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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