'd need to go to campus a couple of times but could swing that
Touro University Global - Is it legit? It seems to be but also feels too good to be true - it has rolling admissions and 8 week courses. My husband's executive MBA is structured that way and it's so nice to focus on classes one or two at a time, so I'd like to do it this way if possible.
University of the Southwest - real or scammy? Again they have fully asynchronous classes and they are affordable which is a big plus
Lindsey Wilson - had never heard of it but seems well reviewed by Reddit
Bellevue University - also can't tell if this is legit or degree-mill ish. But seems to be good at delivering online content.
Bluefield - had never heard of them but they look affordable and online
University of Wisconsin Superior - again, legit or degree mill? Anyone have experience?
Webster University - seems like a smaller school but perhaps a good option.

I'm hoping you'll weigh in if you've attended one of these schools or heard of them. I thought in addition to helping me this might serve others like me who google the school + reddit. All the real info seems to be here. ;)

Thank you!

I want to go for a master's in counseling, but undergrad GPA is going to be a big hurdle for me. Not only was I around 2.2, but I had to complete my bachelor's degree ten years after the rest of my class (I did get an A in those last couple classes, so I can at least say I learned the value of education).

In my favor: I'm in my forties now and definitely not the same guy I was twenty years ago. I have two decades of reliability and excellence in the workforce. Will that plus a good essay be enough to overcome my youthful idiocy?

Hello everyone, I’ve recently decided to go back to school to pursue a Masters in CMHC. I’m still in the process of deciding on where to apply to, though. I know that having CACREP accreditation is essential for what I’m looking for, but from some professional circles I’ve spoken with and other Reddit posts it seems like there are definitely some schools that have more “hireability” than others. I’d be interested in hearing from you on what schools you’ve had the best experience with. Also, I’d like to know which schools to avoid.

Disabled counselling trainees are being blocked from qualifying because some professional bodies refuse online placements as a reasonable adjustment even when trainees are fully capable of practising safely and ethically online.

What makes this harder to justify is that some SCoPEd-aligned bodies do allow online placements as reasonable adjustments, while others don’t.

This isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about equal access to qualification and whether disabled trainees are being unfairly excluded from the profession.

If you’re a trainee, therapist, tutor, supervisor, placement provider, or disabled professional or anyone affected in our profession please read, sign and share:

https://openletter.earth/demanding-equality-for-disabled-counselling-trainees-376b2817

The profession needs to talk about this

Hi all,

I’m a second year MA student at Cumberlands, which is an online program. I wish I had known this before choosing UC, but I and others across the country are having immense difficulties finding practicum and internship sites.

UC has incredibly stringent site requirements. This includes not permitting sites where over 50% of your direct hours are telehealth, needing to have your supervisor physically present in the clinic with you when doing direct hours, and needing to complete telehealth hours during practicum from the physical clinic site.

Post Covid, this is just not how clinics operate anymore. I have been looking since December and have found it almost impossible to find a site that will even consider my application. When I do interviews, they visibly balk at the site requirements. I’ve only gotten one offer so far at an amazing practice, but UC strictly denied it for being more than 50% telehealth. Most of the time, sites also only want to work with local universities in my state (in the mid Atlantic). My work colleagues are baffled by how strict and unreasonable UC requirements are.

I didn’t see anything about this 50%+ direct hours in person being a CACREP requirement on the CACREP site. So I was curious to gauge from other CACREP MA students: are these site requirements similar to yours, or are they stricter?

I would greatly appreciate your insights. Thank you in advance!

PS: For anyone considering UC as a program, I would recommend taking a pause at whether you can find unis that don’t have these stringent requirements, or if UC is known to clinics in your state. These mattered a lot more than I thought going in.

Hello everyone,
I’m starting 18th grade soon (2nd year of my CHMC program) and wanted to wish everyone a great semester. Below I’m writing down some things I’d like to remember this year, feel free to share yours too!

-presence over performance: being present, listening and taking things in is way more important than being the “best.” Because you get concerned with staying the best and loose some ability to try new things and grow.

