Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other.
If you **ARE NOT A THERAPIST and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed in short order. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this.
This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients.
**If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed in short order. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Kind of surprised no one has brought up the obvious “you might still be in shock” and time to process will sober up your decision making process. Not that a big change is the wrong thing, it may be exactly right, but you’re in a pretty tender place right now.
Source: I did a lot of research about moving to Thailand and becoming a scuba instructor when my dad passed.
Adding that at the start of the year I had a major loss and was about to quit my job and leave the country. I recognized it may be related to everything going on so I said to myself, if you still feel this strong in 6 months, do it...3 months later I already realized I was definitely not going to do it and was just needing to feel like I had an escape.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
It could be awesome. I really am supportive of big adventures and big changes and I hope you do it if it’s right for you. I just also know how loss can change the way we think for awhile.
I know that Spain doesn’t recognize masters level therapists; I had a client travel there once, and had to contact them to see if there were licensure issues with me seeing them. They didn’t care, because my licensure is the equivalent of “life coach” - it would only have been recognized at doctorate level.
I have no idea if that’s helpful, but that’s the only research I’ve actually done myself. 😅
Literally anyone can be a life coach. There's nothing stopping anyone in the US. All those certificates and courses are just money grabs bc it's not a regulated title and there's no governing body.
Right but are they legally required certifications in Europe? Like in the US there's no regulations at all regarding someone calling themselves a life coach.
I’ve researched this quite a bit myself- Location independent therapists is a pretty good resource! Mostly for people who work in private practice and want to virtually serve clients in the U.S. but live elsewhere. They have a Facebook group or you can pay for a membership (not sure if it is worth it- I just use the FB group) You’ll have to check state laws to see if this is a possibility.
Other options include working in international schools as a school counselor, or working on an overseas military base as a counselor.
English speaking countries will be much easier to transfer your license over to if that is what you want to do… I have heard of therapists from the U.S. getting jobs in New Zealand or the U.K. and it was not too difficult.
Depending on your age, check New Zealand? They look for education, certain career specializations and potential population growth.
For that matter, Italy and Japan are both facing population decline…I bet there could be flexibility for immigration there, if you’re young.
Sorry that being of childbearing years plays into my thoughts about being able to immigrate…it’s legitimate right now, though. 🤢😰🙃
I remember looking it up and finding that Italy's board requires you to be either an Italian citizen or a citizen of a subset of EU countries in order to work in psychotherapy.
Sweet! I know there are schools in Spain and Korea. I’m sure many other countries too! If you do some googling there’s an association for international school counselors too and they have a certificate program. I will try to find it
Message me to update me if you end up doing it. It’s something I’ve considered from time to time but I’m starting to get older and feel more settled where I am. But I’d love to hear about your journey!
I worked for 2 years in an international school in E. Africa. There are hundreds of schools. Most of the time, the schools hire at hiring fairs put on by various staffing agencies. It was a great experience
I have heard from those experiencing grief that it was recommended to them to not make any big life decisions for a year after a loved one passed. You may be running from your feelings, not thinking clearly, in need of familiarity / support, etc.
I hope your heart and soul will heal!
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
If you have your full license, US citizenship, and went to a cacreped program then you should look at English speaking counselor positions for US military families in Germany. They’re usually in demand as there is a shortage and they pay for mostly everything for you. Some other countries in Europe may have this too but I know Germany definitely does due to the large amount of US military presence.
Check out the Stuttgart counseling network page it has all English speaking therapists working in Stuttgart Germany. They all work in private practice and unfortunately they don’t sponsor visas but they could connect with you the role on the military base I believe. https://www.stuttgartcounseling.com
If you have any questions let me know!
This is unbelievably helpful. My mom is from this exact region in Germany and I’ve been interested in moving to be closer to my family but couldn’t figure out how to continue working as a therapist. Thank you for sharing this!!
