10 Career Paths for People with a Mental Health Degree

Working in the field of mental health can be a demanding but ultimately fulfilling experience. Working in mental health puts you in a position to make a positive difference in people's lives. This line of work provides an opportunity to help people learn to persevere in the face of adversity, inspire others with optimism, and show compassion. Below are 10 career paths for people with a mental health degree.

Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have completed additional training in the identification, management, and avoidance of mental health problems. They resort to institutionalization, medicine, psychoanalysis, and other forms of talk therapy. You will aid the patient to identify effective answers to their concerns. Psychiatrists are similar to general practitioners in that they perform physical examinations, diagnose mental health conditions, formulate treatment plans, and prescribe medication. You need to acquire your MD degree to practice as a psychiatrist, which takes around six years after you earn your bachelor’s degree. All states require doctors to have licenses, but the specifics vary widely from one jurisdiction to the next. A good psychiatrist makes an average of $204,893 per year, and the job also gives them the chance to set their own hours and own their own business.

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Substance Abuse Counselors

A substance abuse counselor is a professional who helps people overcome drug and alcohol dependency. As a counselor in the field of mental health, your primary focus will be on helping those who are experiencing difficulties related to substance abuse. Working in this field requires educating clients on the causes and consequences of their damaging actions. The people who want to stay sober, find meaningful work in the community, and beat a potentially deadly habit will benefit greatly from your efforts as a drug misuse therapist, so consider pursuing this field of study. One needs a Bachelor's or higher from an accredited institution in order to enter the field of counseling. You can become a professional counselor after completing additional education at the master's or doctoral level. These therapists earn a median annual salary of $41,100.

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Mental Health Consultant

Mental health consultants engage with individuals and families to offer assistance in the areas of emotional well-being and mental health. Your key tasks as a mental health consultant will be to provide assistance with various therapeutic methods and to conduct therapy sessions with individuals, families, and small groups of people. Your work responsibilities also include talking with patients, recognizing problematic patterns of behavior, and advising patients to seek psychiatric help when appropriate. In order to make observations regarding the psychological and social growth of your patients, you may choose to pay them home visits or observe them while they are at school. To be successful in the field of mental health consulting, you need to have good interpersonal skills. They bring in an annual salary of approximately $85,000 on average.

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Marital and Family Therapists

Mental health specialists with special training in psychotherapy and family systems are known as marriage and family therapists. Psychological and emotional problems in couples and families are identified and addressed by these professionals. Many of them have worked in marriage and family counseling for more than 13 years, making them highly qualified professionals. They assess and treat mental and emotional disorders as well as health and behavioral difficulties and work with families on a wide range of relationship challenges. A master's degree and a substantial amount of time are required to become certified as a mental and family therapist. You'll need to be passionate about helping couples and families if you want to become a licensed marriage and family therapist and earn the average annual salary of $46,670 in this field.

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Clinical Social Worker

Assessing, diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental health problems, emotional distress, and other behavioral abnormalities are the primary areas of concentration for a clinical social worker. Therapists work mostly in private practice, hospitals, and government healthcare organizations, where they provide services to individuals, couples, and families. A clinical social worker is someone who has a Master's degree in social work and provides assistance to multiple clients at once. Psychotherapy, counseling, therapy, and other methods are commonly included in their treatment plans. The typical annual income for a clinical social worker is $62,497. This is an excellent counseling position that pays well and gives you a lot of professional freedom.

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Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

A mental health nurse practitioner is qualified to assess, diagnose, and prescribe medication for individuals experiencing mental health issues. Professionally, being a mental health nurse practitioner pays well and provides meaningful personal fulfillment. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is necessary for entry into this mental health nursing field position. Having a Bachelor of Science in Nursing under your belt is a plus when applying to these Master's programs. All five of these crucial careers in mental health include assisting clients within an increasingly strained system. One of these positions in mental health could be ideal for you if you are caring, cooperative, and appreciate forming connections with others for the sake of doing good. As a nurse practitioner, you have the option of working for yourself and earning an annual salary of $90,376 or more.

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Rehabilitation Counselor

People with mental, physical, or emotional disabilities can get help from a rehabilitation counselor so that they can become more self-sufficient. Most commonly, they assist clients in coping with or overcoming the effects of their impairments. Inevitably, these obstacles can make it hard to hold down a job or maintain independent living arrangements of any kind. You could work with young people with disabilities to develop coping strategies to help them attend school. You might also help the elderly adjust to a new way of life after a long battle with disease or infirmity. Typically, a master's in rehabilitation counseling is needed to work as a rehabilitation counselor. Different states and types of service rendered will necessitate different levels of certification for people in this field. An average annual salary for a rehabilitation counselor is $34,600.

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Career Counselor

A career counselor works with people of all ages to help them choose an occupation that is a good fit for their personality and skills. A career counselor can deal with kids of any age, at any level of schooling, from kindergarten to graduate school. Clients can get honest feedback on their strengths and weaknesses with the help of accomplishment and aptitude tests. A master's degree in school counseling or career counseling is typically required for employment in this field. If you want to work as a career counselor in a public school, you'll need to get certified by your state's licensing board. Career counselors earn an average of $54,500 a year.

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Psychologist

A psychologist's job is to aid her patients in understanding and managing their mental health issues, as well as those they face in their personal lives, at work, and in the wider community. Through in-depth therapy, they help their patients identify their capabilities and identify areas for improvement in order to better handle their issues. A clinical psychologist and a counseling psychologist are the two major types of psychologists. Counseling psychologists focus mainly on less severe mental health issues, while clinical psychologists treat more severe cases. Earning a doctorate in psychology and completing one or two years of supervised clinical work are prerequisites for working as a psychologist in private practice. Additionally, you need to get through the Psychology Board Exam. Clinical psychologists earn an annual median salary of $73,200.

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Pastoral Counselor

Clergy and pastoral therapy is a kind of mental health counseling in which the therapist has additional training in the ministry. They have the capacity to work with individuals and groups. Hospitals and community centers often employ these mental health professionals to help with issues like domestic violence and substance abuse. People with mental health or behavioral challenges often seek out these leaders of congregations for one-on-one meetings where they can get spiritual advice and therapy. It is common for them to incorporate prayer, readings from the Bible, and other religious tenets into their counseling sessions. You need to be in a teaching or leadership role in a church and (typically) hold a theology degree or be ordained before you can call yourself a pastoral counselor. The median annual salary for this profession is $48,060.

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Conclusion

Working in the field of mental health can take place in a broad variety of settings, requiring varying levels of education and experience from those interested in entering the profession. For those who are motivated by a desire to help others, a future in the mental health industry may provide promising job prospects.