Careers in Mental Health Opportunities in Psychology, Counseling, and Social Work

Accessible and unbiased, Careers in Mental Health introduces upper-level high school students and beginning undergraduates to the different aspects of various mental health professions.

• Contains essential career advice for anyone considering an advanced degree in one of the “helping” professions within mental health
• Covers clinical psychology, counseling psychology, social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, and school psychology
• Clarifies the distinctions between professions by discussing the history and philosophy of each field, requirements for advanced education, licensing, available jobs, salary potential, and more
• Includes a section with practical information applicable to all the professions, such as characteristics for success, ethical issues, the importance of critical thinking, applying to graduate school, and current issues affecting the field of mental health

Kim Metz is Professor of Psychology at Walsh University, USA. She also works as a Clinical Psychologist with children, adolescents, and adults at Avenues of Counseling and Mediation.  Over the last 20 years, she has held a wide variety of positions as a psychologist, including positions in the forensic unit at a prison, a VA hospital, an outpatient clinic, an adolescent ward of an inpatient hospital, a community mental health agency and a private practice. 

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

Unit 1: Career Essentials 1

1 Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology 3

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 3

Education 10

Licensing 17

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 19

Earning Potential 24

Types of Clients Served 25

What about Getting a Master’s Degree in Psychology? 26

2 Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology 29

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 29

Education 34

Licensing 35

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 35

Earning Potential 39

3 Master’s in Social Work (MSW) 41

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 41

Education 46

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 50

Earning Potential 54

4 Master’s in Counseling 57

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 57

Education 62

Licensing 66

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 67

Earning Potential 68

5 Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy 69

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 69

Education 75

Licensing 75

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 76

Earning Potential 77

6 Substance Abuse/Chemical Dependency Counselor 79

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 79

Education 83

Licensing 84

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 88

Earning Potential 89

7 School Psychologist 91

Overall History and Philosophy of the Profession 91

School Psychologist versus School Counselor 98

Education 99

Licensing 102

Types of Jobs for which the Degree will Qualify You 103

Earning Potential 104

Unit 2: Strategies and Skills 107

8 Why (and Why Not) to Pursue a Mental Health Professional Career 109

Why TO Pursue a Mental Health Career 109

Why NOT to Pursue a Mental Health Career 115

9 Critical Thinking 123

Distinguish between Real Science and Psychobabble 124

Always Ask Questions 126

Pay Attention to the Way Terms are Operationalized when Evaluating Information 127

Examine the Evidence – Both Sides of the Evidence 128

Analyze Assumptions and Biases of Those Making Claims 129

Avoid Emotional Reasoning 130

Consider Other Interpretations 132

Tolerate Uncertainty 133

10 Ethics: A Primer on Mental Health Profession Guidelines 137

Confidentiality 138

Boundaries 141

Record-Keeping 144

11 How to Increase Your Chance of Getting into Graduate School 147

GPA and GRE Scores 148

Research Experience 149

Volunteering 150

Internships 151

Personal Statement 151

Letters of Recommendation 153

Vita or Resume 154

Interview 155

Attend to Deadlines 156

12 After You Have Earned Your Degree 157

Continuing Education 157

Malpractice Insurance 159

Telehealth/Telepsychology/Online Support Groups 161

Prescription Privileges 162

Conclusion 167

Index 169

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