Do You Need a Diploma to Be Taken Seriously?

[shree]

My life purpose is clear: I help adult children of dysfunctional families release shame, reclaim self-worth, and live freely and authentically.

I’ve gone through deep pain, emotional neglect, shame, trauma. Through inner child work, emotional healing, and self-awareness, I went from a miserable, lost person to someone who is mostly joyful,  emotionally literate, sometimes ecstatic, and increasingly aware of his true nature.

But I still ask myself:
Will people trust me without a diploma?

I fear not being taken seriously.
I fear being seen as not good enough without formal education.

But I know what I offer is real.
It comes from life, not from a classroom.

To those walking a similar path:
Did you struggle with something similar?
How does one build trust without a degree?

 

@Emerald @Leo Gura @Exystem  @Michael569 @Thought Art

Tagging a few I know are on a similar path, but I’d appreciate feedback from anyone who is on a path of mastery.

Edited April 16 by shree

[shree]

I forgot to mention:

 

I’m 34, a father of two, working full-time. In my free time, I focus on healing, understanding my trauma, and learning how to share my insights to help others heal and grow too.

 

[Artsy]

Yes it's possible, even with a diploma (I'm guessing you mean university degree?) you still need a portfolio - documented evidence of the impact/value you can deliver, Austin Kleon Show your work is a good book of what this can look like in practice. That being said, for your Life Purpose I would reccomend looking into a counselling/psychotherapy degree.

[Hojo]

Depends on the field if you want to work with other people you will need a diploma. If you can show you have skills that don't rely on other people you wont ie insane math skills /3d 2d animation/ mechanic/ plumbing. They won't let you make mental decisions and give you authority without showing you know how that is reckless. They won't let you start in any social work without diploma guranteed.

Edited April 16 by Hojo

[shree]

@Michael569Thank you,

your response gave me exactly the kind of clarity I needed.

I’ve been refining my niche, and here’s what feels the most true:

Who I help:

I support adult children of emotionally immature/alcoholic and religiously abusive families ,people who grew up feeling invisible, guilted, and shamed into self-erasure. 

Many were raised to believe that love had to be earned through obedience, silence, or martyrdom.

They’re often in their 30s–40s, intelligent and emotionally sensitive, but stuck in cycles of self-abandonment, shame, and toxic loyalty. They’re just starting to awaken to the fact that their burnout, anxiety, or lack of identity is rooted in deep childhood conditioning, even if they most probably don’t use the word “trauma” or "CPTSD."


****

What they’re looking for:

They Google things like:

“Why do I feel guilty saying no?”

“Was my childhood emotionally abusive?”

“Religious guilt healing”

“Why do I feel responsible for everyone?”


They’re not always ready for therapy, some are afraid of being pathologized.
But they’re hungry for truth, emotional safety, and practical insight.
They want realness, not academic distance. They want someone who’s lived it and speaks their language.


****

My Offer:

I’m not YET a therapist.
But I’ve walked the fire, and healed most of it.
I offer trauma-informed support rooted in emotional reparenting, inner child work, and the kind of spiritual clarity that only comes from surviving deep confusion and toxic shame.

Your point about professionalism, boundaries, and legal protection is absolutely valid, and I’m sitting with it as I design what this practice becomes.
But your biggest gift to me was this reminder:

"Don’t just lead from what you survived. Lead from what your client is searching for.”



As always thank you for being generous and sharp at the same time.

[aurum]

@shree

It sounds like you're dealing with serious trauma. In which case you probably want to get some sort of formal credential.

There's not just liability with something goes wrong. You could also just get in legal trouble for practicing therapy without a license, depending on your local laws. That's applicable even if everything goes right.

[shree]

On 4/16/2025 at 8:36 PM, Michael569 said:

oh and yeah, 100% ! 

Think about it this way, you could be the best in what you do but if people don't know who you are, what you do and how to connect with you, the business won't pick up. Again, this is my greatest struggle so I definitely haven't mastered the art of cooking the perfect marketing recipe  

It seems like marketing will be big part of my own struggle.

Can you suggest some resources that can help me learn this?

On 4/16/2025 at 9:36 PM, aurum said:

@shree

It sounds like you're dealing with serious trauma. In which case you probably want to get some sort of formal credential.

There's not just liability with something goes wrong. You could also just get in legal trouble for practicing therapy without a license, depending on your local laws. That's applicable even if everything goes right.

Thanks for the feedback. You're right, legal protection is important. I'm planning to get certified through a psychotherapy license that’s recognized in Germany. One legit path is a “Heilpraktiker for Psychotherapy” exam.

There are prep schools for it - like Paracelsus School, which help you legally work with trauma without needing a psychology degree. That’s the route I’m looking into.

 

Thanks!

[Exystem]

Hey @shree, thanks for tagging me and sharing your LP <3

I know that struggle and I found working on my subconscious beliefs (Glaubenssätze) very powerful. If you want methods and some advice you can write me in private, I'd love to share it with you.

One main realisation was that a belief is actally a habitual decision. It's a very simple statement, but when you contemplate it, it goes deeeeep...

Belief = Habitual decision

[shree]

Hey man.

Awesome!

I will PM you.

[Mada_]

A page from truth vs falsehood by David Hawkins 

[Yimpa]

@Mada_ That resonates with me. I discovered an alternative healer on YouTube in high school when I was going through a tough time, and they helped me see my situation from a completely new perspective. I remember mentioning how awesome they were to my school counselor at the time, and instead of getting curious at how they were helping me, he immediately got concerned and was like, "Yeah, that's cool that he helps. But make sure he has credentials."

His close-mindedness is what got to me. It felt like he was basically saying, "Congratulations on discovering tools outside of the box. Now come back inside the same box that is causing you distress, because it's safer in here."

[shree]

On 27/04/2025 at 10:31 AM, Mada_ said:

A page from truth vs falsehood by David Hawkins 

 

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

[shree]

On 27/04/2025 at 11:42 AM, Yimpa said:

His close-mindedness is what got to me. It felt like he was basically saying, "Congratulations on discovering tools outside of the box. Now come back inside the same box that is causing you distress, because it's safer in here."

Inspiring story, thanks. The problem is - not everyone is open-minded enough to recognize such a thing. People love formalities. That is why we have organized religions, the pharmaceutical mafia, and the whole field of psychology based on "what is wrong with you" instead of "what happened to you".

[Yimpa]

@shree your post ended on a low note, but your signature made all the difference  

[shree]

Yeah, there is some emotional charge behind it.
I’m aware of it, and I’m okay with it.

Glad the signature saved me from your wrath, oh pig of Infinity

[Ramanujan]

On 16/4/2025 at 0:42 PM, shree said:

I forgot to mention:

 

I’m 34, a father of two, working full-time. In my free time, I focus on healing, understanding my trauma, and learning how to share my insights to help others heal and grow too.

 

dont follow your passion. Use the book getting things done by david allen and grind your way through  life . Getting things done bypasses the need for passion and gives you a high .

 

 

if you dont like GTD , then follow mastery by george leonard. in mastery , the idea is to love what you are already doing and do it with love. so you dont need to follow life purpose. try to love what you are already doing and if you love it enough times , it will become your life puprpose

[Ramanujan]

Fuck "life purpose"

only those who live in USA can afford to follow life purpose