Jobs For PTSD

[Paloma]

Good place to do good...I agree. Unfortunately I have to get paid too. Now that is even more urgent as I just got a foreclosure notice...and I am in no better shape than I was before I got the notice. Sigh.

 

[Jagged Angel]

I work as a part-time academic at a rural university, and it is perfect. No loud noises, no sudden movements, large windows for natural sunlight, located in a quiet spot. The work is mostly routine, and when it isn't it's not a fuss because there are no massive surprises to deal with. And the best of all - so long as I get the work done, and I turn up to teach my classes on time, it doesn't matter if I turn up at 12pm. My classes have all been arranged to be in the afternoons.

 

[clare]

I would love to work at an assisted living center or senior center. I worked at a rehab/shelter for years and I loved it, but the stress from working with ex cons, homeless, prostitutes, etc. sometimes outweighed the personal rewards.

 

[popeye]

I also am not working at the moment and I am currently looking into becoming a dog trainer. I have noticed that there are no service dog training companies in the state of Wisconsin at least none that I can find online. I would like to train PSD (psychiatric service dogs) but I would also train dogs for autism and hearing dogs possibly seeing eye dogs and things of that nature. I have noticed that dogs comfort me more than any pill or therapy I have received. I currently have absolutely no idea how to train a dog even though I have had many as pets. My dogs already came with the basics of house training and being able to sit on command. I got a dog from the animal shelter near my home and I am taking him to classes beginning on march 3rd. Hopefully I will be able to train him to become a service dog for me. He is highly intelligent and willing to learn but more or less the dog can only be as smart as the owner lol.

I think a dog trainer at least for me would be a good thing because the way I plan on doing it would put me on a one on one with a dog for days on end. Less human contact and also a comfort in itself. I will let you know how far I get with this idea.

 

[QuietNow]

Mortician. At least one of my coworkers did it and she's blissfully happy. Doing makeup and hair for dead people is quiet and actually in a way rewarding because the family is grateful when their loved one looks young or peaceful again. At least that's what she says.

There's a book called "The 4-Hour Work Week" which is entertaining and gets you thinking, but it isn't a guide for how to really chuck your job. It is deeply flawed. You would need to have the drive and energy to sell yourself and your business before you get to the reward of automating it so that you don't have to be in the mix for the business to make money. It has some interesting points, though.

 

[QuietNow]

Popeye,
Pet house sitters are in high demand in our area. Pet sitting usually includes dog walking twice a day, feeding, play time, as well as plant watering and mail/newspaper pick-up. Sometimes turning lights on or off to make the house look occupied while folks are on vacation. This is ditto for cat sitting or exotic pet sitting if you are familiar.

If you can give IV fluids or injections to ailing pets then you are gold to a family wanting a vacation. I didn't have a vacation for 2 years after my kitty was diagnosed with diabetes. I gave him injections of insulin twice a day on schedule for 7 1/2 years of his life. Finding a pet sitter who had been a vet tech was a god-send. Later, one of our cats needed IV fluids every three days.

So, while dog training is an excellent goal, look into offering a pet sitting business too. The best thing about it is that the people are AWAY while you're doing it. They typically also like you bonded or recommended.

Oh, and some services offer "while you're at work" services for dogs like extra walking or people visits for puppies or older dogs that can't stand the strain of owners being away for 10 hours at a time.

 

[QuietNow]

(Obviously I've been thinking about this topic for a while)

Virtual assistant. If you know how to use office applications, can answer phones reliably during work hours, can arrange for travel/conferences, etc, then this could be a job for you. You don't have to be in the same state.

Another option is Personal Assistant. That's someone who does errands and odd-jobs for people who are two busy with work. Think out-of-the-box and you could add things like 'argue your water bill when you're incorrectly billed.'

Artist is another category, but that is a rather mercuric field. Remember, an 'artistic' income actually means 'unreliable.'

(I'll add that a lot of very small businesses just getting started may desire a Virtual Assistant to answer the phone, forward mail, etc, but don't look into it because of the fear of the cost. While you want to get paid, offering something that allowed the new entrepreneur a way to start the business but not get buried with costs for a full-time employee would get you into a lot of business. I've been musing about this myself and have thought that offering a cost-structure on a per-call basis based on what I thought might be the call volume, billing only for specific hours worked on jobs for specific customers, etc, and advertising that fee structure might be a way to break into the business with some business.)

 

[TLight]

Ditto; Environmental consultant. I write a lot of scientific papers and permit applications. 90% of the time I don't have to interact with anyone and I'm at home. Works perfect.

For years I suffered, never knowing it was because I was being triggered. I finally went completely psychotic with the stress and ruined my health..............not worth it.

I know what I can and can't do now. Empire's list is right on the money...........

Can't find the job......pursue disability. A hard road but needed for me for a long while.

 

[FightingLily]

-Plenty of repetition and predictability - practically hypnotic and very calming

Painting walls does this for me.
just thought I'd share ;)

 

[TLight]

I just have to update my job thing. Had to leave environmental consulting, too stressful and triggered by developers. Now I'm sort of lost. I want to find something that has nothing to do with people. I'm just triggered way to much by so many things.............I'm afraid I'll break again.

 

[Philippa]

I know this thread is pretty dead, but I thought I would throw in that I had the hardest trouble finding work...fo ryears, I was unemployed and felt like crap, though I realise there was no way anyone would have hired me in the state I was in. I couldn't smile, and waitressing was my main qualification.

After about 5 years I managed to meet a woman who was also recovering from PTSD and sexual abuse/assualts, who kindly handed over her job working in admin in a Lab at an STD clinic, over to me...which is where I am now, and apart from the rank smell of the place...which I am looking to get away from as soon as I can...the job is only 2.5 days a week...which means I have LOADS of free time to paint. I make the same wage as what a 5 day a week 9-5 er would make, so I can support myself and basically have been able to get my life back on track and have a pretty relaxed lifestyle now, though I have no kids or husband at 36.

I'm fairly introverted by nature, so for me, any job that means I don't have to have any contact with people is just fine with me...and I've managed to land boring jobs that require no stress or thinking whatsoever, so I consider them to be jobs where I can heal. I even have an online journal at work, for when I get anxiety or emotions come up and I don't want to supress them, as you have to in the work place, for some stupid reason.

It's definately not a stimulating job, but I think, in terms of healing, it's just what I needed...and even though I'm no longer friends with the woman who gave me the job, I'm forever in her gratitude for giving it to me, because I was seriously giving up on the whole thing. I thought I'd be some social security case who couldn't work because her brain had died from not using it for so long...but I've managed to turn the whole situation around, and I'm back on track. Have my own money to do with what I want, can pay for a good art therapist, and support myself again. I've come such a long way, and I need to acknowledge that now.

 

[Meli]

I'm thinking library or some sort of archiving duties (government, museum, laboratory, etc.)