What to do, what to do??

[Associate of Daniel]

So, it appears I'm having a late mid life crisis.

Not really.  I'm fine.

Here's the situation:

I currently have 2 part time/casual jobs.  One in a school and one as an instrumental music teacher. In a few weeks I will be taking 8 weeks of long service leave from the latter. I then only want to return for a fraction of the hours that I currently work at that Job.  It has two seperate roles and I don't really want to continue in one of them.  Truthfully I don't really want to return for any of the music teaching job.  However, I shouldn't and can't really afford to just give up a job.

My boss has known of my plans since the start of May but has not yet found anyone to replace me.  So there is a chance that the part of my job that I don't wish to return to may not be there when I return anyway.

So I'm trying to sort out what to do if I don't end up returning to that job.  My other job has me working 27 hours per week during school terms. It's not enough money wise.

Anyway, as some of you may have read in a few of my last posts, this year has been absolutely awful for several of my friends and I have found myself to be even more of a sounding board and soft landing for them, almost to the point of acting as a semi counsellor in some conversations.

It's been extremely difficult.  But it has led me to wonder if I should pursue a "career" as a counsellor.  I've been reflecting on how often, even when a teenager, (I'm now 53) people have opened up to me, leaned on me etc.  Even total strangers or friends of friends during one off interactions.  I find it weird that they do it but I'm glad they feel comfortable to do so.  I've also had several people tell me that I'd make a good counsellor, which has been very kind of them.

So I've been looking into the idea of becoming a counsellor.  I don't want to be a fully fledged psychologist etc.  Just a listening ear with an occasional suggestion.

Here are my thoughts, and they seem to be more negative than positive.  So, I'm interested to hear of any more positive thoughts from you all regarding the situation, it you'd be so kind.

I'm 53.  By the time I finish a counselling course I'd be uncomfortably close to 60, as I'd be doing the course part time while working.

Courses are upwards of $10,000.  That money is needed for retirement savings, health care and expenses/support for my ds16.

Courses (like many others) cover areas I'm not interested in or that I don't think are necessary, or that I don't believe the ethics/spiritual side of.

Do I really want to spend my days (as a counsellor) sitting in a room by myself with a stranger who might actually have a pd, or might have other difficulties?  Would I be safe?  Would I have the patience?

Is it morally right for me to take money for just listening to people's problems?  A good friend can do that for them for free. (I know, this one is multi layered and perhaps controversial.)

In the end, is what draws me to the idea just that I enjoy the deep personal interactions I have with people I know.  Is it that I'd rather spend my days doing that instead of working?  If so, that's normal for almost everyone and they don't uproot their entire lives based on that thinking.

So there are the cons I've thought of so far.

The pros might be:

I have a life experience that can help others. (But I can do that for free and not go through years and the expenses of study.)

I enjoy these types of deep interactions with people. (Again I can do it for free.)

I seem to have an ability to help people open up, even if all I do is listen.

It would be a quieter job than what I do now!

It might bring in more money.

I don't know. I feel like the pros are superficial.

What I'd actually like to do is have a life of working maybe 3 days per week and spending the other 2 days taking people out for coffee and being their sounding board for a couple of hours.  And maybe the rest of the time counselling people from behind a keyboard.

My other idea for a career change is to become a library assistant.  It would pay much the same as what I receive in my current job, but at least it would be quieter!

Anyway, do any of you have any ideas?  Perhaps you might like to share your own stories of self reinvention!

AOD

[notrightinthehead]

If you went through with the training you would be competing for jobs with people half your age. How would that make you feel?
Could you volunteer at counseling places like lifeline or Samaritans where you could put your listening skills to good use and get a feel if doing that professionally would be something for you?