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PATHWAYs
CAREERS
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PLAN YOUR PATH
This section lays out various pathways you can take to launch your healthcare career. Explore the field of allied health, college options, where certifications fit in, and how to get started while still in high school.
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Allied Healthcare Careers
Mental Health Counselor
Do you like…
- Listening to friends and family who are experiencing problems? Do people consider you as someone who gives good advice?
- Are you concerned for people who have unhealthy behaviors or may be experiencing addiction or mental health problems? Is this something you have personally experienced?
- Does it give you satisfaction to see your friends and family happy and healthy? Do you think you would like to help more people with their mental health problems?
Consider A Career in Mental Health and Human Services
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Mental health counselors work with clients on a variety of mental health, relationship, and behavioral challenges. They are also sometimes referred to as Substance Abuse Counselors, Behavioral Counselors, or Mental Health Counselors. They work in the field of mental health & human services.
If you are concerned about your own mental health or are experiencing depression, feeling lonely, or worried that you are addicted to a substance, get help now. There are free services you can call and people you can talk to who can help you.
- Whatever is on your mind, you can chat for free at this site for teens - https://okayso.org/
- Call, text or chat for free at NYC Well
- Speak to a teacher or counselor at your school or community center - don’t wait, get help now
There are lots of options to work in the field of mental health counseling - and lots of need for experts who are caring and patient.
- Mental Health Counselors help with emotional health and relationship problems. They advise individuals, families, couples, and groups. Some work with specific populations, such as children or older adults. Mental Health Counselors treat clients who have a variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression, grief, and stress. They
- Mental Health Counselors often work as addiction counselors. They work with clients individually and in group sessions. They teach clients how to cope with stress and life’s problems in ways that help them recover. They help their clients rebuild professional relationships and improve their personal relationships by finding ways to discuss their addiction or other problems with family and friends.
Dive a Bit Deeper to Understand the Work of a Mental Health Counselor.
The goal of a Mental Health Counselor is to provide non-judgemental support to their clients so that they can take productive steps toward recovery and stay mentally healthy.
Have you ever helped a friend who was going through a tough time? Read through the following scenarios. How would you respond to each one?
Do you think you would be good at speaking to people in these kinds of situations? If so, could this be a career field you see for your future?
To see more scenarios, activities, and lesson plans, click here.
What do Mental Health Counselors do?
These are some of the responsibilities Mental Health Counselors have:
- Evaluate clients’ mental and physical health, addiction, or problematic behavior and assess their readiness for treatment
- Develop, recommend, and review treatment goals and plans with clients and their families
- Assist clients in developing skills and behaviors necessary to recover from their addiction or modify their behavior
- Conduct outreach programs to help people identify the signs of addiction and other destructive behavior, as well as steps to take to avoid such behavior
- Teach clients’ family members about addiction or behavior disorders and help them develop strategies to support clients in recovery
- Refer clients to other resources and services, such as job placement services and support groups
- Prepare clients for transition out of counseling through discharge planning
- Work with clients to identify behaviors or situations that interfere with their recovery
What’s the difference between a Mental Health Counselor and a Psychologist or Therapist?
Mental Health Counselors and Psychologists or Therapists help clients with mental illnesses or behavioral challenges, but there are some differences:
A Day in the Life
In these videos professionals describe why they chose their career and explain their daily tasks. What part of their work interests you the most?
The Job Outlook
Where you can work?
Mental Health Counselors work in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, correctional facilities, and hospitals. Some addiction counselors work in residential treatment centers, where clients live in the facility during their recovery.
How much will you earn?
The median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $48,520 in May 2021
- Employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 22% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Career Pathways
There are many entry points and pathways you can take within the field of Mental Health and Human Services. See the table below for different careers and their degree requirements:
What Skills do you need to be successful as a Mental Health Counselor?
Take stock of the skills you already have to see if being a Mental Health Counselor is a good career choice for you:
- Compassion: You can work with people who are dealing with stressful and difficult situations. You can empathize with the struggles people go through.
- Interpersonal skills: You can develop and nurture strong, trusting relationships with different types of people.
- Listening skills: You give people your full attention in order to understand people’s values and problems.
- Patience: You remain calm when working with all types of people, including those who may be distressed or angry.
Education & Training
Education
As with most Allied Health career paths, there are 2 optionsfor aspiring professionals to begin if you are in Brooklyn:
- Begin at a 2-year school like Kingsborough Community College (KCC) or Medgar Evers College (MEC)
- At KCC, faculty value the importance of education, knowledge acquisition, and love of learning, and encourage students in their recognition and responsibilities as members of society.
- At MEC, the school has created a supporting and scholarly environment for students through various events and activities, including the Annual Student Research Competition, the Minority Health Issues Seminar, and the Women in Science and Math Seminar.
- Begin and/or continue on at a 4-year school like Brooklyn College (BC)
At BC, Brooklyn College is an integral part of the culturaland artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty membersin the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
Training
During your time in college and/or immediately after you graduate, you will also likely need a certain amount of ‘practicum’ hours (a practicum is very similar to an internship). You will learn to apply mental health approaches to contemporary practice, assessment, and treatment.
Licenses & Certifications
Before, during, or after pursuing a college degree, you can also get behavioral health certifications to boost your resume and add to your knowledge and skills. To learn about some certification programs that you can acquire online click here and here. For a full list of Behavioral Health Certifications to consider, click here.You will also need to be licensed by the state you are working in. To see the specific training and experience requirements in New York State Mental Health Counseling Licensing, click here. Info about requirements in all other states can be found here. (Click on the State Licensure tab at the top and then follow the information for the state you are interested in).
Your Path to Becoming a Mental Health Counselor
2-year College Pathway
Students who choose to begin their degree at a 2-year college tend to start in Liberal Arts and/or major in Mental Health and Human Services. A Liberal Arts education does not prepare you for one specific job, but for many jobs you may have throughout your life. As a community college student, you have an opportunity to learn skills like interpersonal skills, speaking, critical thinking, and evaluating- all through liberal arts courses. Then you may or may not continue your education in Liberal Arts or perhaps something else. Either way, you have a great foundation for your future.
Students who choose to begin their degree at a 2-year college tend to start in Liberal Arts and/or major in Mental Health and Human Services. A Liberal Arts education does not prepare you for one specific job, but for many jobs you may have throughout your life. As a community college student, you have an opportunity to learn skills like interpersonal skills, speaking, critical thinking, and evaluating- all through liberal arts courses. Then you may or may not continue your education in Liberal Arts or perhaps something else. Either way, you have a great foundation for your future.
The tables below outline a sample course schedule for anyone who chooses this path.
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4-year College Pathway
Students can transfer to Brooklyn College under an articulation agreement to continue to study Mental Health through the BA in Psychology. Read more
If you are fascinated by human behavior and the human mind, a Bachelors in Psychology may be right for you. Studying psychology will help you understand cognitive processes, such as thinking, language, and memory, and how they are linked to brain functions; social behavior, including how we interact with others individually and in groups; how people change from birth through aging; and how to increase well-being in the community.
Students can transfer to Brooklyn College under an articulation agreement to continue to study Mental Health through the BA in Psychology. Read more
If you are fascinated by human behavior and the human mind, a Bachelors in Psychology may be right for you. Studying psychology will help you understand cognitive processes, such as thinking, language, and memory, and how they are linked to brain functions; social behavior, including how we interact with others individually and in groups; how people change from birth through aging; and how to increase well-being in the community.
The table below outlines which courses you will take in Brooklyn college (as of Spring 2024).
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
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