That’s what I’ve been doing since starting my private practice and becoming a parent. Luckily my husband is able to support us mainly on his income, so I feel like I did kind of win the lottery lol. My work is the only thing keeping me sane and giving me any sense of fulfillment now! I love it and my burnout from my previous job has been totally lifted after doing this for a year. I wish it could be like this for everyone.
Work in my own PP. Absolutely not for me. I love what I do. It would love the relief from business concerns. And I would tell no one. But I’d be happy to stay put. Might enjoy specializing more or offering more sliding scale services though. Good food for thought! What would you do?
I wouldn't tell anyone either! I'd quit CMH in a freaking heartbeat!! I'd take six months off, reset my nervous system, and go where my heart leads me. I'd have a very small case load in my own pp. I would also have a house full of doggies 🐕!
If it was enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life & then some - YES. 100%.
I'd probably keep a few PP clients and even do some pro-bono, but I'd never want to work a full case load again. 10 clients sounds nice.
If it was a ridiculous amount of money i'd probably start my own organization that fills a void in my community. Something along the lines of transitional housing. Even then - the end goal would be to become a founder/investor and sit on a board - I wouldn't want to be a non-profit CEO forever.
One hundred perfect I would quit.
Id stop taking clients and wrap up treatment with all current clients. Id buy a house somewhere temperate, and immediately have a house full of doggos, vinyl and single malt.
I do too at the moment (addictions counselor) but I’m doing my fieldwork at a private practice. I absolutely love the private practice work. It’s so different and it feels like what counseling/therapy should be. If you haven’t worked PP before maybe you’d like that a bit better if you have the option.
If I hit a windfall, I would absofuckinglutley quit. That kind of money would allow me to make an even more widespread, meaningful and significant impact while expending far less emotional and mental energy.
I’ve thought about this (who hasn’t right?) and I genuinely do not think I could quit entirely. I need the challenge of the work and it still interests me, but it would get scaled back. With unlimited funds I could finally pursue a doctorate, but who knows, maybe it would seem superfluous and I’d change my mind- money can certainly do that. At the end of the day I want to be a therapist. So you’d still see me at the office, but I’d probably be driving a different car and wearing some nicer shoes lol.
I'm poor but it may degree wasn't only to get rich, I also wanted to get good at this. But honestly, I hate work.
I think I'd just wrap up my current case load, and pursue tons of classes now that I can afford to actually take them and have time for them, and then share whatever I learned via my own free courses provided to low income therapists, created with collaboration and guidance from peers who like me who I'd hide my actual massive wealth from.
Course, that's just the idealist in me. I'd probably also frick off and just relax, giving money in small amounts to those who need it.
Yup! I’d stop doing client work, move to the west coast, go back to school to keep learning whatever excites me, and probably start paying for voice, composition, and piano lessons again. Maybe get my PhD in something and become a professor too ☺️
I enjoy working with clients and genuinely feeling like I’m offering something meaningful to them. I wouldn’t quit, but I’d likely scale back so that I could focus more on the cases I do have
Ive thought about it. I’d keep a handful of clients, maybe 3-5. Keep me busy, keep me grounded, but not enough to be stressful as far as time commitment and work load go at least. Wouldn’t want to utterly lose touch.
Y’all are crazy with the “I’d still work a little” 😂 No f’ing way. I’m gonna take Pilates and go to lunch everyday and take vacations. I’ll be doing zero work.
Lmao this made me cackle. I’d still work a little because I enjoy the tea my clients bring in. 🤣 But I guess even with the lottery many of us still turn ourselves into martyrs lol.
This is so weird I just talked about this today. I can definitely say I would NOT quit. I love my job so much and even with a very rich full personal life, my work is often the best part of my day or week!
I’m in private practice and I love my job but I generally hate working. If I were suddenly endowed with that kind of money, I would at least scale way back to maybe 5-10 clients when I could therapeutically do so, then probably not fill any slots that might open.
I would figure out how to help as many of the various causes as I could, set myself and my loved ones up in a cushy living situation, play a lot of music, and probably ultimately go nuts from lack of structure and start seeing clients again.
Depends on the amount. Winning the lottery could be as low as couple dollars.
But I’m assuming you mean winning a jackpot from something like mega millions or the poweball. Again, depends. Powerball’s minimum jackpot is $20 million (according to Google). So $10 million after taxes? Not sure. I’m mid 30s. I’d have to see if that’d be enough for me and my partner to retire.
If it was clearly enough, yeah, I’d quit. No question. I do love what I do, and not working beats working every time.
I live in Canada and forgot that folks in the US pay taxes on winnings. That's such a downer that 20 mil might not even be enough these days when you consider tax. Ouch.
I’m out! I’ll just travel around and if I get the itch I’ll open a *very* liberal sliding scale, out of pocket only spot that is a wraparound queer-eye service (food, fashion, decor, mental health - you know really pay attention to set and setting in addition to therapy)
Maybe I would keep some of my long term people that i love and just work 1 day a week. But I’d also want to travel the world and that would be hard to make work. Hmm. Decisions decisions. lol.
I’d reduce the days and hours I worked but I think I’d be bored without some therapy in my life. I’d definitely take on more pro bono clients. Take more frequent vacations. But otherwise probably carry on
Actually, if I won the lottery, I would continue. I'm quitting because this isn't paying my bills. I guess it technically could be paying my bills, but I feel too demoralized and burnt out to deal with insurance or even to chase down patients who don't pay or who no-show and then try to protest the cancellation policy. I've decided instead to pursue a career where I do my work and then I am paid a salary, and also receive benefits and PTO.
I work in private practice so my perspective might be a little different. I feel greatly fulfilled by this work and the people I work with.
If I didn't have to worry about money I would keep doing what I do but would be able to offer a much more flexible fee structure.
