NASW Social Work Talks EP 118: Career Pivots — It's Never Too Late to Become a Therapist
Aug 8, 2024
Daniel Duane, a writer and author, shares his transformative journey from journalism to therapy, highlighting the influence of long-term therapy on his career pivot. Karey Swartwout, a chef, discusses how her experiences in the restaurant industry and family ties to counseling inspired her to pursue therapy. Dr. Brooke Stroud, a clinical psychologist, reflects on her path from political activism and personal loss to private practice. Together, they explore the unique perspectives and advantages midlife experiences bring to the therapeutic profession.
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Raised Around Counseling, Trained In Kitchens
- Karey Swartwout recounts growing up around counselors and working in restaurants, which exposed her to people's needs.
- Those experiences combined with curiosity about what makes people tick led her to enroll in a master's program.
Personal Loss Redirected A Career
- Brooke Stroud describes a life path from psychology studies to politics to journalism, then personal loss that redirected her to clinical work.
- Her father's death and subsequent therapy prompted her to pursue doctoral training and private practice.
Midlife Maturity Shapes Therapist Identity
- Older trainees bring life-hardened intuition and a more developed identity into therapy training.
- That maturity changes how they form a therapeutic persona compared with someone starting in their 20s.
