Despite how far we have come in addressing mental health issues and finding ways to resolve them, it is still considered a critical subject.
As declared by Health Poverty Action, mental health is a global issue that demands a global response. It impacts people from groups, such as women, people living in poverty, and even those leading a presumably happy life.
Mental health issues impact us at different stages of life, rendering us incapable of performing even the simplest of tasks. Although people now realize that psychological well-being is as important as physical health, there is still a long road ahead.
If you want to play your part in understanding and finding solutions to help individuals overcome psychological disorders, consider working in the mental health field. A few other reasons also exist that might convince you to pursue a career in mental wellness.
It is no secret that a career in mental health is gratifying as you get the opportunity to steer people’s lives daily. As a mental health professional, you deal with patients suffering from anxiety and depression. During the most trying times, you play a massive role in recovery.
Additionally, there is a wide range of career advancement opportunities to explore. Whether enrolling in online LMHC programs to help expand knowledge regarding mental illness or stepping into a practical role to get deeper insights into the field.
Mentioned below are a few roles you can consider pursuing.
- Neuropsychologist
A neuropsychologist is an expert who evaluates and characterizes behavioral and cognitive changes in the brain. These changes are the result of a central nervous system disorder. A neuropsychologist works with doctors to diagnose and treat patients with various nervous system disorders like Parkinson’s disease.
Working as a neuropsychologist, you run cognitive tests and brain scans and assess the factors that affect the brain, impeding its function. Neuropsychologist work in colleges, clinics, research centers, and pharmaceutical labs.
Apart from providing treatment, a neuropsychologist participates in various neuro deficits training like PTSD and traumatic brain injuries and is also a part of program development working groups. As a neuropsychologist, you conduct research to understand the psychological aspect of neurological disorders better.
Critical skills that help a neuropsychologist qualify include strong research, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Clinical Social Worker
A clinical social worker is a licensed professional that diagnoses and treats behavioral, emotional, and psychological disorders in people. Negative behavior patterns adversely affect people’s lives; a social worker in such circumstances helps patients overcome obstacles in their daily lives or change damaging behaviors.
As a clinical social worker, you work in various settings, from community health centers to child welfare agencies and primary health care clinics. Apart from professional settings, clinical social workers can set up their own private practice.
Among the list of responsibilities, undertaking developing behavior therapies using psychotherapy techniques, collaborating with other healthcare professionals, and maintaining records are the most common. Unlike other mental health professionals, the salary of a clinical social worker is determined by the number of hours.
In addition to the time spent with clients, the facility they work at determines their salary. Social is a rapidly growing industry, particularly substance abuse and mental health issues.
- Rehabilitation Counselor
A rehabilitation counselor works with people with developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. Their aim is primarily to help these types of individuals achieve various goals, whether it’s personal or vocational.
As a counselor, you succeed in producing desired outcomes by using various counseling techniques and interventions. Besides working independently, a counselor also devises a care plan by consulting with other healthcare professionals like psychologists and occupational therapists.
A counselor works in different settings and performs various functions. For instance, they help injured veterans achieve independent living goals, assist individuals in overcoming substance abuse disorders and rehabilitate injured workers on the job. Usually, a rehabilitation counselor works 40 hours a week.
- Psychiatrist
Your role as a psychiatrist is critical in ensuring good mental health. A psychiatrist is specialized in diagnosing and treating severe mental health disorders. Some common conditions treated by mental health professionals are schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.
Unlike other mental health professionals, a psychiatrist’s day is quite unpredictable, given the severity of the patient’s condition. Apart from recommending treatments, a psychiatrist closely observes the patient’s progress to determine whether the treatment is working. Based on the results, the protocol is then adjusted accordingly.
Besides vast knowledge, you must have skills that equip you to provide support and care to the patient. These skills include maintaining calm when working under stress, empathy, compassion, and different reasoning skills.
Compared to other specialties, the rewards in the psychiatric field are immeasurable. What makes the psychiatry field rewarding is the knowledge that you played a significant part in helping patients lead a quality life.
As a psychiatrist, you get to treat the symptoms and see how your efforts impact the patient’s relationships, overall health, and other aspects of life.
- Marriage and Family Therapist
A marriage and family therapist helps people navigate the challenges they face in their relationships. Compared to other mental health professionals, an MFT is a more family-focused approach when dealing with clients.
A wide array of clinical problems a marriage and family therapist oversees are depression, marital issues, and parent-child relationship issues. To become a qualified marriage and family therapist, you must have the skills to converse with patients about their problems and relationships with significant others.
After acquiring your degree and completing the licensing process, there are several work environments you can consider working in. These include government agencies and outpatient care centers. In the professional setup, you work with people of different backgrounds experiencing various issues.
- Special Education Teacher
If your interest lies in serving the under-appreciated members of society, you must consider becoming a special education teacher. As a teacher, you will work with children and adults suffering from learning disabilities and who are mentally handicapped.
A special education teacher’s ultimate goal is to assist and inspire children to accomplish learning milestones. Diving deeper into the role, a special education teacher identifies an individual’s needs and creates an effective learning environment for students.
A teacher makes sure that students succeed in their educational journey. Part of ensuring that also includes updating parents about their child’s progress and offering recommendations to develop a better learning environment at home. You must have a curious mind to understand each student.
Conclusion
Similar to physical health, mental well-being is crucial when discussing overall wellness. If you want to guide those around you during challenging times and ensure they lead a prolonged healthy life, consider pursuing a career in mental health.
Becoming a mental health professional gives you a first-hand opportunity to improve people’s lives. Besides that, numerous career paths open doors for you to build a successful life professionally. From special education teachers to neuropsychologists and rehabilitation counselors, you have a wide range of options to choose from.
