So, what’s therapisting all about?
therapisting is a blog about the unspoken parts of becoming and being a therapist. We interview therapists about their life stories, personal challenges, and career advice – and present it in a way that simultaneously protects privacy and enables honesty.
A bit about me
Hi, I’m Sean! After a 10+ year career in tech and consulting, I decided to change careers into clinical social work with the goal of becoming a therapist. I’m starting my MSW program at Smith College School for Social Work in June 2026!
While I’m interested in practicing psychotherapy one day, I’m not sure what I want my career to look like just yet (e.g. work settings, populations, lifestyle etc). So even though I’ll be the one writing therapisting, I’ll also be a reader.
Why therapisting exists
Back when I was deciding on whether or not to become a therapist, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out if it was the right move for me. As a career changer, I wanted to be as sure as I could be before going to grad school and taking the plunge. Most of my gut was telling me that it was the right call, but I still needed more information to feel sure.
I focused my attention on six areas while trying to reach a decision:
Engaging in my own personal therapy
Speaking with practicing therapists that I already knew
Reading (okay, reading and listening) to books about psychotherapy
Researching grad programs and budgeting for associated costs
Working part-time and volunteering in clinical settings
Researching everything on the internet about what it’s like to be a therapist
#1-5 were invaluable; #6 left a lot to be desired.
Most of what I found on the internet about becoming and being a therapist were generic articles that all sounded the same – kind of like they were written by an AI bot (many probably were). Lots of articles tell aspiring therapists that they “should be good listeners” and that being a therapist “can be fulfilling work,” but little information is more specific than this. How unsatisfying! What was it actually like to be a therapist?
I craved details – a real, honest look into the hearts and minds of therapists. Things like:
How did you decide to become a therapist?
What do you feel like people misunderstand about being a therapist or therapy in general?
How do you take care of yourself?
Do you stress about money?
What is the hardest part of becoming and being a therapist?
I still have so many more questions.
I couldn’t be the only one who craved specifics, right? I imagine other aspiring therapists have to be hungry for this kind of detail. After all, therapy’s emphasis on individual differences probably attracts people to the profession who are interested in this level of nuance.
I also had to believe that practicing therapists may be intrigued by the experiences of their colleagues. As the famous psychologist Carl Rogers said, “What is most personal is most universal.” Maybe we can all see a bit of ourselves in each other.
You may be thinking, “Yeah, Sean, this sounds great and all, but maybe therapists don’t want their intimate personal stories floating around on the internet. Ever heard of self-disclosure?” It’s a fair point. Therapists have varying levels of comfort with self-disclosure, so we’ve created a spectrum of interview anonymization that simultaneously protects privacy and enables honesty. It meets our interviewees where they’re at and gives them full control over their online presence.
And so, therapisting was born to help answer the question: what happens if therapists are given a platform to share their unique experiences with others? I’m not sure where this little project will go, but I’m really curious about what we’re able to learn from each other.
— Sean
The information provided on this mental health blog is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. therapisting is not a healthcare provider and does not offer medical or psychological services. Use of this blog does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. For any questions and/or mental health guidance, please consult a licensed mental health professional.
