u/Ordinary-Mushroom237

Hi folks, I’m just looking for some (hopefully) words of kindness and encouragement!

I’m feeling so stuck in a rut right now with my job/career.

Some context - I’ve worked for a Rape Crisis centre for almost a decade doing various roles, and the last few years I’ve been doing support work. For various reasons, the centre doesn’t train its support staff (that’s a whole other post lol) so I decided to get my diploma in counselling and psychotherapy, and I was lucky that both my training and job agreed that my support hours could count towards my placement hours. Absolutely not taking that for granted because I know I’m lucky there!

I’ve been qualified for around 6 months and after getting my private practice all set up and ready to go it’s feels painfully slow getting clients. I currently have none - I’m on two directories but I don’t know how else to advertise myself. Social media feels kind of iffy??

I’ve been looking for jobs as in the almost decade I’ve been in my job, I’ve had less than an 8% pay rise, I need to get some of my loans from studying paid off, and I feel like I’m ready for a new setting and change of scenery (plenty of other reasons but I won’t go into them just now). I applied for a job that I honestly thought I’d be perfect for, based on my experience, diploma, and a degree and masters, but it’s been radio silence.

I’m just feeling very stuck and I don’t know where to go next. I know private practice can be slow to pick up but how can I get even some traction?
My clinical supervisor advised against EAPs since they can be poorly managed and lead to super quick burnout. ARe there any jobs going that pay more than £27k?? 😅

Any advice/encouragement/insight would be hugely appreciated 🙏🏻

I’m thinking about buying my first e-reader since about 2011 (when I had a kindle and it was very slow and buggy lol, didn’t use it for long before I gave it away), and I’m definitely waaaay more interested in a kobo than a kindle!

Just wondering if people would recommend the Clara BW or colour? I don’t read graphic novels but I’m wondering if there’s any other real benefits to having the Colour? I’ve seen some reviews that say the BW is generally a better screen.

Thanks!

Okay so I’m fairly well qualified, I’ve got a Bachelor of Arts degree (with honours), a Masters of Science and a diploma, as well as holding a membership that has letters I can use.

A lot of friends/family say I should be putting the letters after my name in professional settings but I don’t know if that seems like I’m being an ass? I don’t think that of other people, but even so.

Would it be unreasonable to put:
[name] BA(Hons), MSc, Dip., (membership letters)??

And I’m just wondering, do I have to have a subscription to use it? Or am I able to just buy books as and when I want to?

I’ve never really been an e-reader kind of gal so sorry if this seems like a basic question lol