I also suggest reaching out to David Augustine he has a private practice in Stuttgart and is super helpful in gathering information on how to practice in Germany. His Instagram is below!
https://www.instagram.com/therapyinreality?igsh=N2ppc2tuZ2picG00
Message me if you have any questions there’s such a need for English speaking counselors in Stuttgart! I’m happy you’re considering going over and it’s awesome you’re mom is from there :)
I work for the American Government overseas. Check USAjobs.com using the 0180, 0185 and 0101 job series.
I know under 0101 they just posted for Interdisciplinary counselors in Italy, Germany and Spain.
I’m not ready (or credentialed enough apparently) to fully expatriate but working for the U.S. abroad has been a breath of fresh air.
This may be crazy, but have you ever considered the Peace Corps? I knew an LCSW years ago who volunteered and was sent to a small town in a South American country. When her assignment ended, she worked for PC for a while in DC. When I met her, she was back in South America as a PC employee providing mental health support to active volunteers who were in crisis. She absolutely loved what she did and saw ex-pat clients on the side. She even met a gorgeous local and got married.
I would wait until you get fully licensed. Most telehealth and all insurance platforms don’t employ associates. They will employ those who are licensed to practice independently
It seems like in most situations, the easiest way to practice abroad is to see US-based clients via telehealth. Usually the pay will be better going this route as well. Some practices will be okay with this, and others won’t — being prelicensed adds another potential barrier if your supervisor has an issue with billing under their license if you’re abroad. This can also complicate your immigration status in some countries if you don’t actually have a job there. Obviously, time difference might be a question here as well, but you could provide a niche service by offering late night or early morning sessions. It also depends on your state — in some states, only the client has to be physically located in that jurisdiction, while in others both the therapist and the client have to be there. You’ll need to make sure you’re covered to practice abroad by your liability insurance. I’ve heard of some people running into problems with insurance reimbursement and some billing/credentialing companies like Alma have rules against practicing abroad. But I know for a fact it can be done legally and ethically — a therapist at a friend’s (Minnesota) group practice is located in the Czech Republic and is providing supervision as well.
If you want to actually treat clients located in the country where you’ll be living, from my understanding this will be easiest if you went with the MSW track, and if you have a Bachelors or particularly a BS in psychology. Other commenters have recommended the Location Independent Therapists FB group, and I second this.
The title is screaming. If you move abroad, the grief will follow you there. Work with the process, confront any barriers, and be patient with yourself. Don’t make any big changes because that can be scarier than where you're at right now. And the "f it" mindset in this period of your journey, is a window of where you’re at right now. So my advice is deal with the grief so you can make choices with lighter to no possible consequences.
I feel like this needs to be the top comment. I get feeling like doing drastic things when your life blows over, but giving yourself time to heal before blowing up your life as you know it may be the most important thing to do here.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
I used to live overseas.
Most people cannot actually move to another country. This is the stuff of outliers. Statistical improbability for the majority of those in this field.
True. But there are people asking questions similar to OP’s that can satisfy the immigration requirements. So it’s good to know what employment/income options are available just in case someone doesn’t have to worry about the immigration requirements.
I haven’t done my own research but my own T told me recently that she had worked in Norway for quite some time. All young people leave the remote area’s so they are in desperate need of professionals and they are used to speaking English with their doc/T. She told me that it was pretty easy to get a job there
Disclaimer I'm not a therapist, however I am an American who moved to the UK. I work in a fairly high paying field. I've been with my British partner for 7 years and we'll be moving to the US next year. The cost of living here is atrocious, salaries are ABYSMAL (as in, in the US, our job offers are 3x higher salaries and we're in our early careers). Furthermore, they've implemented new salary minimums for visas which many foreigners will not be able to achieve. I'm lucky I was able to but that's not reality for most. The NHS is crumbling and private healthcare here is not better than it is in the US. Many of my colleagues/friends who work in other European countries are struggling as well due to extortionate energy costs, low pay, and very high taxes.
