Path to Psychotherapy

[euisme, BSN]

I hope this is the place to post this. I need some sense slapped into me :)

I want to heal people. Nursing offers the ability to take care of people and a solid career that is needed everywhere. However, I love psychology and the mind, and the idea of psychotherapy sounds like a career I'd enjoy into/past retirement.

I've been obsessing about changing majors to Psychology and then LPCC or LCSW after a classmate in Stats said she spent 3 years waiting for an ADN lottery at nearby local community colleges. I think I'm a few points shy of the bottom range of accepted into the BSN (C+ in Microbiology and Gen Chem, A's everywhere else) -- it would take this Fall's applicants to overall do poorly than last year's. If I ace the TEAS before Fall 16, I have a better chance of getting in (my school is strictly based on points).

Anyway, it scares me to think about the lottery even though my brother got in twice his first try (first time he changed his mind, then reapplied and was picked again).

That worry has grown into a strong desire to drop my pursuit into nursing and go the counselor route. If someone asked me what was "in my heart" then I'd say counseling, but I'm worried I'm just euphoric on the fresh new idea, and the logical side of me says Nursing is still the smart route in the long-run.

However, maybe I should just keep to my goal to become an RN, and then continue the path to NP, and then certification for PMHNP? Downside is my local university only offers an MSN in FNP, and due to family I'm not able to relocate when the next nearest school with the PMHNP program is about 110 miles.

Am I crazy? I almost dropped my last requirement for the summer to go for Psychology but I can't bring myself to do it. Is it because my logical side is right -- I shouldn't go off impulse? Maybe I'll keep knocking out Psychology classes while I'm waiting and depending on when I get into the ADN I will, then ADN to BSN, then FNP, then PMHNP. 2 years, 1 year, 1 more year as a nurse, then 2 year MSN, then 1 year PMHNP -- is that right?

What's the reality of a psychotherapy private practice?

Of insurance panels for therapy to a PMHNP?

Sorry.. lots of questions, and a tired studying brain. But oh! Thank you for getting all the way to the end of this post :) I really have no one to share this stream of though that might understand what I'm going through.

Lastly, I'm in CA. Maybe want to move out of state (WA) in 10-15 years.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Moved to student NP forum.

[Anonymous1257]

PMHNPs typically receive a heavy load of psychotherapy training and are the only APRNs who can legally practice psychotherapy. Becoming a counselor is always an option for you, but you said you want to heal people, and while counsellors do wonderful work, the ability to prescribe medications to help your patients who need it is going to give you far more reach in helping individuals with mental illness than therapy alone.

I'm not sure if that answers you're question, though!