Top Mental Health Career Paths

What are different professions that you can pursue in the mental health field?

Let’s talk about different Mental Health providers, and what are they good for:

Psychiatrists (MD, DO): They are Medical Doctors who are in charge of diagnosing and prescribing psychotropic medications (AKA: medications that target the mind, emotions, and behavior). Note: They do not provide therapeutic services.

Psychologists (PhD, PsyD, MS): They are medically/clinically based. Although they can provide psychotherapy, they are more focused on research, providing psychological assessments, and creating evidence-based approaches to practitioners in the clinical field (AKA: therapist, counselors). They are a great contribution to the academic and clinical literature in the field!

Therapist/Clinical Counselors (MS, PhD): Depending on their area of study (Marriage & Family Therapy, School Counseling, Clinical Counseling, Behavioral Counseling) they assess, diagnose, and treat individuals using evidence-based approaches.

Social Worker (BS, MS, PhD): Depending on their area of focus, they advocate for vulnerable populations, link clients to community resources, address social justice issues on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels, and provide case management. Master's level Social Workers can also assess, diagnose, and treat individuals using evidence-based approaches, while also coordinating other services to meet clients' diverse needs.