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What is a mental health professional and how to become one
A mental health professional specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses and emotional disorders. They work with individuals, couples, families, and groups to provide therapy, counseling, and support. Mental health professionals may also conduct research, consult with healthcare professionals, and advocate for mental health policies. They have expertise in therapeutic approaches including cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and medication management. Mental health professionals promote awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illnesses.
What general advice would you give to a mental health professional?
Virginia Schwindt
MSW Field Director/Associate Professor, Union University
Avg. Salary $49,119
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 9%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.62%
Asian 3.12%
Black or African American 7.90%
Hispanic or Latino 7.90%
Unknown 6.24%
White 74.22%
Genderfemale 73.82%
male 26.18%
Age - 42American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 42Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a mental health professional?
Pros
Competitive salaries and benefits
Ability to specialize in certain areas of mental health
Opportunity to work independently or collaboratively with a team
High demand for mental health professionals
Flexibility in work schedule and location
Cons
Long working hours with limited breaks
Dealing with patients who may not want to seek help or be resistant to treatment
Limited resources and funding for mental health services
Difficulty navigating insurance and payment systems for patients
Limited career advancement opportunities
Mental health professional career paths
Key steps to become a mental health professional
Explore mental health professional education requirements
Start to develop specific mental health professional skills
Skills Percentages Social Work 19.83% Patients 18.71% CPR 7.18% Excellent Interpersonal 6.22% Clinical Supervision 4.94% Complete relevant mental health professional training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New mental health professionals learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a mental health professional based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real mental health professional resumes.Research mental health professional duties and responsibilities
- Lead training for staff on specific counseling interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders.
- Monitor and manage preventative behavior with 2-3 MHA'S team and carry out a constructive routine with patients.
- Provide individual treatment using CBT, DBT and motivational interviewing techniques to detainees with mental health and/or behavioral concerns.
- Develop curriculum for and facilitate mental health groups including DBT education.
Prepare your mental health professional resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mental health professional resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mental health professional resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable mental health professional resume templates
Build a professional mental health professional resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your mental health professional resume.
Apply for mental health professional jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a mental health professional job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first mental health professional job
Are you a mental health professional?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average mental health professional salary
The average mental health professional salary in the United States is $49,119 per year or $24 per hour. Mental health professional salaries range between $34,000 and $70,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do mental health professionals rate their job?
Mental health professional reviews
The system is BROKEN! The clients are either entitled or not truly receiving the help they really need.
Making a difference in someone's life. Seeing positive changes.
Late hours after 9 pm or before 9 am
The (working) clients will always be the best part of this job. There are certain individuals who you can feel want to learn more about their conditions and to adopt healthier thinking patterns or lifestyles.
The insane amount of paperwork, the insurance/agency politics, the high expectations, the low amount of support. Burnout is very concerning for a profession where people in the frontline are the ones trying to make a difference. Individuals who work in this field need to have an incentive to keep pushing. I’m sorry but a kind heart and good intentions are not enough to sustain this type of career.
Updated January 8, 2025