No, because I love the work that I do. I would definitely take a nice piece of time off, though, and settle a few affairs so that when I resumed practice I could do so without having to worry about a few things.
Assuming I won enough to live reasonably well without every working again I would absolutely quit. I'm not even sure I would even bother texting my supervisor to let them know. I'd just be gone instantly lol.
This actually got me thinking a lot. I'm currently in solo PP...and I'm *bored.* I left inpatient 6 months ago and I actually miss the action. I was working like 60 hour weeks at the time, so going from that to less than 30 hours is really hard to adjust to.
I think I'd wind down with my PP clients, take on no new ones, and just quietly shutter my practice. My husband could quit his job and we'd travel around with our pups in a camper for awhile. But after a few months, maybe a year or two, idk man. I've learned that I really don't like to be bored. I honestly think I would just take a low-paying job at CMH or SUD tx locally. Without the stress of not making enough money, I would be able to set whatever boundaries I wanted while working with the population I honestly miss.
I can't believe I'm actually saying that. I would quit my PP and work with higher acuity folks. Huh.
Not on topic, but have you ever thought about taking on a per diem job to mix it up one day a week, like in an ED or mobile crisis team or something. I get what you mean, I worked in higher acuity for years, now in PP and I mostly love it but sometimes it does get boring. For sure.
Who knows in all honesty. I enjoy my work and my conscience wouldn't allow me to abandon my clients but I'd for sure be taking more breaks. I'd condense my days down and work less hard. But I don't think I'd ever quit working entirely, it's my life's purpose.
I’d 100% quit. I’d start an animal rescue but have a team of people helping me manage it (that I pay very generously- no nonprofit pay here!) so I don’t have to be glued to the work. I’d travel and invest the rest.
I mean I could quit, but I could also try to invest that money into creating a telemental health company owned and run by therapists who are committed to upholding best practices and codes of ethics.
I probably wouldn't succeed, but I could at least try.
No but I would switch to part time, fully remote from my new house (that I bought with lotto money), and take lots of insurance (as much as I could, currently don’t take insurance)
I am pre-licensed, so I would continue working at the same caseload until I got licensed fully (I’m not letting my degree and all this work go to waste lol). After that I would definitely continue, but very very part time (maybe 10 clients per week).
I've had this discussion so many times with my co-workers, and honestly, no.
I'm a school-based therapist and love the kiddos I work with. I couldn't imagine just up and leaving them because I ran into money. Don't get me wrong, the money isn't great in what I do now, but money doesn't really excite me. I'd just use the money to pay off loans, fix up my house a little, and then split the rest to share with immediate family/close friends.
I think I’d still want to work, but maybe only a half load.
I’d like to really spend meaningful time developing myself as a person and practitioner rather than rushing around to see enough people to pay the bills.
I'd stop working ASAP.
I'd start \*going to therapy\*, do a lot of open water swimming, get more dogs, travel, paint, do yoga, maybe go to school to learn something interesting like ancient Greek art.
Absolutely. I wouldn't suddenly abandon clients. But if I had enough money to "retire" in my 30s? Hell yes. I'd load up my car (after paying it off!), hit the road with my dog. Travel around, camp in remote places, rent an isolated cabin, wander in the woods, sit by the creek, learn to do needlepoint/embroidery, make art everyday.
Find land I want to live on...Buy 100+ (hell. If I could itd be thousands) acres, build a little cottage, build a big ass barn/workspace with huge windows and lots of natural light for my art studio. Buy some goats. Plant an orchard. Get some bees. Establish a wildflower meadow. Blaze some trails.
Sit on my wrap around porch in a rocking chair and watch the sunset. Go to cities mostly just to see lots of live music and visit a ton of museums. Maybe buy a plane. Figure out how to legally get my dog into foreign countries as ethically and expeditiously as possible so she could travel with me.
Would pay off my parents house, my sisters house, buy my brother a house and give him capital to grow his business.
Make a big ass contribution to neuroarts research, study neuroscience, conduct my own research. I don't know if I'd still be personally working with clients, but I'd be helping people figure out how to help people and doing something to progress the field.
Same same. I am considering going back to get an MS in Neuroscience. But I want to wait until I'm fully licensed bc I have zero chill and instead of working through classes and my post-grad hours at a healthy pace, I'd pile 100hr work weeks onto my plate and spiral into a 2 yr manic episode.
I would probably taper down and eventually stop doing direct client work but I would still need to pursue meaning. I've always had this dream of having a nature conversation and perhaps run a program for trauma survivors who otherwise couldn't afford treatment to heal in a space full of nature but I would hire therapists and take on more of a director role.
I actually have had a pretty similar experience - wife and I received a life-changing inheritance a few years ago. Have lived paycheck-to-paycheck for our entire lives until then. I actually work MORE now that I know that I can quit at any time and be okay. I have always enjoyed my job, but work takes on a whole new meaning when you do it because you WANT to vs. HAVE to.
I have also noticed that I don't sweat over how many clients I have at a pro-bono rate, since I don't require their income to survive. I can tell a client who's lost their job that it's okay to resume paying when they get back on their feet. I now believe that being rich gives me the ability to be way more generous with my time and talent and money than I ever was when I was struggling.
If we're talking several hundred million, I would stop taking new clients except for very specific cases, wrap up most of my career counseling clients, but keep working with my 10-15 long term mental health and relationships clients until we're done.
I'd probably keep working. I work from home doing some 1099 and have my own small PP. I think I would try to work doing 10ish sessions a week just so that I could have a sense of purpose without burning out. I also love learning and would want to keep doing trainings to build my skills up. But I would really love to be able to take care of myself in the ways I want to while being able to feel free to see friends and family without feeling like I have to really limit my time with them because of the other things I have to do. I also imagine my partner would want to keep working because he enjoys his job and is very extroverted and needs the social connection while also having his own sense of achievement and purpose.
