Mental Health Counseling Degrees
Mental health is something most people take for granted until something changes to affect their mental condition and in turn, affects their quality of life and that of their family. Mental health counseling programs teach students therapeutic techniques to help patients with a wide variety of mental health problems including depression, grief, substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress, emotional issues and relationship problems. Students can often specialize in a specific area such as gerontology, substance abuse or college counseling.
Job opportunities for those who earn a degree in mental health counseling are expected to be excellent due to some recent trends. Health insurance companies are increasingly recognizing Mental Health Counselors as a suitable and less costly alternative to psychologists and psychiatrists. Additionally, as the stigma associated with mental health issues diminishes, more people are willing to seek help from mental health professionals.
Degree Options
- Bachelor's Degree – Graduates of a bachelor's degree program can work in a counseling role in some human services organizations and can become licensed as an Addiction or Substance Abuse Counselor in some states.
- Master's Degree – A master's degree in mental health counseling is the most common degree in this field and is required for certification or licensure that allows a person to work independently as a Mental Health Counselor.
- Doctoral Degree – Doctoral degrees in mental health counseling are very rare but doctoral degrees in psychology include mental health counseling and qualify graduates to become licensed psychologists.
Schools
Mental health counseling degree programs are available at numerous universities and colleges including a number of quality online schools. Master's degree programs are the most common and typically require students to have earned a bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field or have taken specific undergraduate courses in the social sciences. Many programs are competitive and have minimum GPA sand GRE admission requirements.
Coursework
Mental health counseling programs may include coursework such as that listed below:
- Assessment Techniques in Counseling – Students learn how to select, administer and interpret standardized tests and tools.
- Substance Abuse Counseling – Topics include diagnosis, treatment plans and counseling strategies for substance abuse and addiction patients.
- Crisis Intervention Counseling – Students learn intervention strategies for short-term, crisis situations with the goal of returning a patient to a stable state.
- Psychopharmacology – Covers the major classifications of psychotropic drugs including use, benefits, side-effects, toxicities and combinations.
- Counseling Youth in a School Setting – Students learn about issues that arise in K-12 school settings and appropriate skills needed to work with children, parents and teachers.
- Clinical Mental Health Internship - Students are placed in clinical mental health settings where they are supervised by a qualified professional.
Aptitudes and Interests
Students who want to pursue a career in mental health counseling should be emotionally stable, caring and derive job satisfaction from helping others. They must be able to develop trusting relationships with all types of people and be able to function well in high stress situations.
Career Options
Most mental health counseling program graduates work as Mental Health Counselors. They may specialize in one area such as grief counseling, addiction counseling or counseling the elderly or they may work with a variety of patients. Many will work in private practice once licensed to do so or they may work in various other settings such as residential facilities, hospitals and social service agencies.
Related Majors
- Addiction Counseling - Teaches students how to counsel those with drug and alcohol addictions.
- Social Work - Students learn about human behavior in a social context, counseling techniques and the types of support needed by various types of patients.
- Psychology - A broad education which covers human behavior, mental disorders and therapy techniques.
How To Evaluate Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs
The following factors are important when choosing a mental health counseling program:
- Licensing – Licensing and certification requirements differ by state so students need to make sure the academic requirements, including field experience requirements, are met by the program under consideration.
- Exam Pass Rates – There is a national licensing exam for Mental Health Counselors as well as individual state exams. Before choosing a program, students should find out the program's pass rate for the applicable exams.
- Internships – Prospective students will want to find out what sites have hosted interns in the past and evaluate whether these options match the student's interests and career goals.
- Accreditation - Programs that are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) meet most state's educational requirements for licensing or certification.
- Working Students - Some programs are specifically designed for working students and offer coursework during evenings and weekends and online.
Resources
American Mental Health Counselors Association
American Counseling Association
National Board for Certified Counselors
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