very interesting your background is in clinical psych- im working on my MFT (counseling psych) right now - very start and im not sure if its the right thing...
what became the hard part? thats my fear- too empathetic!~
Right out of undergrad (research/clinical psych focus) I started working as a counselor at a group home for extremely troubled teenage girls. It wasn't a good experience starting out all around, and uncommon, I think--the girls were very troubled, I wasn't mature or experienced enough to deal as well as I could have personally with their issues, the lead counselor of the place was not that much older or experienced than I was (!) and so couldn't really help us effectively help the girls.
It was a weird situation, and I don't think reflects most counseling situations. I don't think you have anything to worry about--plus, I think you would be great at counseling! Just make sure you get the support you need while you're trying to help others. I would imagine all your DB skills would help with detaching and also working on making yourself OK!
It is in the shelter of each other that people live.--Irish proverb
