Mental Health Jobs offer Rewarding Career

Many people have already found rewarding careers in the field of
mental health,
enhancing and treating the emotional and psychological well being of others.
There are many types of jobs that allow people to work in the field, working
with people of all ages and all types of cases. Positions range from associates
degrees to post-graduate training, with work ranging from research to patient
interaction. .



Counselor-Family, child, or marital. Counseling is one of the most prominent fields
in mental health. It requires a master's degree in counseling and well as
licensure and certification. Half of counselors are employed by local or state
government, while others are employed by mental health facilities. Many
counselors work in school providing career and education services, as well as
prevention services and identifying mental health problems in students.
Counselors can work in mental health facilities treating mental and emotional
disorders. In this setting, counselors work with a wide variety of patients and
work closely with other mental health professionals to provide optimum mental
health. There are several other specialized counseling fields including marital
counseling, geriatric, multicultural, or genetic counseling.



Psychiatrist-Specialize, MD or DO. Psychiatry is a mental health positions that
requires training as a physician. Physicians complete medical school and
specialize in psychiatry and one of several psychiatric sub-fields. Specialties
include child psychiatry, learning disabilities, forensic psychiatry, emergency
psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry. Other areas also include neuropsychiatry,
pharmacology, and psychoanalysis. Psychiatrists work in a variety of healthcare
setting including hospitals, private practices, and mental health facilities.
Earnings are high for psychiatrists, as with most physicians, with earnings up
to $180,000 annually.



Psychologist. People often interchange the terms psychologist and psychiatrist,
but they are in fact quite different.
Psychologists are not physicians, but must
obtain post graduate degrees as PhD or PsyD. Psychologists work in several areas
including clinical psychology, child psychology, school psychology, health
psychology, and research psychology. Psychologists are considered scientists,
and use a variety of methods to perform research, collect data, and publish
studies. Psychologists are subject to certification depending on area of
specialization. They work in schools, business, hospitals, and research centers.




Social Worker. Employment in healthcare and social assistance is one the fastest
growing fields in the US. Social workers are required to have a bachelor's
degree with several years experience, though many have master and PhD level
degrees. Social work involves improving the lives of those who are faced with
serious issues including physical abuse, serious illnesses, or social problems,
such as unemployment, inadequate housing, substance abuse, and domestic
problems. Social workers may work in schools, for government organizations, in
healthcare institutions, or rehabilitation clinics. Earnings for social workers
depends on educational background, years of experience, and type of employer.
Those who work as child or family social workers typically earn more than those
employed in mental or public health.

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Occupational Therapy. Occupational therapy is an important and rapidly growing
field where healthcare professional aid those with disabilities or disorders in
order to be functional in daily living and working environments. Occupational
therapy offers opportunities as a therapist, requiring a master's degree, or as
aides and assistants, requiring only associates degrees or a diploma
certificate. Occupational therapists perform a wide variety of tasks including
physical exercise and mental exercise, and make plans and strategies to be more
functional according to the type of disability or disorder. Occupational therapy
may focus on a specific age group, or patients with specific disabilities.
Occupational therapy work may be found in home healthcare services, physician's
offices, nursing homes, hospitals, and also in schools. Occupational therapists
can earn up to $60,000 annually, while aides and assistants earn around $35,000
annually.



Recreational Therapy. Recreational therapists like occupational therapists
provide services to those with mental and physical disabilities, but
recreational rather than occupational activities. Activities include games,
sports, art, crafts, and playing with animals, which all aid to reduce
depression, increase confidence, and reduce the ailments of disability and
illness. Many recreational therapists work in nursing homes, while others work
in mental health facilities. Recreational therapists are required to have a
bachelors degree while many institutions also offer a masters and doctoral level
degree. Recreational therapists are also required to be certified and licensed.




About the Author

Angela Oliver is a contributing writer for Healthcare-TrainingCenter.com, a site offering free information for healthcare training and job opportunities. Please visit the site for more information about training for a career in a mental health.