michelle koh, author & hypnotist

Embarking On A Second Career In Your ‘40s

Why journalist and copywriter Michele Koh Morollo decided to kickstart a second career as a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist at Rescript.

By Michele Koh Morollo

I had my first magazine article published in 1997 when I was 17. Since then, I’ve been merrily eking out a living as a professional journalist, copywriter and editor. I’ve produced hundreds of print and digital articles and have written two leadership biographies for clients. I’ve worked with media outlets like the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, AFAR, Harper’s Bazaar, CNN Travel, Dwell, Design Anthology, Lonely Planet and the South China Morning Post, and brands such as Herman Miller, Philips, Bang & Olufsen, Colgate and Apple. I also write fiction and have published two short fiction collections and have had my stories included in eight fiction anthologies. Both professionally and personally, writing has been incredibly rewarding and I feel very fortunate to have stuck with this path for as long as I have.

However, from the corner of one eye, I’ve often glimpsed another equally alluring career path hidden in the shadows. It’s a much less solitary compared to the one I’ve been treading on for the last 24 years, and while I’ve turned to glance at it for some time now, I’ve always been a little apprehensive about veering away from my known and familiar writerly road. But the appeal of this alternative path has been growing stronger with each passing year. 

This other path is that of the mental health worker, and last year, I finally took my first step towards it. 

In early 2020, around the time when Covid began rearing its ugly head, I decided to pursue a Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Leicester, and to get certified as a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist through the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. I had just turned 42 and felt I needed a big change. For some of my 40-something friends, “big change” was coming in the form of either having or adopting a child, divorcing their spouses or getting plastic surgery. Neither of these options were for me, but the thought of a second career – where I could learn new skills and be of service to others – got me really excited. 

I’m happy to report that in January 2021, I earned my diploma in cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy. I am now an accredited National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) and General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) hypnotherapist, I’ve launched my own private hypnotherapy practice Rescript: Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy and am already working with several satisfied clients. I am presently midway into my psychology studies and am enjoying it immensely. 

So what was it that prompted me to finally make my move? 

Supply & Demand

During the pandemic, many of my friends sought support for their mental health. I did too. I was trying to make an appointment to see a psychologist to help me overcome pandemic-related anxiety but was having a hard time getting an appointment. The two psychologists I wanted to see were already fully booked for months and not taking on new clients. I realised that there was a high demand for mental healthcare but supply was relatively low. I decided that if I could learn more about mental healthcare, not only might I better understand and solve my own problems, but I could also become part of the bigger solution and help others with their struggles too.

Hazards of Extended Computer Work

Early last year, I saw my optometrist and was told I needed reading glasses. As a writer, I spend hours and hours in front of the computer researching, writing and editing. Lately, my eyes are beginning to feel the strain of too much screen time. My neck and back also ache more than before. As I age, there will be no avoiding weakened eyesight or more bodily aches and pains. Because I don’t want to exacerbate age-related vision deterioration or musculoskeletal pain, I decided it would be prudent to begin building an alternative career that would involve me spending less time glued to the computer. 

The Right Time for It

When selecting a mental health professional, I personally prefer someone who is significantly older than me. If you’re in your fourties or even in your thirties and you’re looking for help with an existential crisis, how confident would you be taking suggestions from a twenty-something? Wisdom and life experience are the hallmarks of an effective mental health worker, and more often than not, these are traits that come with age. Mental healthcare is one of the few industries where older workers are actually deemed more, not less, competent, so I foresee that a career as a psychotherapist or psychologist might help me ease into retirement more gracefully than a career in the fast-paced world of media and communications.

Why a Cognitive Behavioral Hypnotherapist?

My hope is to complete my master’s then pursue a doctorate in psychology, which would allow me to become a full-fledged clinical psychologist. However, I’ve always believed that theory and practice should occur in tandem for the best education in any subject (I actually worked as a writer for six years before getting my bachelor’s in journalism), so as I worked on earning my academic degree, I also did additional vocational training to qualify as a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist. 

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that challenges and changes the unhelpful stories, beliefs and ideas cling to, but that aren’t beneficial for us. Hypnotherapy takes us into a deeply relaxed trance, so we can engage our imagination to assimilate and activate suggestions for positive change in an effective, practical and meaningful way. As a writer who understands the power of words, cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy seemed like the perfect method for me to work with others in the capacity of counsellor and hypnotherapist. Using cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, I help my clients replace negative stories and self-talk with positive alternatives, so they can achieve their goals and live their best possible life. 

Where do I see myself 5 years from now?

The feedback I’ve received from my clients have been so encouraging. Seeing them break their bad habits and achieve their goals has given me some confidence that this second path is a good one, and the right one for me at this point in my life. I won’t give up writing entirely, that’s for sure, but I hope to develop a sustainable business as a psychotherapist, so that rather than producing copious amounts of commercial content to pay the bills, I can spend more time writing fiction, cooking, enjoying the great outdoors, and connecting more deeply with my loved ones and with the world.