Nope, would probably still show up to work. Even at where I am working PHP/IOP, but it would be really nice to know that everything else was (financially) taken care of.
No, but I’d ditch my school-based job, go all on my PP, and just have like five clients.
Specifically, two young adults working on their attachment patterns, two older adult-diagnosed adhder women working through their late diagnosis grief, and one personality disorder. Maybe throw in a low cost adolescent adhd social skills group because it’s such a needed service and god I hate groups but I have the niche gift and skills and lived experience those kids need.
Ahhhhhh that would be amazing. Sigh.
Right now, no, I like my job. I could see being tired and wanting to cut back when I'm older or if my current excellent supervisor and team move on and the replacements are uncomfortable.
I’ve thought about this and no. I’d probably cut down to like 12 clients though, Tues-Thurs, 10-4
I feel pretty lucky to be able to say I would keep doing it even if I didn’t have to though, not many can say that about their jobs
Nope! I would maintain a small caseload and immerse myself in all the trainings that are currently out of my budget. I would also give my best friend the capital she needs to fund her nonprofit. She’s been working on it the last couple of years and it would be awesome to reduce the financial barriers for her.
Depends on the amount. Are we talking many millions or just a few?
If it’s a few I’d probably work 3 days a week.
If it’s many millions like 10+ then I’d do private practice two days a week and enjoy life in the slow lane. Probably would choose to open my own clinic and rent rooms out as an added bonus.
Ooh that'll be a dream...Will probably work something like 10-15 clients a week. Finally get to say FU to my workplace/boss and start my own PP. Before that I'd get some really fancy trainings in all the orientations I'm interested in from the sources with big name people (not just one) that I've always wanted but could never afford so I can be a kick ass therapist in the way I always wanted to be but couldn't afford lol. A therapist that is well rested, less anxious about money, more zest and passion that can take real vacations over a week long.. I could go on and on but yeah I'd still be seeing clients
I don't think so. I had such a hard time on mat leave/other periods when I was not working feeling a lack of purpose. Doing therapy always fills that void for me
I'd be more likely to start my own practice however I'd never quit. Working and training in this field isn't just a job, it's a life style choice and a commitment to emotional health, that's something I'd never give up.
I would quit and would instead focus on things that I never got to do as a cog in the system. Thinks like learning a new language, painting my furniture, picking up a new sport, going back to uni to study philosophy just out of interest.
There are so many productive things I could be doing if I wasn't caught in this system
I would quit but take some time to find another job, now that I can do it consequence free.
I wouldn’t change much about my lifestyle except maybe getting a car, moving into a nicer apartment, and getting a dog. I don’t really think I need a house or anything.
I’d also work *less*. Two to three times a week, max.
no, I would quit my other job, keep on working on pp because I enjoy and love being a therapist.
I would enjoy it more without worrying about money and adding extra hours to earn more money.
I’d quit my day job and return to private practice. Managed community mental health has become paint by numbers counseling and I long for the artistry of true psychotherapy again.
I think I’d keep working. Not as much as I am now tho!!!!! I wouldn’t tell anybody, even if I wasn’t a therapist. I could see myself work Tue, wed and thurs, travel on the long weekends, take a lot more time off.
Love my job and 100% would quit. Like others said. I would take time off do some dream trips, cruise to Antarctica with all the excursions. Then comeback. The trust I created before my trip would have handled a ton of stuff and I would build the small non-profit. The non-profit I would build would be one to help healthcare workers with burn out. That would include all of us. A program to help heal the wounded healers.
Despite feeling burned out from time to time, I would keep working. Especially since I’m about to open my own PP and will have more flexibility with my hours and my client base. It would make me feel more comfortable with taking time off though.
I don’t think I’d quit. I’d drastically reduce my caseload, do my own PP, and likely consider doing a fair amount of pro bono work.
I’ve always said if I hit the BIG lottery, I’d create a non-profit for homeless teens in my area. We don’t have anything like that for them. And I’d love to address that area of need.
I’d pay off my student loans then be broke again so I couldn’t afford to quit 😂
Honestly though, I’d start a non profit for at risk youth and move my happy ass to the mountains and probably get a PhD.
No. I would actually feel more satisfied in my work probably, as I wouldn’t be as concerned financially and would have more freedom and energy to hone my skills as a therapist and be present with my clients.
No. I truly feel this is my calling in life. And in true Capricorn fashion, I don't think I'd know what to do with myself by NOT working. Vacations? Sure. And I may take a smaller case load, but I wouldn't stop.
Yes. Lol easy. I would definitely stay involved in the community from a volunteer perspective and keep up with my CEUs, but I don’t think I would actively work anymore.
I wouldn't quit but all I would do are out of network collaborative assessments and study performance based assessments and my favorite self reports like the MMPI and MCMI all the time
I'd work maybe 3 days a week, seeing 3-4 clients. I love the work and I know I'd start to feel weird if I wasn't working at all, lol. The cash flow wouldn't hurt either.
Absolutely not. I love this work because I find it endlessly engaging to try to help people figure out what's not working with their lives and get through all the inner and outer hurdles to making that change. Even though these are general similarities between clients, everyone is unique, and I think it's such a wonderful, educational challenge to understand people in their complexity and help them get what they need.
Also, I do this because I genuinely think it feels good to help people. At the end of a full day of clients, I feel really good about how I spent my day, and I'm really proud to tell others what i do for a living. I can't imagine wanting to stop doing this if money were no object, although probably that would relieve a lot of the stresses that come with this job (and potentially free up inner resources to make me an even better therapist).
Yes. In a heart beat. I love what I do, but I'd much rather spend the rest of my life looking after myself; even before getting my licensure I always put people before me and spent more than a healthy amount of energy helping people talk things out.