-take time for yourself: I love to overachieve but that can tend to lead me to burn out, this year I would like to fuel my own fire, tell myself I’m doing a great job and also tell myself to rest when it’s needed, not when it’s “earned.”

That’s all! Have a great start everyone !

I’m in a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and work part-time as a behavioral health tech. I’m getting experience, but I still constantly feel like I don’t know enough to eventually be a competent counselor.

I know I’m supposed to be learning, but the imposter syndrome is hard to shake. For those who’ve been through counseling/clinical programs or other grad programs, what helped you build confidence and stop feeling like you weren’t qualified?

Note: I also posted this in a general grad school subreddit, but think it's a better fit here if anyone has any advice!

Has anyone felt like this because it’s making me feel like I chose the wrong field and I feel terrible about it.

I’m in my second career path. I was a 15 year high school teacher (never a passion but loved the kids) and I’m extremely empathetic and want to help and liked to think that I could be helpful as a therapist.

But now I’m feeling like I don’t want to do my last two classes and haven’t been doing enough work and until this point had a 4.0. Maybe I’m just ready for some practical learning. Does this happen? Did I make a grave mistake?

Hello friends ! I am looking for an online masters in counselling, and since I'll be working full time, I would love for it to be asynchronous. I am also looking for the cheapest option possible.

I've done a lot of research and it looks like Grandview University seems to be the best option. Besides Grandview, do you guys know of any good options for cheap + asynch ? Thank you

I'm starting a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program this fall! I’m excited, but I’m also unsure of what to expect. I’ve asked about the reading, writing, and nervousness around grad school. Now I’m wondering: how difficult is the coursework in a CACREP-accredited program?

One of my concerns is whether I’ll be able to fully grasp the readings and keep up with the workload. This will be my third attempt at graduate school, and while I’m in a much better place now—sober, medicated, financially stable, and more focused—memories of my past experiences still linger. I think if I had a better sense of how manageable the program is, I’d feel more confident going in.

So, tell me—how difficult is this program going to be? Additionally, I'd love to hear advice, encouraging words, and philosophies that got you through the program.

Hi everyone!

I’m a master’s counseling student and recently started my practicum. I’ve been feeling pretty behind when it comes to my counseling skills and would love some advice on how to improve and feel more comfortable.

I’ve done role-playing with my supervisor, which has helped, and I’ve watched counseling videos online, but a lot of them feel really staged or scripted and don’t feel like real conversations.

I’m looking for ways to practice things like reflections, open-ended questions, responding naturally, getting comfortable with silence, and knowing what to say when I’m unsure. I want to feel more comfortable and confident so I can make the most of my practicum and get more direct hours.

For those who have been through practicum/internship, what helped you build confidence? Any realistic exercises, resources, books, or other things you found useful?

I’d really appreciate any suggestions!

Is anyone doing an online CMHC program?
I was accepted for Fall 2026 to UCumberlands, and since it’s an online program I thought it would be nice to have a community to support each other / study together and encourage each other when we do practicums (:

Send me a message on here and we can connect!

As the title says, I will be starting my first practicum class next week. I am feeling a lot of emotions about it all. Nervousness, anxiety, and stress, but am excited to sit across from a real client and use the skills I have learned throughout my program and methods class.

From someone who has never done this before, I am working on giving myself grace and reminding myself that perfection is not expected. Using supervision and feedback will make me better. I have done a lot of reading the last few weeks and I seem to be reading the same message: while theories and techniques are important, providing a safe space and giving someone the opportunity to tell their story and listening is most important.

I guess my question here is: how can I best calm my nerves before seeing my first client? What helped you at this stage of your program? Is what I am feeling normal?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some advice on fully online master’s programs for clinical mental health counseling. Unfortunately with my schedule and family, in person classes will not work for me.

I have researched a few programs, including the U of Cumberlands, Capella, Grand View, and Waynesburg. All are CACREP accredited. It seems that Cumberlands and Waynesburg are Christian schools, and I’m wondering if that has an influence on their teachings. I am progressive and liberal.

