From IT to Psychotherapy: A Career Shift Driven by Purpose
Indu Khurana, 63, now runs a thriving psychotherapy business, a far cry from her early career in information technology. After years in IT, a profound volunteering experience led her to retrain and pursue a path focused on helping others, even as it meant a significant shift in income. Her journey, marked by health challenges and a remarkable decision to seek treatment abroad, offers a unique perspective on career fulfillment and financial well-being.
Early Life and Financial Realities
Khurana’s family relocated from India to the Midlands when she was seven. While they were comfortable in India, the move meant starting anew. Her father found work as an accountant, but her mother, a former teacher, had to take a factory job. The family initially lived in a single room, a stark contrast to their previous life. This period of relative poverty, exacerbated by a language barrier, instilled a deep sense of financial caution in Khurana. She recalls missing out on school trips and feeling the absence of luxuries, making money a consistent source of stress.
The IT Trajectory and a Growing Dissatisfaction
After studying Computer Studies at Birmingham Polytechnic, Khurana embarked on a career in IT. Her first job in Preston, Lancashire, paid £12,500, a significant sum that brought independence. She contributed to her parents’ finances and later, in her late twenties, purchased a two-bedroom house in Buckinghamshire for £35,000, with a deposit borrowed from her parents. This early step onto the property ladder, she notes, proved transformative.
However, the IT field did not bring her satisfaction. Frequent job changes to build her resume led her to London, which she found overwhelming. Selling her house, she bought another in Muswell Hill for around £80,000. While working a day job at a local council, Khurana began volunteering at Childline. This experience proved pivotal, revealing her true calling.
A New Path: Counselling and Psychotherapy
In the 1990s, Khurana enrolled in a counseling course. For several years, she juggled her IT job, volunteering, and weekend studies to complete a five-year diploma, which she self-funded. In 1996, she left her IT role, earning approximately £25,000. This marked the beginning of a significant career shift.
Following her training and Childline experience, Khurana worked in the charity sector, focusing on areas like homelessness, domestic violence, and forced marriage. This transition involved a substantial salary reduction, requiring a reassessment of her expenses. She adopted a frugal lifestyle, limiting social outings and prioritizing free activities with her partner, a musician.
In 2005, she pursued a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents, completing it in 2007. She then took a position within the NHS, specializing in child and adolescent mental health. In 2009, she moved to St Albans and bought a house for just under £300,000.
Building a Business and Embracing a New Financial Reality
Four years ago, Khurana established her own psychotherapy practice. While the work is fulfilling, she acknowledges the demanding nature of running a business and wearing multiple hats. Recently, her business has seen increased activity, leading to a more comfortable financial situation, with an annual net income of around £20,000.
Her practice now focuses on supporting individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other long-term autoimmune diseases, drawing from her own experiences. She aims to help clients not just survive, but thrive.
The Income Discrepancy and Inner Fulfillment
While Khurana earns less now than she did in the 1990s, she finds profound satisfaction in her current work. The fleeting desire for a higher IT salary is quickly overshadowed by the knowledge that she would not have been happy in that career. She views her current path as her long-term niche and sees the potential for growth and increased earnings in running her own business, unlike in an employed role where salary ceilings exist.
Navigating Health Challenges and a Life-Changing Treatment
Khurana’s health journey has significantly impacted her career. After freelancing for about ten years in London, she developed fatigue and was initially misdiagnosed with Lupus in the early 2000s. She also experienced vision loss in her left eye, though she didn’t initially connect it to her fatigue. The need for flexible work to manage her health created financial strain.
In 2017, she received an MS diagnosis. By this time, she had been with the NHS for nine years, providing financial stability and support. In 2022, after extensive research, Khurana underwent HSCT treatment for MS in Mexico. This complex procedure, involving chemotherapy and stem-cell transplantation, aimed to halt the disease’s progression.
The treatment cost £60,000, with an overall expenditure of approximately £100,000, including recovery time. This decision, made after two years of deliberation and fundraising, was driven by the denial of treatment both on the NHS and privately in the UK due to her symptoms not meeting specific criteria. She raised the funds through extending her mortgage, crowdfunding, her savings, and family assistance. Khurana considers this the best financial decision of her life, crediting the treatment with eliminating brain fog, halting disease progression, and providing the motivation to build her business.
Current Financial Snapshot
Khurana’s current monthly outgoings include:
- Mortgage: £200
- Council Tax: £240
- Home Insurance: £300
- Phone & Internet: £40
- Energy Bills: £110
- Car Insurance: £400
- Groceries: £40-£50
- Savings: £100
Financial Philosophy and Outlook
Khurana advocates for living within one’s means and emphasizes the importance of a ‘rainy day’ fund. Her early experiences with financial scarcity have shaped her into a cautious spender, avoiding credit card splurges and expensive purchases. She has consciously shifted from a poverty mindset to one of abundance, recognizing the profound impact of mindset on financial well-being.
