Should I quit my master’s program?

I’m in a two year master’s program, and i’m in my second year. It’s a research-based Psychology program.

Until now things have been fairly relaxed as I only had course work, but now that I am in my second year, the actual research component for my thesis is getting intense. I have yet to defend a proposal for my thesis, as well as my actual complete thesis. Long story short, I don’t think I like research as much as I thought I did. I honestly think this program is making me depressed and so stressed.

The reason I took this program is because I thought I might want to go on to do a clinical psychology PhD, but now I am questioning my love for research and am really reconsidering this. My goal has always been to help people, so another option is to become a psychotherapist by doing a different master’s degree (counselling psychology), which is not research based.

I am kind of wishing I did the counselling program from the start, but now I am stuck in this research program that I’m really starting to hate. I don’t know what to do. I keep telling myself to push through, but at this point I think there is a good chance I would do the counselling program after, and I can’t keep but feel like I’m wasting my time in this research program.

I would appreciate any advice. Is it worth continuing? Should I drop out?

The tricky part is that it’s too late to apply to start the counselling program next fall (2025). At the particular school I’m interested in, I wouldn’t be able to apply and start until fall 2026, so if I quit this program I would need to find a job until then.