When LinkedIn crunched the numbers recently, we saw a big increase in the number of mental health professionals who made a job transition during the pandemic -- specifically people who left their old role to do something entirely different. In the U.S., job transitions were nearly 41.8% higher in 2021 compared with 2019, and in Canada, they were 53.4% higher. We also saw most people entering the field without an advanced degree, which tracks with what I've been hearing anecdotally about the demand for counselors who can facilitate less intensive, peer-to-peer level support. #MentalHealthProfessionals: Have you made a #careerchange during the pandemic? Why and what are you doing now? I'm also interested in hearing from anyone who either became a therapist or left the field over the past two years! #LinkedInData #PathtoRecovery
Mental health needs to be more of a focus relative to physical health. We do so much in the area of prevention and wellness on the physical side, but now it’s time to do the same on the mental health side.
After 16+ years working from the ground up in various Substance Abuse/Mental Health non-profits in the Northeast I was completely burned out and left for the private sector. I never thought I would leave the population that was so dear to my heart, but it became a matter of personal health. It is nearly impossible to deliver quality care under the increasingly demanding and uninformed mandates of managed care. State requirements are often conflicting and work against ethical clinicians and agencies who are trying to provide care to clients whose needs have become increasingly emergent and complex. Managing terrified staff and clients with no PPE throughout the early days of the pandemic was challenging and exhausting. The majority of my clinical staff and all of my residential staff worked on site throughout the pandemic with constant exposure to COVID and minimal awareness of society. Many seasoned and caring clinicians, like myself, are leaving the field in droves. The Powers-to-Be do not seem to notice, or, if they have, are doing little to understand or stop the Exodus. Lives are at stake. Why isn't more being done?
Some clinics are moving to “a different business model “ where they don’t pay benefits and want to do as much as possible by telehealth. Telehealth was great for my patients who have chronic pain and mobility issues. For most of the others it just led to being more socially isolated than ever. Telehealth is cheaper because it’s easier to see more people in less time, and easier to do concurrent documentation. If the employee doesn’t have benefits and time off, it leads to burnout and a less effective service. There’s no supervision in this business model. An employer utilizing this model doesn’t care. They are only interested in risk management and profit.
I am SERIOSLY ready to change my focus in nursing or leave it for good The reason is the For Profit healthcare machine TENET HEALTHCARE owns my hospital. ...I can explain my discontent in 3 simple phrases. PROFITS OVER PATIENTS, CENSUS OVER SAFETY AND RECRUITMENT OVER RETENTION. We are pushed to get patients in by 1159 because they will be paid for 1/2 day. We are losing are ability to screen patients for appropriateness. I received a concussion in Oct. There were at least 10 other staffseriously assaulted within that year. During an open meeting the Former CEO she did not address retention once but talked about recruitment WAY TOO MUCH. I am a nurse of 27 years. I have a bachelor's in Research and Theory. There were NO bridge programs27 years ago I have an A.N. and I HAVE to go back for a B.S.N. to work at any of the major Boston Hospitals. There were very few programs for a A.N. to B.S.N for Nurses who already had a Bachelor degrees...Degree inflation is rampant. So all of my experience means nothing. No other field do you have to get "Their Bachelor's." So at 56 I am ready to leave psychiatric nursing.
I have been a practicing mental health provider since 2014, so I did not make much of a change; however, I did start a new job just as the pandemic started in my small Oregon community. It has been rough, we have seen many professionals either leave the agency or profession. I see a lot my fellow therapist are leaving public or agency services to start a private practice. I myself, have started having that thought as telehealth is becoming more of a reality. It is great that some many people want to consider engaging in mental health services and others are using it to start their own practice. I do see some challenges as in-person will always be needed because some people experience very severe mental health and/or drug issues that cannot be managed in a telehealth setting. As a social worker, I always want to point out the challenges with client's who experiences low socio-economic issues that telehealth and pandemic issues will keep rising. I continue to work at my community-based agency and work as a telehealth therapist on the side for extra income. My personal reality is I need the extra income to have disposable income for my self-care for vacations, nights out and buying next gifts for my loved ones or myself.
The pandemic has imparted everyone's mental health including professionals. Mental health professionals are human they have feelings and do burn out, many times they get drained by the demand of their jobs and requirement for professional currency. Unfortunately, many employers do not understand how enormous it is to bear the burden of others while sometimes hiding yours. Many mental health professionals are changing jobs to help their own mental wellness, get better income for their sustenance and above all some prefer to dictate the tone and the timing of their practice therefore they move to private practice . Some employers will only be able to pay advisers not mental health counselors thereby looking for quantity which cannot be proportional to quality of service.?
Psychotherapist @YourSouthAsianTherapist
2 年I think the fact that most #mentalhealthcare companies don’t offer #equitable access to mental healthcare for their employees contributes to this burnout and sense of being undervalued. Clinicians needs clinicians, too!