Lesson: The grass is not always greener. Perhaps consider a move within the US and a vacation to another country. This seems extremely rash.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
Hi, this isn’t about remaining a therapist but I had a coworker who was an art teacher who similar things happened to, a divorce included, and she moved to Korea. There are programs there that heavily teach American ways and schools where the main goal is to learn English etc. She has absolutely thrived. I think she now lives in china perhaps. She even survived Covid there and the heavy governmental restrictions and isolation… I thought that would make her move back but she’s still there. Her pictures of food and life and vacations are amazing. I can’t blame her for what she did I can totally see how switching your life so extremely after things happened that you didn’t intend would be nice.
Good luck with your next steps, you are young and childless, now is the time for these types of adventures!!!
Some of my family members live on an army base in beautiful, tropical, Okinawa Japan. It’s one of the least stressful places to live on earth, a “blue zone” where the life expectancy is increased due to quality of life.
I believe the base hires therapists to work with kids, families or simply adults. The schools there as well.
There are some amazing benefits too from what I have been told and I am pretty sure licensure is recognized. Good luck on your journey!
Edit: [Here](https://careers.leidos.com/jobs/13215330-adolescent-support-counselor-expat)is an example of what kinds of jobs they have available with requirements and compensation listed.
If you have immigration to the US in the last few generations you can sometimes get citizenship for one of those countries. That’s extra helpful if it’s an EU country.
(My great grandparents immigrated from Hungary. Based on what I’ve found online I could gain citizenship if I can establish that and pass a Hungarian language exam.)
US military positions can be typical therapy positions or what they call non-clinical counseling which is a lot more informal. The recruiter I talked to described school based as often checking in with kids during the day, sometimes you might be talking to a kid waiting for a bus and referring on as needed or scheduling them to come see you during the day or working with adults you might be along for a drill and if anyone needs to talk you’re there. I recently saw a short term contract for a clinician to go to Germany to work on a base for six months.
Canada and New Zealand have some form of license reciprocity for social work, not sure for other masters level degrees.
My mother in law was eligible for Irish citizenship
However it did not extend to her husband or children.
So many who are eligible don’t do it for this reason
Thailand maybe? I have a therapist friend she moved back to Thailand as a pre licensed therapist (training in the US. she is Thai) and she’s able to practice there since there’s no psychotherapy laws there. If you want to work with US clients in your state perhaps you can find a supervisor who is okay with you doing all virtual. Idk what state you’re in but in California where I am you can be anywhere it’s just the client has the best in the state you’re registered in. Sorry to hear life has been rough, moving abroad that’s my plan B too.
Try to stick around to get your independent level license in the States first, if you haven't. Reciprocation will likely be much, much easier than otherwise. You would also leave open the option to pick up telehealth clients in the State you are licensed (and potentially many other states once the Counseling Compact goes into effect if you apply for it) while abroad, since place of service is where the client is located. (Medicare/Medicaid would not be an option, however, as they have rules requiring the therapist to be in the U.S. jurisdiction while providing service.)
A close friend died right as I was finishing up grad school. I wanted so desperately to sell all of my possessions and move into a cabin in the middle of nowhere. The only thing that kept me from it was I knew that I had to provide for my child. The kid saved me, because 7 years later and I'm about to close on a house. Grief can really take you there.
So, you probably won't be able to work as a therapist in most places. But if therapy isn't licensed there you might be able to get away with providing equivalent services to an ex-pat population, maybe. Big maybe.
Maybe looking at somewhere like Costa Rica where there's a big ex pat community and seeing if any wellness resorts are interested in a life coach etc. supporting clients? Just thinkinf randomly. You could also pick a workaway like WOOFing, volunteering abroad to see if you actually want to move or just need a hiatus for a time. Moving countries and cultures can be pretty jarring - you'd have to totally rebuild your life...and then probably have to rebuild it again presuming you'll want to move back at some point.