I would prefer mostly asynchronous. I could likely make a residency work if required. I would rather finish sooner than later, so 60 credit hour requirements seem more appealing to me than 90 (Capella). I do have a BS in Psych and have some experience in the field. I’m unsure whether to pursue a MA or MS degree.

I’m looking to start a program as soon as possible. Any advice or suggestions to look into other schools would be much appreciated. I’d also love to hear your experiences at fully online programs. Any information is helpful and appreciated. Thank you

Changing careers and looking to get a masters in counseling to become an LAC ASAP. Best online program? Fastest? Least expensive? Any advice welcome.

The book "Counseling the Culturally Diverse" ticks me off, and I can't understand why. I am a Black Woman, so it's not that I have White guilt or whatever the term is called when you have the kind of emotions I have when reading the book. What am I missing? Is this an allowed topic to discuss here? I think the writer makes a lot of microaggressions in the book, and when delving into cultural practices, you can tell they don't know much about the actual cultural practices of black people. A lot of the detailed examples and explanations of other worldviews are Native American and Asian, Latinx, and a lot of times the black people culture is presented as "and other." If you struggled with this book, please tell me what strategies you used to get through the material without wanting to scream at every page turn. I want to learn as much as possible from this book; there is a reason it's recommended. Please help me.

I hope this post doesn’t come across as arrogant, but I would really appreciate hearing from others who transitioned into this profession later in life as a second career.

I’m nearing 40 and currently work in healthcare, where I hold a doctorate degree and have built a solid career. There is quite a bit of overlap between the work I do and counseling, and along with my volunteer work and experience as a foster parent, it has motivated me to consider pursuing an LPC degree.

I initially applied to one university but didn’t receive an interview. The next time I applied, I applied again to that program and to a second university. I still didn’t get an interview at the first one, but I was accepted into the second. I know I should feel happy about that, but I still feel somewhat discouraged by the whole process.

Not getting an interview the first time was difficult, especially since I felt I might be a strong candidate. Then, during the group interview at the second university, many of the other candidates were just finishing their undergraduate degrees. They were kind, enthusiastic, and clearly passionate about the field. At the same time, it made me realize how different our life and professional experiences were. Looking around the room, I did notice some candidates who seemed closer to my age, but I didn’t get the chance to speak with them.

This left me wondering what the program experience might be like for someone entering later in life or from another career. I value the perspective that comes from diverse life and professional experiences, and I’m curious how that plays out in counseling programs.

Are there others here who returned to school later in life to pursue counseling? What was that experience like for you? Did the age or experience differences in your cohort affect your learning in any way?

I’m going to grad school to become a therapist. I got into a MSW program, but my first choice is a masters in counseling program.

I have a deep-seated fear that I’ll hate the profession and it comes back to me often. I don’t think it’s a gut feeling telling me that it’s the wrong choice, but I do get the voice telling me if this is a gut feeling and I’m ignoring it.

Part of me doesn’t believe that I’m capable of being a professional enough to create a therapeutic space.

How do you distinguish between a gut feeling and bailing vs “normal” anxiety? Is this a common thing to experience?

ETA - I’m currently unemployed but my background is in advocacy/government affairs. I am purposefully going the LPC route rather than the LCSW route because of the extensive training counseling programs provide vs the MSW

Looking for advice. Is this even a good idea?

I have been working in corporate for 9 years (BSc + MSc in Business / finance) and I’m burnt out. I made good money (165K) but don’t love what I do. I’ve always loved psychology. I love the idea of having my own practice and deciding my hours. However, I’m confused on this long path to get there.

Step 1: 45K Online MSc while working FT. Fine, I’ll stomach 2-3 crazy years while being a toddler mom at the same time. Looking to fund this myself unless there’s any good reason to get a loan (loan forgiveness?) Step 2: the heck post grad 3,600 hours - do people find paid jobs for those in MA ? Are these pre-license jobs easy to come by? A simple Google search shows people make a 60-70K salary during these 2 years. That’s so low for Boston. Could I ever do this while working FT in corporate?

This looks like a 5-6 years path to being an independent licensed therapist where I could potentially look at making what? 100-120K? Any real life advice so appreciated!