How to Get Started with a Career in Mental Health

A career in mental health is a great option for those who are passionate about helping others, fascinated with psychology, and who believe in the power of mental health and how it can help society. There is such a massive need for therapists and psychologists from all backgrounds. Being able to personally connect with your clients or patients makes a massive difference to the outcome of your sessions.

Patients need to feel like they are seen and heard. They need to form a connection. By becoming a therapist yourself, you offer more people the chance to make that connection so that you can guide them through their own personal journey into a better version of themselves.

Working in mental health can be a fulfilling, fascinating career, and if you are interested in getting started yourself, this guide is a great place to start:

Understanding Your Mental Health Career

It is important to note that there is a difference between being a mental health therapist and a psychiatrist. Therapists mostly work holistically and guide their clients through their issues to help identify key issues and provide advice and homework designed to help them.

Psychiatrists are the ones who diagnose mental health illnesses and are also licensed to perform advanced techniques designed to help holistically. They are also the ones who can write prescriptions. To become a psychiatrist, you need to instead complete medical school and a four-year psychiatric residency.

The good news is that earning a BSc in psychology is a great place to get started if you want to become a therapist or a psychologist. Psychologists do need additional education.

Not only will you need to continue with an MSc in psychology, but you will also need to earn a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. Regardless of which career path is right for you, that BSc is an essential first step. Not only will you build an excellent base of knowledge, but you will also be able to understand what you want out of your career.

If you aren’t interested in a career in psychology, later on, use your BSc to better inform your marketing or sales skills, and enjoy a high-earning career that way. If you are passionate about helping others still, you will then want to progress through your education.

How to Get Started with a Career in Mental Health

Now that you understand just a bit about the differences (and there are many more, depending on what you want to specialize in), you will then be looking at a training path that, generally, includes these steps:

How to Tell If You Are Ready for a Career in Mental Health

The best way to determine if a career in mental health is right for you is to delve deep into the job opportunities. You need to know what your options are, how well these roles are typically paid, and what you specifically think you would want to do as a therapist or psychologist.

You can work directly with patients or in a research capacity where you work to analyze and research different conditions and treatment options. There are many different ways you can use a psychology degree, and knowing in advance can help you determine whether you have an interest in psychology or are ready to commit to psychology as a career.

Find a Great Psychology Bachelor’s

To operate as a therapist, you will want to earn a bachelor of science in psychology. The good news is that you don’t have to uproot your life to go to university anymore. Instead, you can study online psychology bachelors programs right at home. If you already have a BSc or have a minor in psychology already, then chances are you can transfer your existing credits to fast-track through the degree as well, making it even easier and faster to transition your career into mental health.

Earn Your Masters, and/or your Doctorate

You will need to continue your education with either a master’s degree or an MSc and a doctorate degree, depending on which role you want to work in and what career path is right for you. All told, your education will take between seven to fifteen years to complete, so you need to be ready to commit if you want to take your career right to the top.

Residency and Training

In many cases, you will need to train or go through a residency program before you will be ready to take on clients on your own. These are typically paid positions, so you can work while learning and putting to use your education in a real-world context. You will need to complete between 2000 to 4000 hours of clinical hours before you will be able to practice without supervision.

Licensure

To operate as a therapist, you will likely need to earn your license from the state. Not every type of counselor will require a license, but chances are if you are working towards psychotherapy and want to work as an independently practicing therapist, you will need a license. You will only be able to apply once you have obtained your clinical hours and completed your education.

Practicing

Once you are fully licensed, you can then apply for roles at existing clinics or even work to plan and launch your own practice privately. Your options will depend entirely on your means and your options.

For most, working for an existing clinic is a great place to start. Often times you will want to work for a few years, forging relationships with other therapists, and accumulate some savings before launching your own clinic.

For best success, it is often recommended that you work with other specialists when forming a new clinic, as you can then bring in and manage more clients from the start and also have the support of other trusted experts.

Your career path, however, is entirely up to you. Fully licensed, you have both practical experience and theoretical knowledge under your belt, which puts you in an excellent position when deciding the path your future will take.