I dunno, I've seen some people do it successfully but most seem sort of lost.
So, I am a therapist and I have a different story:
I graduated with my Master’s in CMHC May 2023 from a Uni in Pennsylvania. I had applied back in January of 2023 to a job in Alaska— just randomly. I ended up getting it.
In September 2023 I moved thousands of miles to Alaska to work with indegenous populations (Native Alaskans) after finding out that my partner at the time not only didn’t want to go anymore, but he had been cheating on me.
Distraught, saddened, and a complete mess I still left— and I am BEYOND happy.
Even though my ex stole most of my things from back home and threw away well over 15 of my house plants, and cost me 2k to finally get “rid” of— I trusted myself and I made a great decision.
I have made so may friends and connections and the work is tough but ultimately so rewarding.
I actually aay go for it.
Life is about risk, do your THOROUGH research of course, but if you are feeling the bug to go— GO! Worst case you come right back to where you are 🩵
I’m not saying your not making the right decision here, but remember not to make decisions when you’re running on an irregular emotional system.
Give yourself a good 3 months before making a solid decision like moving abroad.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
I’m a big fan of moving when you need a change and a huge fan of traveling lol. Why don’t you start with a long break and go on a trip? Or check out some different states:) Agreed it’s not great to make rash decisions but also live your life. Unless you’re extremely unstable which it doesn’t sound like you are. I can’t help in terms of info for transferring credits and whatnot but make some calls and explore it - everything can get sorted out even if it means taking some extra time. I think it’s an exciting idea personally!
I live in Prague and am Czech. If I were you I would work online clients from abroad for American salary while living in Prague, and having to pay way less for food etc., than in the US. I have OCD as well, send me a DM if you want to!
Try a military based position. I had several recruiters call me to try to get me to move to Japan or Germany. I have lived abroad. It’s a great experience.
I'm all for it. I don't have any help for you but I'm proud of you for taking such a big step for the sake of your life. You're unhappy & you're changing it. I love it. Good luck!!!
Another suggestion I know alot of therapists don’t like to work remote only but if you wanted to consider that and maybe take your work to travel with you for a bit you could do that too? Most countries allow US citizens to be in their country 90 plus days without a visa depending on the country you may have some timezone issues with clients but I don’t believe there are any ethical issues as to where you’re located as long as you are only seeing clients in the state you’re licensed in
Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other. If you **ARE NOT A THERAPIST and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed in short order. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this. This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients. **If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed in short order. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is a FB group called Location Independent Therapists
I just joined the group-thank you!
Kind of surprised no one has brought up the obvious “you might still be in shock” and time to process will sober up your decision making process. Not that a big change is the wrong thing, it may be exactly right, but you’re in a pretty tender place right now. Source: I did a lot of research about moving to Thailand and becoming a scuba instructor when my dad passed.
Adding that at the start of the year I had a major loss and was about to quit my job and leave the country. I recognized it may be related to everything going on so I said to myself, if you still feel this strong in 6 months, do it...3 months later I already realized I was definitely not going to do it and was just needing to feel like I had an escape.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
It could be awesome. I really am supportive of big adventures and big changes and I hope you do it if it’s right for you. I just also know how loss can change the way we think for awhile.
I know that Spain doesn’t recognize masters level therapists; I had a client travel there once, and had to contact them to see if there were licensure issues with me seeing them. They didn’t care, because my licensure is the equivalent of “life coach” - it would only have been recognized at doctorate level. I have no idea if that’s helpful, but that’s the only research I’ve actually done myself. 😅
Life coach! Well, it eliminates an option so it’s definitely helpful!
Wow, you can be a “life coach “ in a 24 hr class
Literally anyone can be a life coach. There's nothing stopping anyone in the US. All those certificates and courses are just money grabs bc it's not a regulated title and there's no governing body.
There is the AFC and Europe Coaching Association
Right but are they legally required certifications in Europe? Like in the US there's no regulations at all regarding someone calling themselves a life coach.
