PSYCHOTHERAPIST RETIREMENT AND AGE-RELATED IMPAIRMENT: RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY

A survey of 749 psychotherapists nationwide was conducted to determine at what age they currently plan to retire as well as to identify those factors which seem to influence this decision. Only 53% anticipated retiring by age 70, while 30% indicated that they planned to work beyond 70, with 13.5% reporting that they planned to practice psychotherapy until death. The remaining 20% were undecided. The older the therapists, the more likely they were to postpone retirement. Those who valued most the emotional satisfactions derived from clinical practice expected to prolong their careers. In addition, those who currently conducted fewer hours of therapy per week were most likely to plan for a later retirement.