Psychological Support
Career Options – Many people today interest in a career where they can help others with their mental health and well-being. Whether you are looking to give back after experiencing your own mental health struggles or have watched a friend or loved one go through mental health concerns and want to be able to be there for people in that situation in the future, there are plenty of good reasons to consider a career in mental health. If you have great communication skills, are compassionate and empathetic, are a good critical thinker, and tend to make good decisions, you could be a good fit for a career as a mental health professional. Here are just some roles that you might want to consider.
Mental Health Counselor
As a mental health counselor, you will often be the first port of call for people who are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing. You may be tasked with helping people who are suffering from depression, anxiety, or more serious and chronic mental health disorders like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder to help them learn more about how it impacts their lives in a personal way, make sense of experiences that have led to it, and come up with healthy coping mechanisms to manage their life living with this mental health condition. With an online masters in mental health counseling and the appropriate license to work in your state, you can work with a wide range of different patients who will trust you to provide a safe and non-judgmental space for them to open up and get support. In this role, you can choose to work with general patients or focus your efforts on helping patients with certain issues such as addiction counseling, trauma counseling, and more.
Family and Marriage Therapist
If you would love nothing more than working in a role where you get to help your patients improve their relationships with the most important people in their lives, working as a family and marriage therapist might be ideal for you. These therapists work with people in a wide range of situations such as couples who are experiencing problems like cheating, or families where situations have led to a breakdown of communication or a lot of conflict. In this role, it’s your job to determine the best course of action to take and help these couples or family groups work through their differences and issues to get to a healthy outcome that works for everybody.
Psychologist
You can work as either a clinical or counseling psychologist if you interest in working in this role. Both psychologists work with patients directly to diagnose and treat people who are dealing with a range of mental health conditions and disorders that are affecting their lives. Psychologists work with their clients throughout various difficult areas of their lives including illnesses, injuries, personal crises, and more. To become a psychologist, you all need to earn a doctorate in psychology, which will usually require you to have at least a master’s degree in psychology and takes around five to seven years to complete.
Peer Support Worker
If you interest in a mental health job where you do not have to earn a degree or gain any additional qualifications, a role as a peer support worker might be an ideal choice for you. Peer support workers play an important part in talking to people and providing support where it is need on a wide range of different platforms, including mental health and suicide hotlines and chat apps. In this role, you will be speaking to people who are reaching out for help and reminding them that somebody cares by providing a listening ear and somewhere where they can safely talk about their feelings and concerns.
Psychiatric Nurse
If you like the idea of getting into a career in nursing and also want to work in mental health, a role as a mental health nurse could be ideal for you. These is register nurses who work in settings where patients are mainly dealing with mental health concerns, such as in psychiatric wards or residential mental health clinics. You will be caring for patients who have mental health problems that are causing a serious impact on their lives, ensuring that they are safe, and providing the appropriate treatment alongside psychologists and other mental health care providers.
Today, the world needs many more Career Options for good mental health professionals as an increasing number of people seek help with their mental health and wellbeing.