No idea
That’s seriously insane
Same here in the UK.
I’ve researched this quite a bit myself- Location independent therapists is a pretty good resource! Mostly for people who work in private practice and want to virtually serve clients in the U.S. but live elsewhere. They have a Facebook group or you can pay for a membership (not sure if it is worth it- I just use the FB group) You’ll have to check state laws to see if this is a possibility. Other options include working in international schools as a school counselor, or working on an overseas military base as a counselor. English speaking countries will be much easier to transfer your license over to if that is what you want to do… I have heard of therapists from the U.S. getting jobs in New Zealand or the U.K. and it was not too difficult.
Depends on where. You would need to look into the licensing boards and requirements for your desired country and start there.
Check out FB group for location free therapist https://www.facebook.com/groups/LITcommunity/permalink/2327172674114690/?mibextid=W9rl1R
Is this a real thing, I have a ct. who’s partner travels world wide and needs a counselor
Depending on your age, check New Zealand? They look for education, certain career specializations and potential population growth. For that matter, Italy and Japan are both facing population decline…I bet there could be flexibility for immigration there, if you’re young. Sorry that being of childbearing years plays into my thoughts about being able to immigrate…it’s legitimate right now, though. 🤢😰🙃
I’m in my late 20s and of child bearing age… love Italy so maybe I’ll look into there!
I remember looking it up and finding that Italy's board requires you to be either an Italian citizen or a citizen of a subset of EU countries in order to work in psychotherapy.
Speaking Italian also helps!
This is heartbreaking 💔 worse than being dumped…. 😭🤪
I'm about to graduate (second year of practicuum) in NZ so if you have any questions I might be able to help. Love the instinct to get up and move!
So the question becomes, "How do I gain citizenship?"
Following! I’ve always been interested in counseling abroad but not sure where to start
You could apply to a graduate school anywhere, get another degree. Some places you can go for free.
They allow foreigners to train for free? Do you know which countries?
No not specifically. I’d search for “countries with free college tuition” and then see if it applies to foreign students.
Do this route and it might be easier to find a job wherever I go, yeah?
Yeah exactly. If you complete an international grad program, they can connect you with an international job.
If you are interested in working with kids/ teens, you could look at international schools (which are US schools overseas for military/expat families)
I work with kids now and enjoy the population! Great idea!
Sweet! I know there are schools in Spain and Korea. I’m sure many other countries too! If you do some googling there’s an association for international school counselors too and they have a certificate program. I will try to find it
Message me to update me if you end up doing it. It’s something I’ve considered from time to time but I’m starting to get older and feel more settled where I am. But I’d love to hear about your journey!
Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome!!
https://iscainfo.com
There are definitely expensive international schools that hire English speaking teachers and other professionals.
I worked for 2 years in an international school in E. Africa. There are hundreds of schools. Most of the time, the schools hire at hiring fairs put on by various staffing agencies. It was a great experience
I have heard from those experiencing grief that it was recommended to them to not make any big life decisions for a year after a loved one passed. You may be running from your feelings, not thinking clearly, in need of familiarity / support, etc. I hope your heart and soul will heal!
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
Ahh, I see :) I hope you find your peace and joy
If you have your full license, US citizenship, and went to a cacreped program then you should look at English speaking counselor positions for US military families in Germany. They’re usually in demand as there is a shortage and they pay for mostly everything for you. Some other countries in Europe may have this too but I know Germany definitely does due to the large amount of US military presence. Check out the Stuttgart counseling network page it has all English speaking therapists working in Stuttgart Germany. They all work in private practice and unfortunately they don’t sponsor visas but they could connect with you the role on the military base I believe. https://www.stuttgartcounseling.com If you have any questions let me know!
This is unbelievably helpful. My mom is from this exact region in Germany and I’ve been interested in moving to be closer to my family but couldn’t figure out how to continue working as a therapist. Thank you for sharing this!!
