Career Advice

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I'm hoping this is the right place for this.

When I was 16 and heading to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do and enrolled on a Early Years course that I just wasn't 'into'. I also suffered terribly with social anxiety at this time and I ended up dropping out after about two weeks.

I've spent the years being plagued with health problems but I feel I'm coming to the end of them now (just waiting on a brain MRI). I've also come to the realisation of what I want as a career.

I want to be a Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist. But I'm really confused as to which qualifications would be the best for me to get. I''m wanting to study with the Open University.

Does anyone know where I can get some advice from about what qualifications I need?

As they have counselling courses but I was thinking of doing a B.Sc in Psychology. However, if I do a counselling course it will give me experience at the same time. It's just all very confusing.

Where is best to get this sort of advice from? CAB? A Psychotherapist themselves? OU?

It's all so confusing. Any help/advice would be appreciated. Do you think it would be better to get the B.Sc in Psychology and would it be possible that someone may take me on as a trainee counsellor in the meantime? And then later progress on to a Psychotherapy course?

Ack! Why is nothing simple in this life?

Edit: I have a Level 4 NCFE certificate in Child Psychology and I'm also planning on getting a Level 4 NCFE in Counselling Children & Adolescents before the September/October OU term starts.

Edit #2: Do you think an OU Open Degree might be good?

dizzyrascal

Hi
There is nothing wrong with the OU route in the initial stages but you will need to get at least a 2:1 or a 1st to be considered for training in this Career area.
It must also be a named psychology degree or you will need to do a top up year to make it into one.
You should also try to work with voluntary organisations during your study. Work with children should be high on your list as you will need a portfolio of experience.
Once you have graduated you can try for a paid position as a psychotherapy assistant in the NHS but they are very rare and highly sought after positions so you will have to be flexible about where you live. A masters degree in psychotherapy or a related field of study will be useful too.
Most people who want to pursue this route will complete a masters whilst volunteering as they haven't secured a paid position.
The next stage is to apply for the 4 year training programme within the NHS. This should also lead to a PhD at the end of the training.
The other route might be to get accepted on a PhD programme like this one at Kings
Again you will need to be flexible about where you study because the places are limited and there will be very strong competition.
You should aim to study your masters at a main stream university because it will put you in touch with practitioners and PhD supervisors who may be able to help you get on a training programme.
You have to have a qualifying PhD to work in this field so it is a long route to qualifying, and most are trained within the NHS. Once you have experience it is possible to branch out and find work in other areas. Do bare in mind though that most of the work will be available in the NHS