In the past, mental health problems were either neglected or misunderstood. Today, people with mental health problems are being given greater, more specialized care. In fact, one of fastest growing segments in the field of health care is mental health. If you’re interested in providing mental health services to patients, check out these tips on how to become a mental health professional.
The first step is to get your mental health degree from an accredited school. If you'd like to attend an online school there are several options from which you can choose. Many of the online programs you'll find are fully accredited with quick, convenient enrollment and financial aid for those who qualify. The type of mental health career you want will guide your decision on what to major in and what level of degree to obtain.
Common majors include:
- Mental health counseling
- Human services
- Social work
- Educational counseling
- Psychology
- Nursing
Here’s an overview of mental health careers.
- Therapist: One of the entry-level positions for mental health professionals is working as a therapist or as an occupational therapist assistant. As a mental health therapist or therapist assistant, you work together with other mental healthcare professionals in providing various treatments for the mental health patients.
Usually, the types of therapy and treatments are based on the recommendations and diagnosis of the psychiatrist who attends to the mental health patients. Because a mental health therapist does not have the ability to make a diagnosis on the patients, he will have to work under the supervision of the psychiatrist at all times. The mean hourly wage for a therapist is $20. Job openings are expected to increase by 19% through 2018 according to industry data. - Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a physician primarily in charge of diagnosing and treating mental health patients. The psychiatrist diagnoses through mental evaluations, interviews and other types of mental tests. Once the mental disorder has been identified, the appropriate treatments will be outlined. A psychiatrist has full prescription writing authority and can prescribe medication to clients. If the psychiatrist cannot implement all of the therapies and treatments needed by the patient, a therapist or mental health counselor may be asked to assist. Psychiatrists earn an average salary of $165,000 per year equating to $80 an hour.
- Nurse: The mental health nurse is another important career option that you have in the field of mental health. Becoming a mental health nurse requires a bachelor’s degree in nursing, licensure as a registered nurse, and a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing. A master’s degree in psychiatric nursing is required to work as a nurse in a mental health clinic as mental health patients are different from patients suffering from physical ailments.
After obtaining a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing, you must pass an examination and get a license. One of the advantages of working as a psychiatric nurse; however, is that you can command a respectable salary and you get to enjoy the high demand for psychiatric nurses. Psychiatric mental health nurses start out making approximately $40,000. The average salary is $67,000 per year. The job is expected to grow by 17% through 2018. Graduates should expect excellent job search conditions. - Counseling: A mental health counselor is similar to a therapist and may have the same educational background. The primary difference is that counselors can sometimes work with minimal training or certification, while a therapist usually has to follow the standards set by state and other licensing bodies.
As a counselor, you can help patients and their families and friends who may need assistance in dealing with family members that have mental health disorders. Counselors work in a variety of settings such as educational facilities and mental health environments.
Mental health counseling jobs are expected to grow by a staggering 24% through 2018 while educational counseling occupations are slated to increase by 14%. Educational counselors earn a higher average wage of $51,000 compared to mental health counselors who earn $37,500 according to data published by the United States Department of Labor.
As a whole, the mental health field is expected to grow at an accelerated pace. The jobs are rewarding, offer solid compensation, excellent benefits, and plenty of opportunity for promotion.