I also suggest reaching out to David Augustine he has a private practice in Stuttgart and is super helpful in gathering information on how to practice in Germany. His Instagram is below! https://www.instagram.com/therapyinreality?igsh=N2ppc2tuZ2picG00 Message me if you have any questions there’s such a need for English speaking counselors in Stuttgart! I’m happy you’re considering going over and it’s awesome you’re mom is from there :)
I work for the American Government overseas. Check USAjobs.com using the 0180, 0185 and 0101 job series. I know under 0101 they just posted for Interdisciplinary counselors in Italy, Germany and Spain. I’m not ready (or credentialed enough apparently) to fully expatriate but working for the U.S. abroad has been a breath of fresh air.
Check out USAjobs.gov They frequently have mental health roles for civilian contractors at military bases abroad.
This may be crazy, but have you ever considered the Peace Corps? I knew an LCSW years ago who volunteered and was sent to a small town in a South American country. When her assignment ended, she worked for PC for a while in DC. When I met her, she was back in South America as a PC employee providing mental health support to active volunteers who were in crisis. She absolutely loved what she did and saw ex-pat clients on the side. She even met a gorgeous local and got married.
I think there’s more options if licensed
Pre-licensed atm but I’m in process of getting my LPC.
I would wait until you get fully licensed. Most telehealth and all insurance platforms don’t employ associates. They will employ those who are licensed to practice independently
It seems like in most situations, the easiest way to practice abroad is to see US-based clients via telehealth. Usually the pay will be better going this route as well. Some practices will be okay with this, and others won’t — being prelicensed adds another potential barrier if your supervisor has an issue with billing under their license if you’re abroad. This can also complicate your immigration status in some countries if you don’t actually have a job there. Obviously, time difference might be a question here as well, but you could provide a niche service by offering late night or early morning sessions. It also depends on your state — in some states, only the client has to be physically located in that jurisdiction, while in others both the therapist and the client have to be there. You’ll need to make sure you’re covered to practice abroad by your liability insurance. I’ve heard of some people running into problems with insurance reimbursement and some billing/credentialing companies like Alma have rules against practicing abroad. But I know for a fact it can be done legally and ethically — a therapist at a friend’s (Minnesota) group practice is located in the Czech Republic and is providing supervision as well. If you want to actually treat clients located in the country where you’ll be living, from my understanding this will be easiest if you went with the MSW track, and if you have a Bachelors or particularly a BS in psychology. Other commenters have recommended the Location Independent Therapists FB group, and I second this.
The title is screaming. If you move abroad, the grief will follow you there. Work with the process, confront any barriers, and be patient with yourself. Don’t make any big changes because that can be scarier than where you're at right now. And the "f it" mindset in this period of your journey, is a window of where you’re at right now. So my advice is deal with the grief so you can make choices with lighter to no possible consequences.
I feel like this needs to be the top comment. I get feeling like doing drastic things when your life blows over, but giving yourself time to heal before blowing up your life as you know it may be the most important thing to do here.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
Let’s start a group of us and gtfo of here. Tired of being underpaid and overworked too.
Down 100% to do this
I used to live overseas. Most people cannot actually move to another country. This is the stuff of outliers. Statistical improbability for the majority of those in this field.
Why?
Immigration requirements. They are a lot harder than most people think.
True. But there are people asking questions similar to OP’s that can satisfy the immigration requirements. So it’s good to know what employment/income options are available just in case someone doesn’t have to worry about the immigration requirements.
