As many of you may or may not know, I have been licensed in the State of Texas as a Professional Counselor since Methuselah was an infant. I was an ardent psychotherapist in my twenties, working in several community mental health centers and also on a psychiatric unit. After marrying, I had a small private practice for a long time, followed by a relatively short stint working as a therapist in the private offices of another LPC. I was also licensed way-back-when as a marriage and family therapist and certified as a drug and alcohol counselor.

When I moved permanently to California, I met the resistance of a state that did not want out-of-state people coming in and snapping up licensed positions. Therefore, after applying for reciprocity, I was unceremoniously rejected, stating that the Master’s degree I had received fifteen years earlier had not required quite as many courses as the California system now did. Consequently, when I was told by the California licensure board that I had to take four more counseling psychology classes plus again pursue 3000 hours in an internship (which I had already completed many years before), I decided to go another direction. That’s when I taught 4th grade Language Arts in a movie-industry private school in West Hollywood, which eventually launched my 25-year career as a private tutor and writing teacher. And, yes, over all those years, I have had the chance to use my counseling background every day, creating a safe environment where my student could pour out their hopes, dreams, fears, and frailties. I have also had the opportunity to work with many children for multiple years, creating strong bonds that remain intact. Very satisfying work indeed.

So, why now? Why am I officially re-entering the therapy field after all these years? Telehealth is the answer. I can now qualify to receive insurance payments for therapy with people from many states across the country and can work with them via Zoom.

I plan to continue as a writing teacher and college coach. I am working right now with students applying to dental school, and will soon start hearing from high school and community college students ready to apply to four-year colleges. Plus, there will be a whole slew of medical and law applicants over the next months. Still, sprinkling in a few therapy clients sounds like a wise and fairly easy choice at this point in my life. After all, I will eventually age-out of the college coaching/essay-writing game. But I know from watching my psychologist mother that age is considered a virtue in the counseling field. Mom worked until just before she died at 82. I’m hoping I can do the same until I shuffle off this mortal coil.

I know from my past experience in counseling that part-time is much better than full-time. It can be a tough field and the option not to hear people’s concerns eight hours a day is a wonderful one. Plus, I plan to bring my writing passion into the mix so that my clients can learn the therapeutic benefits of journaling and reframing themselves and their life narratives through the written word. I’ve spent years learning how to do that personally and am excited to share that healing process with others.

So, life has unexpectedly opened up, allowing me to rekindle one of my passions. I’m excited to head off on this new journey.