You'll want to check with your state regulations on this. Licensing and Certification for counselors/psychologists/psychiatrists differ from state to state. I'm planning on specializing in I/O Psychology and am trying to figure out what sort of certifications I need since I/O isn't technically in the health field.

Checking with your state to see what their requirements are is great advice. Certification and licensure and job definitions and requirements vary depending on the state in which you live.

I can do a number of things with my degree, and do not feel limited because I do not have a PHD. I completed my school certification, and am currently working in the schools. I am also working towards my LPC, and National Boards while employed. I'll kill two birds with one stone in the next two years, and have a pay increase based on the National Boards. I will not get one due to having the LPC, but will increase my marketability should I pursue other avenues.

Other things I could do with my degree are private counseling (and yes, I did have a class on the DSM IV so I can diagnose clients), agency counseling, human resources, college advising, career counseling, research, consulting and some psychological testing to name a few.

In my state, when you want to get more specific to have a title, such as MFT, substance abuse or geriatric counseling you will have to complete those hours of supervision no matter what degree you have. If I had a PHD and decided that I wanted to be a certified substance abuse counselor - then I would still have to complete the necessary requirements of getting that certification, which again in my state will include 2000 hours of supervision. It does not necessarily come with the PHD degree unless you follow that track from the beginning.

If you have a clear picture of what you want to do as far as counseling goes, then make sure that you target your internship hours towards that. If you want MFT, then have supervision by an MFT, and then you can count those internship hours towards the required 2000 hours of supervision.

You will find as you explore the mental health field that there are many schools of thought (MSW, MA Counseling, Clinical and Couseling Psychology, Psychiatry, etc) and you need to pick the one that is right for you.

BirthaBlue4 - I completed graduate school with three girls in tow! It can be done!
PM me if you want to hear more about it!

BirthaBlue4, you've gotten some great advice. I was going to add the bit about knowing what your state requires, but I was beaten to the punch!

The only thing I'd add is to attend some seminars held for those you'd like to counsel (ie: Parents Without Partners, Fresh Start, Inc, etc). Let those in charge of the seminar know that you're going for an advanced degree - they will be more than happy to have you sit in on it! Learn how to listen without letting your jaw drop, and when to speak. Learn when a gentle touch is needed, and when it would offend. Watch the dynamics of a large and a small group. Even if you hate it, the experience will help you both in your career, and look great on your resume.

Re: Counseling Psychologists/Family & Marriage Therapists HELP PLEASE!
 

Hi!

I'm new to the board, but I saw your post and wanted to answer.

I am a Pre-Licensed MFT in CA. I've finished my hours and sat for the 1st of my 2 Board exams for licensure...What your questions boil down to is what your interests are, what your long term goals are, and what your state licensure requirements are...I worked in a county Mental Health Clinic to satisfy my hours post-degree. It was a tough position, but the experience was valuable and the hours were accepted by my Board without any problems.

In CA, as a therapist, PhD's don't make any more or less money than a MFT in a private practice. PhD's are best for teaching in a university or research purposes. Private practice? Doesn't matter, so I'll stick with the MFT...

Hope this helps!!:)

Wow, I'm sorry I found this thread so late. I'm trying to break into the mental health field, I already have my BS and am trying to look for some kind of entry level position and am having a HARD time doing so. (I'm in the MD/DC/VA area). Any advice would be appreciated. I'm in the process of applying to Howard's Master's program in Human Development, with the idea of eventually going for a Ph.D in Counseling or the PsyD program, probably at GWU. OR should I just go for a MA in Counseling? Thanks

While I would recommend you go on for an advanced degree of some sort, you can find a job in the interim in the mental health field. I would recommend you find a County mental health position...you can apply for a mental health specialist position. While it's more case management, it'll still give you some vast experience in crisis and working with the chronically mentally ill.

As far as the PhD vs. MA/MS debate, it depends on your area, the expectations of the area insofar as determining the needs of MD/DC/VA area and what your long term goal is....in CA, an MS in Counseling is sufficient for private practice in counseling as you work towards the state license...Getting a PhD or PsyD won't help me in private practice...these degrees are great for teaching in a University or for research...but I'm not interested in these arenas...

Good luck!

Nikki: I suggest looking into a mental health residential or outpatient program. These are great entry level positions. Be prepared not to make $$$ though. You will be exposed to EVERYTHING though this way, and it is a great way to learn if you really are ready to make a committment to this field. Let me know if you have any other questions :)

I've got a LOT of questions, but Friday's discussion led me to do more job searching, and I am applying to two state positions at separate inpatient locations. What can I expect for starting salary? I have some experience (5 years) working with DD children in a very informal setting.