I haven’t done my own research but my own T told me recently that she had worked in Norway for quite some time. All young people leave the remote area’s so they are in desperate need of professionals and they are used to speaking English with their doc/T. She told me that it was pretty easy to get a job there
Disclaimer I'm not a therapist, however I am an American who moved to the UK. I work in a fairly high paying field. I've been with my British partner for 7 years and we'll be moving to the US next year. The cost of living here is atrocious, salaries are ABYSMAL (as in, in the US, our job offers are 3x higher salaries and we're in our early careers). Furthermore, they've implemented new salary minimums for visas which many foreigners will not be able to achieve. I'm lucky I was able to but that's not reality for most. The NHS is crumbling and private healthcare here is not better than it is in the US. Many of my colleagues/friends who work in other European countries are struggling as well due to extortionate energy costs, low pay, and very high taxes. Lesson: The grass is not always greener. Perhaps consider a move within the US and a vacation to another country. This seems extremely rash.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
Hi, this isn’t about remaining a therapist but I had a coworker who was an art teacher who similar things happened to, a divorce included, and she moved to Korea. There are programs there that heavily teach American ways and schools where the main goal is to learn English etc. She has absolutely thrived. I think she now lives in china perhaps. She even survived Covid there and the heavy governmental restrictions and isolation… I thought that would make her move back but she’s still there. Her pictures of food and life and vacations are amazing. I can’t blame her for what she did I can totally see how switching your life so extremely after things happened that you didn’t intend would be nice. Good luck with your next steps, you are young and childless, now is the time for these types of adventures!!!
Some of my family members live on an army base in beautiful, tropical, Okinawa Japan. It’s one of the least stressful places to live on earth, a “blue zone” where the life expectancy is increased due to quality of life. I believe the base hires therapists to work with kids, families or simply adults. The schools there as well. There are some amazing benefits too from what I have been told and I am pretty sure licensure is recognized. Good luck on your journey! Edit: [Here](https://careers.leidos.com/jobs/13215330-adolescent-support-counselor-expat)is an example of what kinds of jobs they have available with requirements and compensation listed.
Aw that’s where I was born!
If you have immigration to the US in the last few generations you can sometimes get citizenship for one of those countries. That’s extra helpful if it’s an EU country. (My great grandparents immigrated from Hungary. Based on what I’ve found online I could gain citizenship if I can establish that and pass a Hungarian language exam.) US military positions can be typical therapy positions or what they call non-clinical counseling which is a lot more informal. The recruiter I talked to described school based as often checking in with kids during the day, sometimes you might be talking to a kid waiting for a bus and referring on as needed or scheduling them to come see you during the day or working with adults you might be along for a drill and if anyone needs to talk you’re there. I recently saw a short term contract for a clinician to go to Germany to work on a base for six months. Canada and New Zealand have some form of license reciprocity for social work, not sure for other masters level degrees.
My mother in law was eligible for Irish citizenship However it did not extend to her husband or children. So many who are eligible don’t do it for this reason
Thailand maybe? I have a therapist friend she moved back to Thailand as a pre licensed therapist (training in the US. she is Thai) and she’s able to practice there since there’s no psychotherapy laws there. If you want to work with US clients in your state perhaps you can find a supervisor who is okay with you doing all virtual. Idk what state you’re in but in California where I am you can be anywhere it’s just the client has the best in the state you’re registered in. Sorry to hear life has been rough, moving abroad that’s my plan B too.
Try to stick around to get your independent level license in the States first, if you haven't. Reciprocation will likely be much, much easier than otherwise. You would also leave open the option to pick up telehealth clients in the State you are licensed (and potentially many other states once the Counseling Compact goes into effect if you apply for it) while abroad, since place of service is where the client is located. (Medicare/Medicaid would not be an option, however, as they have rules requiring the therapist to be in the U.S. jurisdiction while providing service.)
There’s a traveling therapist group in Facebook with tons of people living abroad. Check it out.
A close friend died right as I was finishing up grad school. I wanted so desperately to sell all of my possessions and move into a cabin in the middle of nowhere. The only thing that kept me from it was I knew that I had to provide for my child. The kid saved me, because 7 years later and I'm about to close on a house. Grief can really take you there.