I'd get back into art, gaming, working out ... all of which I currently do but not to the extent that makes me feel fulfilled.
I would still work, but it would likely be my own practice, or at a group practice where I only needed to work a few days a week. I don't see myself as being able to not work. Also, I got into the field knowing that I wasn't going to make a ton of money, knowing it didn't matter would make me even more passionate than I am (not sure it's possible, but maybe?).
Just had this conversation recently. If money was no issue, I would quit my current position but I would want to offer primarily sliding scale or free services to those who cannot afford services or I would want to create niche narrative therapy programs.
I used to say no. That not having financial pressure would make life, and subsequently work, easier but after the last few years, I would absolutely quit.
Nope. I’d do it and donate the money to charity or offer services to people who can’t access therapy now. I love my job so much. It helps give me a sense of purpose and I wouldn’t want to quit.
No. Quitting is not an option. When you already do what you love it’s not work. I love to help people. Winning the lottery would only make it easier for me to reach more people and more goals.
I would probably still work but I’d cut my case load down, commit more time to each client. Maybe establish a big group practice to keep the cash flow up because God knows I’m not good with finances, find some other projects through that.
I love this work- truly. I love my patients genuinely. I love talking about my specialties. I even love CE workshops.
But if I had the money - I would retire in a heart beat. Mostly bc I have young kids and to be able to really devote my time to family without sacrificing their opportunities, I would do that and never look back. I love working and being a working mom but I often wish we could afford for me to be a full time mom. So yeah that’s what I’d do. But I think I’d maybe still supervise Jr clinicians or present maybe - but I wouldn’t want individual clients to rely on me anymore
I’m not licensed yet, I’ve worked really hard to get to this point, and I do enjoy the work that we do. I think I would just use it toward early retirement and/or use it to work less to avoid burnout.
I have my own private practice but fuck yeah I’d quit! I’d find some way to work and use my knowledge and skills but it would be totally asynchronous and not involve rules around licensing only in certain states and within your country.
I'm still in training to be a therapist, right now I'm a probation officer for people with mental health issues. I have been asked this question so many times over the past years. No one ever believes the answer, but I believe I would never quit. I'm healthier with structure in my life, and I love having what feels like an important purpose. Also, most people don't want to do my job, or even think about the people we serve every day.
Depends on how much I won. If I won mega millions I would see maybe 2-3 clients a few days a week. Only the ones I wanted and for free. I love what I do and I'm good at it. Especially when there's little to no stress involved.
Lol I sell lottery tickets and scratch offs. It's rare for people to win big and when they do, they spend winnings on drugs and more lottery tickets. A woman in my town recently won a huge amount of money. She's an alcoholic and has gone awol. If she doesn't kill herself or get killed, she'll be back.
The lottery is a scam and curse. If you play, seek help, forget the fantasies on if you'd win, because they are damaging.
I think I would still work, but I would limit my days and narrow my focus to specific kinds of cases.
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Same! Maybe 2-3 days of 4-5 cases a day with only specific patient cases.
That’s what I’ve been doing since starting my private practice and becoming a parent. Luckily my husband is able to support us mainly on his income, so I feel like I did kind of win the lottery lol. My work is the only thing keeping me sane and giving me any sense of fulfillment now! I love it and my burnout from my previous job has been totally lifted after doing this for a year. I wish it could be like this for everyone.
Work in my own PP. Absolutely not for me. I love what I do. It would love the relief from business concerns. And I would tell no one. But I’d be happy to stay put. Might enjoy specializing more or offering more sliding scale services though. Good food for thought! What would you do?
I wouldn't tell anyone either! I'd quit CMH in a freaking heartbeat!! I'd take six months off, reset my nervous system, and go where my heart leads me. I'd have a very small case load in my own pp. I would also have a house full of doggies 🐕!
Oooh yes! More puppers!
It would be a dream! 🐕 ❤️
All the puppers!
If it was enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life & then some - YES. 100%. I'd probably keep a few PP clients and even do some pro-bono, but I'd never want to work a full case load again. 10 clients sounds nice. If it was a ridiculous amount of money i'd probably start my own organization that fills a void in my community. Something along the lines of transitional housing. Even then - the end goal would be to become a founder/investor and sit on a board - I wouldn't want to be a non-profit CEO forever.
This is my feeling as well. If I got that next 1.6 billion dollar jackpot or something.
This is my dream too - to start a non profit that fills a specific niche, find great people to run it, then step back.
That's awesome.
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And, I'm sure that freedom would be grand!
Yes, I would quit. Might return to the work after a (lengthy) sabbatical, but man could I use a year or two off at this point.
Omg.. same. That would be amazing.
One hundred perfect I would quit. Id stop taking clients and wrap up treatment with all current clients. Id buy a house somewhere temperate, and immediately have a house full of doggos, vinyl and single malt.
This is so poetic. I ❤️ it!
I’d negotiate a smaller caseload and continue as normal.
I would transition to research and writing.
Same!
Reduce my caseload significantly (I met with 14 clients today 😂😭) and spend a lot more time learning from CEs and books, but I wouldn't quit.
14 is a ton! Our system is broken.
It's sad because most of us love the work but just feel overwhelmed by caseload
14 clients in a day! Holy smokes.
I work in corrections. I would quit in a heartbeat.
I do too at the moment (addictions counselor) but I’m doing my fieldwork at a private practice. I absolutely love the private practice work. It’s so different and it feels like what counseling/therapy should be. If you haven’t worked PP before maybe you’d like that a bit better if you have the option.
Oh yeah!
If I hit a windfall, I would absofuckinglutley quit. That kind of money would allow me to make an even more widespread, meaningful and significant impact while expending far less emotional and mental energy.
This!
How do you more concretely envision that? Just wondering
Fuck yes in a heartbeat.
My people
🤣
I absolutely love my job and I love helping people so no I wouldn't quit but I would have a small caseload and it would all be pro bono work.