If you want to do therapy and want insurance reimbursement, try at LEAST for a LCSW. See your state guidelines

Well I can only speak from what salaries range in New York. (From the multiple listservs I belong to SW & related salaries in other states are even less). If you can get a state position in NY you can make a pretty decent salary (well, by SW terms, decent)IF you have a professional (meaning Master's level) degree. I know SW's that work say, for the state office of mental health make in the mid-upper 50's in NYS, maybe more if they are a supervisor. Most non-profits pay even less. The average pathetic starting salary for even a licensed SW in NYC (less in more rural areas of NYS) is between $35-40 a year. Now I know if you don't have a Master's divide that in half and that should be what your starting salary will be. I know that many of the agencies in NYC that work with the DD population pay little. My friend worked at an agency called YAI and this was before her MSW she only made like $22,000 a year. I was thinking of applying here for a Master's level position, and the HR person was up front with me and said I wouldn't be making close to what I am making now (even in a MSW position), which, is not much. It's really hard to live on that amount of money. People do it, myself included, obviously, but it's hard. I really enjoy what I do but if I could go back and start all over, I may have chosen a different field. It's really hard being a single person in an expensive metropolitan area living on a non-profit salary. I am hoping to get my license by the new year, but even then, I might make like $5,000-$10,000 more a year, which we all know, by the time they take taxes out, I still will only be getting maybe a couple hundred dollars more a month in my paycheck. The other thing I want to be straight up about to anyone thinking of going into this field is that it is FLOODED right now. So many people with years of experience, a Master's and a license can't find a job. If you are from out of state it's even harder. They aren't gonna tell you that though when you go to grad school because they make money off of you there. Feel free to ask me any other questions :)

I really can't tell you what to expect for a salary in your location. But if you want experience, an inpatient setting will show you the more severely ill of the spectrum, which is good experience to have. As soon as I graduated with my master's degree in psychology, I went to work as "staff" (they called us Residential Treatment Counselors, but we weren't officially Counselors....title looked good on the resume though!) at a long term, locked, psychiatric treatment facility for adolescents. I worked there full time while getting my Master's in Counseling Psych. Let me tell you, I LEARNED SO MUCH MORE there than I did in the classroom (as far as interacting with clients goes).

If you are interested in the psychiatric field, consider looking for a position in a psychiatric hospital that serves all populations (substance abuse, psychiatric, adult, children, adolescent, etc.). That way you can move around to different units and figure out what populations you like to work with and ones you dont. You should also be able to see what the social workers do vs. what the psychologists do in their daily work (depends on how they staff their units).

By the way, this info was based from my experience in Arkansas.....which I know is WAAAAAY different than New York. But, it might spark some ideas for you.....

Good Luck and let us know what happens!
PsychTau

Thanks to everyone for your insight and for sharing your knowledge. Its been very helpful!! :) I went to MD's liscencing site (its FINALLY up) and got some more liscencing info. I also found the MD. Psych Association website but it wasn't helpful to me as a student. :( That was disappointing.

I just finished an application for a residential counselor position, and am planning on dropping it off today. I am trying to get in touch with a past professor so I can make a better decision re: straight psy.d or go the master's route.

My focus has always been working with children (birth to five) and/or adolescents. For the year I was at GW in the Infant Special Ed program, I concluded that I was very interested in the assessment portion of early intervention. (I didnt finish b/c it was too interdiscplinary: I wasnt interested in OT or PT, but I did like the speech aspect). GW's Psy.D program allows one to determine a track and a minor, one of which is assessment and child development, essentially. I already know that I dont want to teach, or do extensive research, or publish. So I know a Psy.D program would be better suited for me in that sense. I'm a little concerned b/c I am lacking research experience.

For anyone who cares, I got the residential counselor position. :)
Pay sucks. :( BUT its in my field (YAY!!) and the lady I interviewed with was very impressed with my career goals, and they promote from within. The company is based out of Baltimore, so if I can move up there, that would be easier on the pocketbook. New hire orientation is Thursday, and training begins after that (at minimum wage..).

I'll keep you posted.

Congratulations. The job you have now may suck but trust me, you will learn a lot and you will probably advance quickly as well, especially with your goals. Good luck!!!

Update. I went through two weeks of training, including medicine administration, and decided that the job was not for me. They were asking me to do way too much for the minimal pay I'd be getting (you want me to give ppl beh. mod drugs for $8 an HOUR? wtf?). I took a temp position at an agency that lists Human Service organizations and that's been interersting, to say the least. But the pay is good, and that is what I need right now. I actually work with someone who is in the program I'm considering and he's agreed to be a kind of mentor for me. I just found out yesterday that I was offered a county position as a Human Service worker (temporary assistance). While thinking about what I want to do when I grow up (lol), I decided that I had no face to face interaction with adults, and this county position can give me that. In the meantime, I'm still applying to grad programs and looking for money to pay for my master's degree. This new job offeres tuition assistance and assistance for learning a foreign language, so this could be a great catalyst for my career. Again, if anyone is intrested, I'll keep ya'll informed. Thanks again for all the great advice and information.