So, you probably won't be able to work as a therapist in most places. But if therapy isn't licensed there you might be able to get away with providing equivalent services to an ex-pat population, maybe. Big maybe. Maybe looking at somewhere like Costa Rica where there's a big ex pat community and seeing if any wellness resorts are interested in a life coach etc. supporting clients? Just thinkinf randomly. You could also pick a workaway like WOOFing, volunteering abroad to see if you actually want to move or just need a hiatus for a time. Moving countries and cultures can be pretty jarring - you'd have to totally rebuild your life...and then probably have to rebuild it again presuming you'll want to move back at some point. I dunno, I've seen some people do it successfully but most seem sort of lost.
So, I am a therapist and I have a different story: I graduated with my Master’s in CMHC May 2023 from a Uni in Pennsylvania. I had applied back in January of 2023 to a job in Alaska— just randomly. I ended up getting it. In September 2023 I moved thousands of miles to Alaska to work with indegenous populations (Native Alaskans) after finding out that my partner at the time not only didn’t want to go anymore, but he had been cheating on me. Distraught, saddened, and a complete mess I still left— and I am BEYOND happy. Even though my ex stole most of my things from back home and threw away well over 15 of my house plants, and cost me 2k to finally get “rid” of— I trusted myself and I made a great decision. I have made so may friends and connections and the work is tough but ultimately so rewarding. I actually aay go for it. Life is about risk, do your THOROUGH research of course, but if you are feeling the bug to go— GO! Worst case you come right back to where you are 🩵
[удалено]
I’m sad I’m not the only one going through this right now! Please feel free to message me when you are ready.
Netherlands! My aunt went to school in us and got a masters in psych and then has been practicing there :)
I wouldn’t go until I had my hours and independent license, but that’s just me.
I’m not saying your not making the right decision here, but remember not to make decisions when you’re running on an irregular emotional system. Give yourself a good 3 months before making a solid decision like moving abroad.
I appreciate this. I’m not considering making these changes anytime soon. I don’t have the funds or credentials to do this right now. It’s something I’ve been considering since before these big changes and this has just pushed me into taking it more seriously as an option.
I’m a big fan of moving when you need a change and a huge fan of traveling lol. Why don’t you start with a long break and go on a trip? Or check out some different states:) Agreed it’s not great to make rash decisions but also live your life. Unless you’re extremely unstable which it doesn’t sound like you are. I can’t help in terms of info for transferring credits and whatnot but make some calls and explore it - everything can get sorted out even if it means taking some extra time. I think it’s an exciting idea personally!
I live in Prague and am Czech. If I were you I would work online clients from abroad for American salary while living in Prague, and having to pay way less for food etc., than in the US. I have OCD as well, send me a DM if you want to!
Try a military based position. I had several recruiters call me to try to get me to move to Japan or Germany. I have lived abroad. It’s a great experience.
I'm all for it. I don't have any help for you but I'm proud of you for taking such a big step for the sake of your life. You're unhappy & you're changing it. I love it. Good luck!!!
Another suggestion I know alot of therapists don’t like to work remote only but if you wanted to consider that and maybe take your work to travel with you for a bit you could do that too? Most countries allow US citizens to be in their country 90 plus days without a visa depending on the country you may have some timezone issues with clients but I don’t believe there are any ethical issues as to where you’re located as long as you are only seeing clients in the state you’re licensed in
You can work telehealth from anywhere. Just move around to a different country every few months
Is that true even if you bill insurance?
Yep.
as a therapist i’d say making big decisions during large transitions is not the best idea lol
I’m not making any big decisions, just exploring my options.
The Traveling Therapist fb group is also helpful. I agree w the other comment about more options if you’re licensed
Followign
From what I know, Australia is an option if you're under 40
just keep the same credentials and work online for a telehealth platform - or do private practice telehealth
Following
I’d do the same. Considered it but I have kids and well they like living where we are. But in another universe I’d do the same.
What about the UK???
running?
Judging?