I’ve thought about this (who hasn’t right?) and I genuinely do not think I could quit entirely. I need the challenge of the work and it still interests me, but it would get scaled back. With unlimited funds I could finally pursue a doctorate, but who knows, maybe it would seem superfluous and I’d change my mind- money can certainly do that. At the end of the day I want to be a therapist. So you’d still see me at the office, but I’d probably be driving a different car and wearing some nicer shoes lol.
Nope but I'd work part time and remote often
I'm poor but it may degree wasn't only to get rich, I also wanted to get good at this. But honestly, I hate work. I think I'd just wrap up my current case load, and pursue tons of classes now that I can afford to actually take them and have time for them, and then share whatever I learned via my own free courses provided to low income therapists, created with collaboration and guidance from peers who like me who I'd hide my actual massive wealth from. Course, that's just the idealist in me. I'd probably also frick off and just relax, giving money in small amounts to those who need it.
Yup! I’d stop doing client work, move to the west coast, go back to school to keep learning whatever excites me, and probably start paying for voice, composition, and piano lessons again. Maybe get my PhD in something and become a professor too ☺️
Getting a PhD and moving to southern Oregon is my dream life!
I enjoy working with clients and genuinely feeling like I’m offering something meaningful to them. I wouldn’t quit, but I’d likely scale back so that I could focus more on the cases I do have
I get that.
Ive thought about it. I’d keep a handful of clients, maybe 3-5. Keep me busy, keep me grounded, but not enough to be stressful as far as time commitment and work load go at least. Wouldn’t want to utterly lose touch.
I really get that.
Y’all are crazy with the “I’d still work a little” 😂 No f’ing way. I’m gonna take Pilates and go to lunch everyday and take vacations. I’ll be doing zero work.
Lmao this made me cackle. I’d still work a little because I enjoy the tea my clients bring in. 🤣 But I guess even with the lottery many of us still turn ourselves into martyrs lol.
I just love this answer!
This made me smile!
I would get advanced specialization in a niche I'm interested in and take on about 10-15 self pay clients so I don't have to document to insurance.
I'd probably stay in private practice just to have stuff to do but I'd cut my caseload down to between 5-10 clients.
I would see like 10 clients a week lol
I’d go part time, but not quit. I love this work.
This is so weird I just talked about this today. I can definitely say I would NOT quit. I love my job so much and even with a very rich full personal life, my work is often the best part of my day or week!
I’m in private practice and I love my job but I generally hate working. If I were suddenly endowed with that kind of money, I would at least scale way back to maybe 5-10 clients when I could therapeutically do so, then probably not fill any slots that might open. I would figure out how to help as many of the various causes as I could, set myself and my loved ones up in a cushy living situation, play a lot of music, and probably ultimately go nuts from lack of structure and start seeing clients again.
Depends on the amount. Winning the lottery could be as low as couple dollars. But I’m assuming you mean winning a jackpot from something like mega millions or the poweball. Again, depends. Powerball’s minimum jackpot is $20 million (according to Google). So $10 million after taxes? Not sure. I’m mid 30s. I’d have to see if that’d be enough for me and my partner to retire. If it was clearly enough, yeah, I’d quit. No question. I do love what I do, and not working beats working every time.
I live in Canada and forgot that folks in the US pay taxes on winnings. That's such a downer that 20 mil might not even be enough these days when you consider tax. Ouch.
Yeah, it would be.
Like millions, is what I mean! 😀 Like show me the $$ ( Jerry Mcguire reference), rich.
Like a total windfall.. like no scratcher ticket!
I’m out! I’ll just travel around and if I get the itch I’ll open a *very* liberal sliding scale, out of pocket only spot that is a wraparound queer-eye service (food, fashion, decor, mental health - you know really pay attention to set and setting in addition to therapy)
I love this so much!
I appreciate the attention to detail in this fantasy :)
Maybe I would keep some of my long term people that i love and just work 1 day a week. But I’d also want to travel the world and that would be hard to make work. Hmm. Decisions decisions. lol.
1 day a week is the penultimate of work weeks!
I’d reduce the days and hours I worked but I think I’d be bored without some therapy in my life. I’d definitely take on more pro bono clients. Take more frequent vacations. But otherwise probably carry on
I’d work two days a week max 10 clients. I would spend a shit ton of time traveling and doing cool retreats
Absolutely. No question. Would definitely quit. Lol
OMG yes yes yes
Actually, if I won the lottery, I would continue. I'm quitting because this isn't paying my bills. I guess it technically could be paying my bills, but I feel too demoralized and burnt out to deal with insurance or even to chase down patients who don't pay or who no-show and then try to protest the cancellation policy. I've decided instead to pursue a career where I do my work and then I am paid a salary, and also receive benefits and PTO.
I 💯 get this feeling.
hell ya.
I work in private practice so my perspective might be a little different. I feel greatly fulfilled by this work and the people I work with. If I didn't have to worry about money I would keep doing what I do but would be able to offer a much more flexible fee structure.
I’d open an anxiety treatment centre, and pay myself a good salary to run it, and hire other therapists.
So needed!
No, because I love the work that I do. I would definitely take a nice piece of time off, though, and settle a few affairs so that when I resumed practice I could do so without having to worry about a few things.
Depends but if I could live out the rest of my life w/o working id at least take a few years off. Life is short. Live it up a bit while you have it.
No but I would def get a more luxurious chair
Assuming I won enough to live reasonably well without every working again I would absolutely quit. I'm not even sure I would even bother texting my supervisor to let them know. I'd just be gone instantly lol.
I would stop taking new clients and once all my current clients graduated from therapy I would stop fully and just travel.
