Developing a portfolio career in therapy

Marissa reflects on how being open to opportunities shaped her career journey, from an aspiring theatre director to having a portfolio careers in therapy and mental health

Marissa shares her journey from studying Education with English and Drama and aspiring to be a theatre director to a portfolio career as a freelance dramatherapist, mental health practitioner with CAMHS, researcher and University Mental Health Advisor and how opening yourself up to opportunities can help you reflect on your skills and shape your career journey.

My advice for students is to have a clear idea of your future in mind but never say never.

My combined degree and extra-curricular activities sparked my passion for throwing myself in to new experiences and taking risks. I applied for my degree with a passion for Drama and a dream of becoming a theatre director, but spreading my knowledge across English and Education developed a continued interest in many different areas. I found Education particularly interesting, learning about the psychology of children amongst other topics and this helped me greatly when applying to become a therapist.

Working in mental health is emotionally challenging and draining, but hearing a client say things like ‘I used to think if I was sad I would just be sad forever, but now I know I have the power to change things’, makes it all worthwhile.

Alongside my studies, I was involved in several extra-curricular activities including committee roles for societies, writing and directing shows at the Corpus Playroom and the ADC Theatre and running an educational project as part Student Hubs. Listing my achievements like this is not normally in my nature but my range of experience will help you understand how I ended up having a ‘portfolio’ career and following a less ‘conventional’ route to my current employment.

First and second year flew by in a whirlwind and I found myself looking at a blank Google search box uncertain of my future stardom as a theatre director. I wouldn’t have changed my theatrical experience at Cambridge for anything but I had begun to move in to a community focused mindset with the leadership roles I’d undertaken. I typed ‘jobs involving drama’ into my search and scrolled down the list. Theatre in Education and community theatre caught my attention, then I saw dramatherapy. I’d never heard of this job before and had never considered becoming a therapist, but something clicked and the more I read, the more excited I became. I wanted to make a difference for people and realised that my skin may not be thick enough for the West End. Little did I know, my skin would need to be even thicker working in mental health. I completed my Masters in Drama and Movement Therapy at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2017 and I would not change it for the world, having worked with many different populations in a wide range of settings to help them improve their lives for the better.

I could write an exhaustive list of how my portfolio career has led to an integration of core skills I personally believe would not have been so intertwined and developed had I not opened myself up to different experiences and job opportunities.

I was drawn to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) training to learn more about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to expand my practice and specialise in working with children and young people with Autism Spectrum Conditions and Learning Disabilities. I have a passion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and I believe understanding the neurodiverse experience is vital for inclusive therapy practice. Supporting people to fulfil their potential from a place of privilege as a neurotypical person is the best way my privilege can be directed towards something worthwhile, and can offer people a space of validation, acceptance, and unconditional positive regard. This is a significant ‘pro’ of therapeutic practice, giving clients a space to develop skills and insights which will hopefully have a lifelong positive impact and begin them on a journey of healthy wellbeing. The challenges, though, include burnout, vicarious trauma, and employment. Working primarily with children has the added dynamic of managing relationships with parents, clients, and schools. Working in mental health is emotionally challenging and draining, but hearing a client say things like ‘I used to think if I was sad I would just be sad forever, but now I know I have the power to change things’, makes it all worthwhile.

Consider your skills in broad categories. Are you organising board game nights? Are you the person people always ask for instructions? Are you strategic, logical? What could this mean for your future and the kind of career you wish to have?

Another major challenge is the fact that I am a person living with Multiple Sclerosis, diagnosed in 2018 soon after I had completed my Dramatherapy training. I had already decided to work in fundraising for a year to find my feet as I had found the therapy training exhausting, now understanding the undiagnosed MS was an underlying factor. Fundraising still fulfilled my desire to help people without the emotional energy that therapy entails. It taught me invaluable skills such as team-work, marketing, meeting targets and budget management. I could write an exhaustive list of how my portfolio career has led to an integration of core skills I personally believe would not have been so intertwined and developed had I not opened myself up to different experiences and job opportunities.

Consider your skills in broad categories. Are you organising board game nights? Are you the person people always ask for instructions? Are you strategic, logical? What could this mean for your future and the kind of career you wish to have? I was never getting firsts in essays but looking at my extra-curricular experience, I always ended up in leadership roles. I am therefore drawn to being a facilitator, leader, and manager especially in creative, interactive projects which are meaningful to people. Sounds like a theatre director, yes, but also like a dramatherapist.

Being your own boss can be a blessing and a curse, as you have no one to tell you when you are working too much and, in my experience, you want to grab every opportunity you can incase it never comes around again.

My route to freelance work therefore came from an MS diagnosis, but your motivation to freelance could be very different. If you are considering freelance therapy work I would recommend first and foremost that you consider personal boundaries and capacity. Being your own boss can be a blessing and a curse, as you have no one to tell you when you are working too much and, in my experience, you want to grab every opportunity you can incase it never comes around again. Use your clinical supervision to ensure you remain fit to practice and join a community of other freelancers. This has been particularly helpful for enabling me to ask other professionals I know to take on work for me should I be unable to and receive a small percentage of the fee. Being part of a community also helps you have a broader focus and stops you becoming a narrow-minded practitioner. You can speak to others about their work and ignite new ideas for your practice.

My advice for students is to have a clear idea of your future in mind but never say never. I went to Cambridge convinced I would become a theatre director, and instead trained for a vocation which would change my life forever. Take opportunities that can expand your horizon and that help you truly understand not only your academic interests but your own personality, role preferences, and communities you value.

Marissa’s advice for students exploring therapy careers

• If you are thinking of becoming a therapist, you should explore the different types of therapies that are out there and choose the right training route for your discipline. Do you want to be a Counsellor? An Integrative Arts Counsellor? An EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) specialist?
• Begin by looking online or speaking to therapists. I would recommend looking at the British Association of Dramatherapists website (www.badth.org.uk) and their ‘Training’ section. You can also explore therapeutic and practitioner roles and training routes on Prospects.ac.uk and NHS Health Careers
• Consider how and where you want to work, for example do you want to work freelance, within the NHS which includes the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or for another organisation providing mental health and therapy support?