Mental Health Counselor

Duties and Responsibilities:

Mental Health Counsel with emphasis on prevention. Work with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health. May help individuals deal with issues associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; and aging.

Salary:

$43,990

Education:

Earning an undergraduate degree in counseling, psychology, sociology or social work is the first step in becoming a mental health counselor. However, you have an undergraduate degree in another field and pursue your master’s in mental health counseling. Your master’s will usually take one to two years to obtain. Learn more about What You’ll Study. Most states require that mental health counselors complete two years of post-graduate supervised work, totaling between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of clinical experience. In addition, counselors must pass a state-recognized exam and complete annual continuing education courses. The learning is never done—and your hard work will be rewarded with greater skills and understanding. Licensing and certification guidelines for mental health counselors vary by state; be sure to check the guidelines for the region in which you plan to study.