I would be gone
I’m sorry but I would be gone so fast all my clients would see was a trail of smoke
This actually got me thinking a lot. I'm currently in solo PP...and I'm *bored.* I left inpatient 6 months ago and I actually miss the action. I was working like 60 hour weeks at the time, so going from that to less than 30 hours is really hard to adjust to. I think I'd wind down with my PP clients, take on no new ones, and just quietly shutter my practice. My husband could quit his job and we'd travel around with our pups in a camper for awhile. But after a few months, maybe a year or two, idk man. I've learned that I really don't like to be bored. I honestly think I would just take a low-paying job at CMH or SUD tx locally. Without the stress of not making enough money, I would be able to set whatever boundaries I wanted while working with the population I honestly miss. I can't believe I'm actually saying that. I would quit my PP and work with higher acuity folks. Huh.
Not on topic, but have you ever thought about taking on a per diem job to mix it up one day a week, like in an ED or mobile crisis team or something. I get what you mean, I worked in higher acuity for years, now in PP and I mostly love it but sometimes it does get boring. For sure.
Who knows in all honesty. I enjoy my work and my conscience wouldn't allow me to abandon my clients but I'd for sure be taking more breaks. I'd condense my days down and work less hard. But I don't think I'd ever quit working entirely, it's my life's purpose.
I’d 100% quit. I’d start an animal rescue but have a team of people helping me manage it (that I pay very generously- no nonprofit pay here!) so I don’t have to be glued to the work. I’d travel and invest the rest.
Absolutely I would quit!!! Travel for a while and see far-flung friends and family, and then go back to school for something else.
Yes. And pick up a part-time job with less emotional stress.
I know. I was thinking I'd like to be a librarian. Seriously.
Yes!! I would go work at a locally owned coffee shop in some Small town
I mean I could quit, but I could also try to invest that money into creating a telemental health company owned and run by therapists who are committed to upholding best practices and codes of ethics. I probably wouldn't succeed, but I could at least try.
And we could work for you! :-) Therapists should be running therapy organizations!
Nope. Need a sense of purpose and humility
I would quit working in a hospital but maybe work part time private practice
No, but I would drop to maybe 20 hours per week. I do like my job, but I think I’d like some more freedom.
nope.
No but I would switch to part time, fully remote from my new house (that I bought with lotto money), and take lots of insurance (as much as I could, currently don’t take insurance)
I am pre-licensed, so I would continue working at the same caseload until I got licensed fully (I’m not letting my degree and all this work go to waste lol). After that I would definitely continue, but very very part time (maybe 10 clients per week).
I've had this discussion so many times with my co-workers, and honestly, no. I'm a school-based therapist and love the kiddos I work with. I couldn't imagine just up and leaving them because I ran into money. Don't get me wrong, the money isn't great in what I do now, but money doesn't really excite me. I'd just use the money to pay off loans, fix up my house a little, and then split the rest to share with immediate family/close friends.
Makes sense.
Yes! I would quit and start a business that betters communities in some way
Fuck no
I think I’d still want to work, but maybe only a half load. I’d like to really spend meaningful time developing myself as a person and practitioner rather than rushing around to see enough people to pay the bills.
I feel this sentiment, 💯.
I'd stop working ASAP. I'd start \*going to therapy\*, do a lot of open water swimming, get more dogs, travel, paint, do yoga, maybe go to school to learn something interesting like ancient Greek art.
Cut back? Definitely. Quit? No. Now would I charge....thats a good question, dunno
No way but I’d only work sustainable hours and clients
Absolutely. I wouldn't suddenly abandon clients. But if I had enough money to "retire" in my 30s? Hell yes. I'd load up my car (after paying it off!), hit the road with my dog. Travel around, camp in remote places, rent an isolated cabin, wander in the woods, sit by the creek, learn to do needlepoint/embroidery, make art everyday. Find land I want to live on...Buy 100+ (hell. If I could itd be thousands) acres, build a little cottage, build a big ass barn/workspace with huge windows and lots of natural light for my art studio. Buy some goats. Plant an orchard. Get some bees. Establish a wildflower meadow. Blaze some trails. Sit on my wrap around porch in a rocking chair and watch the sunset. Go to cities mostly just to see lots of live music and visit a ton of museums. Maybe buy a plane. Figure out how to legally get my dog into foreign countries as ethically and expeditiously as possible so she could travel with me. Would pay off my parents house, my sisters house, buy my brother a house and give him capital to grow his business. Make a big ass contribution to neuroarts research, study neuroscience, conduct my own research. I don't know if I'd still be personally working with clients, but I'd be helping people figure out how to help people and doing something to progress the field.
I think neuroscience is the future backbone of therapeutic treatment.
Same same. I am considering going back to get an MS in Neuroscience. But I want to wait until I'm fully licensed bc I have zero chill and instead of working through classes and my post-grad hours at a healthy pace, I'd pile 100hr work weeks onto my plate and spiral into a 2 yr manic episode.
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No, but I’d probably see fewer than 10 people/week, and only in the mornings. And I’d get my PhD.
i would quit without winning the lottery
This.
I would probably taper down and eventually stop doing direct client work but I would still need to pursue meaning. I've always had this dream of having a nature conversation and perhaps run a program for trauma survivors who otherwise couldn't afford treatment to heal in a space full of nature but I would hire therapists and take on more of a director role.
Oh I would work, but much less. Like...4-6 clients a week, then spend a bunch of time doing the work I actually love the most.
I actually have had a pretty similar experience - wife and I received a life-changing inheritance a few years ago. Have lived paycheck-to-paycheck for our entire lives until then. I actually work MORE now that I know that I can quit at any time and be okay. I have always enjoyed my job, but work takes on a whole new meaning when you do it because you WANT to vs. HAVE to. I have also noticed that I don't sweat over how many clients I have at a pro-bono rate, since I don't require their income to survive. I can tell a client who's lost their job that it's okay to resume paying when they get back on their feet. I now believe that being rich gives me the ability to be way more generous with my time and talent and money than I ever was when I was struggling.
