For My Future Study/profession

[beatitude]

Until recently I was a trainee psychotherapist. I had completed my Level 3 certificate and just needed to take the two-year professional diploma in order to gain accreditation with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Unfortunately, due to funding cuts in the education sector the cost of the diploma has risen so much that I can no longer afford to take it (and that's saying something, as it's only part-time - you're supposed to work and gain practical experience in mental health as you study.) Even with a salary, I couldn't afford to do it. I could take out a loan, but to be honest the qualification isn't worth the fee - I'd be paying it back forever.

So I've had to rethink my career options. Initially this came as a blow, but now I have a sense that it's the right thing. I spent a few weeks looking at closely related career paths and I've just applied for a funded training programme in speech and language therapy. I've been a speech therapist's assistant before and I really enjoyed it. SLTs are starting to take more of a role in psychiatry and mental health, which is what interests me the most, and it might turn out that this is an even better fit than straightforward psychotherapy - especially as it's more rigorous academically, and I like study/research.

These training courses are seriously competitive. Please pray that if it's the right thing, I will get a place; and that I may be open to whatever God wants to give me next in my life.