How to Get a Job as a Mental Health Counselor
With education playing such a pivotal role in entering the field, alternate routes for landing a job are virtually nonexistent. Individuals thinking about a career in mental health counseling should not only consider the academic obligations, but the emotional ones as well. Having the emotional wherewithal to problem-solve and the ability to connect with people are also vital traits for success.
What is the Job Like?
"It's kind of a 24/7 job," Hamilton says, explaining that many mental health counselors frequently work nights and weekends to meet the sometimes unpredictable needs of their patients. Over time, those with a post-graduate degree are prone to trade the hands-on experience of working with patients on a daily basis for a career in academia, according to Hamilton.
Roaming the halls of a higher institution of learning is only one place where you might find a mental health counselor. Practicing their trade in a more patient-centered way, some work out of mental health centers, substance-abuse treatment centers, and hospitals. Those with their own practice often let home serve as the office.