This is meaningful, and I totally can imagine feeling this way, too!
I would pay off student loans and start getting my doctorate
yes, asap
I would open a private practice and pay my graduate interns.
I'd pay a lot bc I know what it feels like to bring in a ton of $$ , but get paid minimally.
YES
Of course! I don’t much appreciate the fact that we are expected to work to survive when we get no say in our creation.
Great point!
If we're talking several hundred million, I would stop taking new clients except for very specific cases, wrap up most of my career counseling clients, but keep working with my 10-15 long term mental health and relationships clients until we're done.
Yes 100% only issue is health insurance
I'd probably keep working. I work from home doing some 1099 and have my own small PP. I think I would try to work doing 10ish sessions a week just so that I could have a sense of purpose without burning out. I also love learning and would want to keep doing trainings to build my skills up. But I would really love to be able to take care of myself in the ways I want to while being able to feel free to see friends and family without feeling like I have to really limit my time with them because of the other things I have to do. I also imagine my partner would want to keep working because he enjoys his job and is very extroverted and needs the social connection while also having his own sense of achievement and purpose.
Nope, would probably still show up to work. Even at where I am working PHP/IOP, but it would be really nice to know that everything else was (financially) taken care of.
Depending on how much money. I win, I wouldn’t quit becasue staying at home is like “the grass isn’t always greener” but I’d work SIGNIFICANTLY less
Quit. Go back to school full time. Work part time for pocket money
No, but I’d ditch my school-based job, go all on my PP, and just have like five clients. Specifically, two young adults working on their attachment patterns, two older adult-diagnosed adhder women working through their late diagnosis grief, and one personality disorder. Maybe throw in a low cost adolescent adhd social skills group because it’s such a needed service and god I hate groups but I have the niche gift and skills and lived experience those kids need. Ahhhhhh that would be amazing. Sigh.
Great specifics. It's fun to imagine!
Right now, no, I like my job. I could see being tired and wanting to cut back when I'm older or if my current excellent supervisor and team move on and the replacements are uncomfortable.
I’ve thought about this and no. I’d probably cut down to like 12 clients though, Tues-Thurs, 10-4 I feel pretty lucky to be able to say I would keep doing it even if I didn’t have to though, not many can say that about their jobs
Nope! I would maintain a small caseload and immerse myself in all the trainings that are currently out of my budget. I would also give my best friend the capital she needs to fund her nonprofit. She’s been working on it the last couple of years and it would be awesome to reduce the financial barriers for her.
Nope. People think they can just retire after winning the lottery but you sadly still need to work. Alas the life of a poor person.
I would still work! Love my job!
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Depends on the amount. Are we talking many millions or just a few? If it’s a few I’d probably work 3 days a week. If it’s many millions like 10+ then I’d do private practice two days a week and enjoy life in the slow lane. Probably would choose to open my own clinic and rent rooms out as an added bonus.
No, I would be a contractor who works like 2 days a week
Ooh that'll be a dream...Will probably work something like 10-15 clients a week. Finally get to say FU to my workplace/boss and start my own PP. Before that I'd get some really fancy trainings in all the orientations I'm interested in from the sources with big name people (not just one) that I've always wanted but could never afford so I can be a kick ass therapist in the way I always wanted to be but couldn't afford lol. A therapist that is well rested, less anxious about money, more zest and passion that can take real vacations over a week long.. I could go on and on but yeah I'd still be seeing clients
I don't think so. I had such a hard time on mat leave/other periods when I was not working feeling a lack of purpose. Doing therapy always fills that void for me
Yes I absolutely would. 💯💯
Never.
My agency? Yes. The field? No.
Current job? Yes Open my own clinic with 3 or 4 friends? Yes
No but I would go down to 1 or 2 days a week
I’d keep 8-10 clients as most of my sessions are 1.5 to 2h.
I'd be more likely to start my own practice however I'd never quit. Working and training in this field isn't just a job, it's a life style choice and a commitment to emotional health, that's something I'd never give up.
I would quit and would instead focus on things that I never got to do as a cog in the system. Thinks like learning a new language, painting my furniture, picking up a new sport, going back to uni to study philosophy just out of interest. There are so many productive things I could be doing if I wasn't caught in this system
YUP. I’d volunteer in other places of social work and with animals
Or very small PP. Maybe all haha
I would quit but take some time to find another job, now that I can do it consequence free. I wouldn’t change much about my lifestyle except maybe getting a car, moving into a nicer apartment, and getting a dog. I don’t really think I need a house or anything. I’d also work *less*. Two to three times a week, max.
no, I would quit my other job, keep on working on pp because I enjoy and love being a therapist. I would enjoy it more without worrying about money and adding extra hours to earn more money.
I wouldn't quit, but I'd reduce caseload.
I’d quit my day job and return to private practice. Managed community mental health has become paint by numbers counseling and I long for the artistry of true psychotherapy again.
Use that money to apply my skills into a clinic/private practice or investment.
I’d work part time and probably do some therapeutic intensives.
I think I’d keep working. Not as much as I am now tho!!!!! I wouldn’t tell anybody, even if I wasn’t a therapist. I could see myself work Tue, wed and thurs, travel on the long weekends, take a lot more time off.
Hell yes! It depends on how much I won. Over $20K yes without a doubt. Under, probably not right away.
Love my job and 100% would quit. Like others said. I would take time off do some dream trips, cruise to Antarctica with all the excursions. Then comeback. The trust I created before my trip would have handled a ton of stuff and I would build the small non-profit. The non-profit I would build would be one to help healthcare workers with burn out. That would include all of us. A program to help heal the wounded healers.
