The Myth That “Good” Therapists Shouldn't Care About Money

Like many of us, I got my start as a therapist in community mental health. I was fresh out of grad school and I loved being a therapist, but the working conditions were horrible. It was like working in a factory. I was booking 6 or 7 clients a day, trying to make productivity, and feeling guilty when I hoped a client “no showed.”

It just wasn’t sustainable, personally or financially, to be honest, especially because my partner got sick around that time and there were lots of medical bills.

So, there I was working these ridiculously long hours… and also on food stamps.

And I remember being at staff meetings and whenever we got talking about the terrible working conditions, someone would say, “Oh well. We didn’t get in this for the money.”

Have you heard this before?

I can trace this sentiment back even further to when I was getting my Masters in Social Work. There was often this sense that, as therapists, we should be taking a “vow of poverty.” 

And it never sat well with me. Even in my earliest years as a therapist, there was something in me that knew there had to be something better. At some point, it dawned on me:

Therapists deserve to make a difference AND make a living.

Over the years, I was always paying attention to therapists who were thinking bigger and creating better jobs and lives for themselves.

I moved from community mental health to working with active-duty soldiers at Walter Reed Military Base. Then, I ventured into private practice. With each step, I expanded my confidence, my mindset, and my sense of what was possible.

A pivotal point came in 2012, when I started providing immigration evaluations. This work unexpectedly transformed my practice. Suddenly, I could work from anywhere, on my own schedule, while doing work that made a life-changing difference. With referral streams from lawyers, I could balance pro bono and full-fee work to provide access to a broad range of clients, while also creating a sustainable, thriving practice.

Providing immigration evaluations brought a level of meaning, freedom, and ease to my practice I never knew was possible.

And one of the best things is when I hear other therapists having this same experience.

With just a few evaluations, therapists are earning an extra $3k+ a month, and the possibilities are incredible. They’re leaving toxic jobs. They’re paying off school loans and going on their first vacations. They’re spending more time with their families and building financial stability and freedom for the future.

I’m excited to be part of a movement that not only supports clients but also supports therapists. We get to provide care and support for ourselves and our loved ones, along with our clients.

If you'd like to learn more about immigration evaluations and what possibilities they could have for your practice, download our free ebook, 5 Signs that Immigration Evaluations Are for You.