Answering 3 of Your Questions on Teaching College Classes as a Side Income for Therapists
Maybe you’ve always wanted to teach or wondered what it would be like to “play professor” - but the idea of getting your PhD now feels too overwhelming especially with working full-time.
The truth is, many universities and community colleges will higher you even if you “just” have your masters degree (as all of us do as therapists)
I’ve been teaching part-time as an adjunct professor for almost 4 years now (about 2 years with just my masters in clinical mental health counseling), and it’s been so rewarding to:
Watch students come to that "aha" moment in class during role-plays
Have a side income you can do online in the evenings
Get creative with lesson planning and activities for online classes
You might already know I have a workshop that teaches therapists how to make $10k teaching 1-2 college courses on the side. It actually wasn’t until I was preparing taxes this weekend (actually way more fun when you work for yourself because it’s a chance to look back at your accomplishments the past year) that I realized I actually made $10,200 teaching just 2 college courses this year.
In case you love the idea of teaching college courses as a side income, but you’re concerned about not having enough time or not having your doctorate, here are some facts about these classes that I taught:
I teach all online, sometimes asynchronous (meaning it’s a self-guided course students complete in their own time or synchronous (meaning we meet in real time over a video platform for classes)
It takes up about 1-2 hours of work a week (on average) mostly in the evenings after clients
Some of the classes I teach last a full semester while some classes are accelerated and take place over 8 weeks at the beginning of the semester
I had been teaching with my masters for about 2 years before completing my PhD - you can definitely teach part-time with just a masters
You might have thought about teaching a college class on the side, but you've had a lot of questions....
"Do I have the time to teach on the side?”
"Do I need a PhD?"
"Where do I even start?"
In honor of midterms this year, I’m answering some of your questions on The-Home Based Therapist newsletter + website:
Q: “Hi, how did you get started adjuncting? I've applied to so many and was told I need experience first. Just trying to get in! I work in a school setting already and have experience teaching online. Thanks so much!”
A: For me, networking was a powerful tool. With former professors, meeting professors at conferences etc. You can also check on higheredjobs.com. For teaching experience, I might even try to apply to local community colleges first or offer to speak to classes in your area of expertise (we're always looking for guest speakers!).
As for teaching experience, highlight in your application/curriculum vitae any supervision or presentation experience. Lots of smaller or more localized programs look for those with clinical experience.
An example for a school counselor looking to teach online: ""As a school counselor, I have implemented technological tools and online platforms to connect with students, parents, and colleagues. We use technology X to prepare students to succeed at universities like Y."
Q: I've never taught before but l've always wanted to, I have been in the social work field since 2012 in SO many different jobs. I wonder how open they would be to new "non-teachers”. I have experience doing a lot of trainings for mental health so that's kinda like teaching”
A: Exactly! While universities typically ask for teaching experience, most social workers and counselors have loads of experience running groups, programming, speaking, and hosting workshops. Don't discount your skills!
Q: “Last question, I saw the post was for VA I think. I live in NY, is that ok?” (This is a question in response to me posting an online teaching position)
A: Yes, if the job is remote (meaning you are teaching online) you can pretty much work from anywhere! I would confirm with the university (I also ask “Do I need to be licensed in the same state as the university as an adjunct instructor?")
If you’re thinking about adding another income stream this year, teaching a college course online could be the next step to you moving beyond 1-1 sessions with clients or even a side income you can do from home after work - especially convenient if you work full-time at a school or an agency.
Most meaningfully, you get to make a difference in the classroom with your clinical skills - students benefit from your real-world experience that they can take with them into internship and into their careers. I’m a counselor educator by training, so I’d love to answer any other questions you have if you’re thinking about applying for a part-time teaching position! Drop your questions here and you’ll get them answered in the next newsletter.