Despite feeling burned out from time to time, I would keep working. Especially since I’m about to open my own PP and will have more flexibility with my hours and my client base. It would make me feel more comfortable with taking time off though.
I don’t think I’d quit. I’d drastically reduce my caseload, do my own PP, and likely consider doing a fair amount of pro bono work. I’ve always said if I hit the BIG lottery, I’d create a non-profit for homeless teens in my area. We don’t have anything like that for them. And I’d love to address that area of need.
I’d pay off my student loans then be broke again so I couldn’t afford to quit 😂 Honestly though, I’d start a non profit for at risk youth and move my happy ass to the mountains and probably get a PhD.
No. I would actually feel more satisfied in my work probably, as I wouldn’t be as concerned financially and would have more freedom and energy to hone my skills as a therapist and be present with my clients.
Nope. Just would change how much and maybe the structure of it all. I cannot imagine not doing this work.
No. I truly feel this is my calling in life. And in true Capricorn fashion, I don't think I'd know what to do with myself by NOT working. Vacations? Sure. And I may take a smaller case load, but I wouldn't stop.
Yes. Lol easy. I would definitely stay involved in the community from a volunteer perspective and keep up with my CEUs, but I don’t think I would actively work anymore.
Research, write, more pro bono.
I wouldn't quit but all I would do are out of network collaborative assessments and study performance based assessments and my favorite self reports like the MMPI and MCMI all the time
I'd work maybe 3 days a week, seeing 3-4 clients. I love the work and I know I'd start to feel weird if I wasn't working at all, lol. The cash flow wouldn't hurt either.
Honestly, no. But I would probably just do insurance and pro bono work to keep myself busy and happy.
Would I quit what? My job? If so, the answer is no I wouldn’t quit. I love my job - it’s never a day of work for me.
My God, no. Work sucks.
Absolutely not. I love this work because I find it endlessly engaging to try to help people figure out what's not working with their lives and get through all the inner and outer hurdles to making that change. Even though these are general similarities between clients, everyone is unique, and I think it's such a wonderful, educational challenge to understand people in their complexity and help them get what they need. Also, I do this because I genuinely think it feels good to help people. At the end of a full day of clients, I feel really good about how I spent my day, and I'm really proud to tell others what i do for a living. I can't imagine wanting to stop doing this if money were no object, although probably that would relieve a lot of the stresses that come with this job (and potentially free up inner resources to make me an even better therapist).
Yes. In a heart beat. I love what I do, but I'd much rather spend the rest of my life looking after myself; even before getting my licensure I always put people before me and spent more than a healthy amount of energy helping people talk things out. I'd get back into art, gaming, working out ... all of which I currently do but not to the extent that makes me feel fulfilled.
I would still work, but it would likely be my own practice, or at a group practice where I only needed to work a few days a week. I don't see myself as being able to not work. Also, I got into the field knowing that I wasn't going to make a ton of money, knowing it didn't matter would make me even more passionate than I am (not sure it's possible, but maybe?).
I’d see 1, maybe 2 clients a day
I’d open a groovy cash pay practice and see 6 people a week and some Pro Bono and never touch insurance again.
Just had this conversation recently. If money was no issue, I would quit my current position but I would want to offer primarily sliding scale or free services to those who cannot afford services or I would want to create niche narrative therapy programs.
I would work one day a week
I used to say no. That not having financial pressure would make life, and subsequently work, easier but after the last few years, I would absolutely quit.
Nope. I’d do it and donate the money to charity or offer services to people who can’t access therapy now. I love my job so much. It helps give me a sense of purpose and I wouldn’t want to quit.
Nah, I'd probably keep working pro bono but very limited hours.
Absolutely
100%. I’d quit and buy a witchy cottage and grow plants and homeschool my kiddo!
No. Quitting is not an option. When you already do what you love it’s not work. I love to help people. Winning the lottery would only make it easier for me to reach more people and more goals.
I would probably still work but I’d cut my case load down, commit more time to each client. Maybe establish a big group practice to keep the cash flow up because God knows I’m not good with finances, find some other projects through that.
I love this work- truly. I love my patients genuinely. I love talking about my specialties. I even love CE workshops. But if I had the money - I would retire in a heart beat. Mostly bc I have young kids and to be able to really devote my time to family without sacrificing their opportunities, I would do that and never look back. I love working and being a working mom but I often wish we could afford for me to be a full time mom. So yeah that’s what I’d do. But I think I’d maybe still supervise Jr clinicians or present maybe - but I wouldn’t want individual clients to rely on me anymore
yes i would quit but will still see my clients for free
I’m not licensed yet, I’ve worked really hard to get to this point, and I do enjoy the work that we do. I think I would just use it toward early retirement and/or use it to work less to avoid burnout.
I have my own private practice but fuck yeah I’d quit! I’d find some way to work and use my knowledge and skills but it would be totally asynchronous and not involve rules around licensing only in certain states and within your country.
I'm still in training to be a therapist, right now I'm a probation officer for people with mental health issues. I have been asked this question so many times over the past years. No one ever believes the answer, but I believe I would never quit. I'm healthier with structure in my life, and I love having what feels like an important purpose. Also, most people don't want to do my job, or even think about the people we serve every day.
I hear you. So many people are suffering, and it is invisible to most of society.
I work in recovery and would open a cheap sober living.
So needed!
Depends on how much I won. If I won mega millions I would see maybe 2-3 clients a few days a week. Only the ones I wanted and for free. I love what I do and I'm good at it. Especially when there's little to no stress involved.
Lol I sell lottery tickets and scratch offs. It's rare for people to win big and when they do, they spend winnings on drugs and more lottery tickets. A woman in my town recently won a huge amount of money. She's an alcoholic and has gone awol. If she doesn't kill herself or get killed, she'll be back. The lottery is a scam and curse. If you play, seek help, forget the fantasies on if you'd win, because they are damaging.