My first job post-MSW is a therapist in a private (group) practice. This job is highway robbery.

*rant/advice*

Pretty much as the title says. I was ecstatic to take this job at one of Chicago's largest practices as a PHP/IOP group therapist and individual therapist. I was hired as a W2 employee for $40/hr 25 hours/week minimum and will be eligible for $45/hr when I receive my license as an LSW. I can only accept self-pay, BCBS, and Aetna insurances but I have no self-pay clients and my hourly no matter what (PHP hours, individual hours) is $40 flat rate. For reference, therapy sessions out of pocket/self-pay are $150.

That's not a 60-40 split. It's not even a 50-50 split.

Sure, I get free weekly supervision, free office space, free lunch almost every day brought in by major pharmaceutical companies advertising their pills, an EHR system, a few small monthly reimbursements, a website that provides referrals, an administrative front desk, and some other "perks," but all of that in an area with a high cost of living and I won't even make $40,000/yr? In a multi-million, maybe billion-dollar company?

This has to be highway robbery or being taken advantage of.

I was so excited to have this job! As a first-generation college student, I felt like this was a dream come true, but it's brought on more stress and a feeling of unfulfillment that worries me.

Managing an individual caseload in a mess of a PHP program (which is what I mainly signed on for) is becoming increasingly difficult and going out of my way to help run this entire program on my own unpaid time and hearing "I appreciate you!" from my directors and program leaders just adds salt to the wound of the amount of money I am compensated and the hours worked. I work an extra 3-4 hours a week unpaid between outpatient and PHP doing things that should be assigned to a proper team. My supervisor recommended I ask if I can move full-time to only PHP and I would most likely be salaried at a much higher rate, but after speaking to other therapist friends and one in my same practice, I realize how much this place will lowball me and I'm starting to struggle with wanting to be a therapist both here and in general. And that really sucks.

I feel like I should be grateful for what this practice provides, but it's barely enough to pay the bills. I'm considering jumping ship, but I don't know where I would go as I don't think individual therapy with 25 people/week is my calling and that seems to be the "dream." I feel lost.

Anyone have any advice? Or if anyone else wants to rant, I hope this can be the place for it!