Stuck in the interim

I always wanted to help people. Especially since I started going through traumatic events. I figured I was "going through it for a reason I just wanted it all to mean something, to be worth it. So at some point in my adult life I took my random, unfocused thought into a plan: I'd become a social worker. And I started in that path. All was well until my abusive partner caused, well, more trauma and I couldn't finish. I only completed my freshman year. I got frustrated with the whole school thing so I just started working again. 

Fast forward to now, I'm a pharmacy technician. It's a solid job, so I decided to continue in this path, at least enough to get to a higher income. I want to use said income to go back to school, and become a counselor instead. I'm upset because I know it'll take years to get to where I want to go and I wonder if it'll be worth it. I just want to help people but I don't know how to get to where I can share my story and experience.