Mental Health Counselors are licensed professionals who are trained to help other people overcome their personal and emotional issues.
They help their patients create short-term and long-term goals working towards better mental health overall.
Becoming a Mental Health Counselor takes an extensive amount of training and education–keep this in mind if you are thinking about becoming one!
Mental Health Counselor Job Information
| Official Job Title | Mental Health Therapist |
| Average Salary | $66,663 |
| Stress Level | High |
| Work/Life | Average |
| Job Satisfaction | Above Average |
| Career Advancement | Above Average |
Mental Health Counselor Job Description
What is a Mental Health Counselor?
Mental Health Counselors help their patients overcome emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and even substance abuse issues.
They might work with one individual patient per session, or they may work with families, couples, and other groups.
A Mental Health Counselor could work in many different office settings–possibly within a community health clinic, a physiatric hospital, a mental health clinic, a school, or even a prison.
Mental Health Counselors have the option to work with many different types of people with many different types of mental illnesses.
What does a Mental Health Counselor Do Daily?
A typical day for a Mental Health Counselor will include meeting with clients, assessing patients, diagnosing patients, creating treatment plans, providing advice for patients, and performing other office duties related to the job.
A big chunk of the job will be meeting and working with clients to create a plan for better mental health.
Responsibilities, Duties & Roles of a Mental Health Counselor
Depending on where you end up working, your responsibilities as a Mental Health Counselor may be different.
Common duties and responsibilities include:
- Providing mental health services individualized for each patient
- Creating action plans and therapy plans for clients
- Conduct therapy intakes for individuals, families, etc.
- Complete and maintain documents
- Report to courts, schools, or other local agencies if needed
- Maintaining client records
- Following up with psychiatrists
- Providing mental health assessments and interventions
Mental Health Counselor Salary
Average Salary
The average base salary for a Mental Health Counselor in the United States is $70,537 per year, according to Salary.com.
Starting Salary
Starting in their careers, Mental Health Counselors make approximately $63,315 a year.
Senior Salary
One of the highest salaries reported on Ziprecruiter was $125,000 for a Senior Mental Health Counselor.
How to Become a Mental Health Counselor
The Entry Level: Certification, Training & Degree
Since working in mental health is a part of the medical field, it takes a while to complete all of the training and education needed for this career.
If you are considering this career, start with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social sciences, or behavioral sciences.
Once you decide where you want to take your career, you can complete a master’s degree in mental health counseling or therapy.
This specialized degree will help you counsel patients and perform all of the basic duties a Mental Health Counselor will do.
Once you are in graduate school, you will probably have to complete an internship or residency, where you get to work with real-life patients while learning how to do your job in the future.
Other Skill Sets, Requirements & Qualifications
Any Mental Health Counselor will be required to hold a clinical therapy license from the state they work in.
Besides educational, experience, and certification requirements, Mental Health Counselors will be required to work with people of all ages, races, sexualities, disabilities, and social classes professionally and compassionately.
Mental Health Counselors should also be aware of legal guidelines in their state when working with severe mental health cases and so forth.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Mental Health Counselor?
Northeastern University states that it could take between three to five years to complete all of the requirements.
This includes post-grad internships, post-grad supervised work, and the clinical exam.
Most people will need to complete between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of clinical post-graduate supervised work in a mental health clinic, so keep that in mind when planning for your future in this field.
Is It Hard to Become a Mental Health Counselor?
Becoming a Mental Health Counselor isn’t impossible, but it does take a lot of work to become one.
You will need to study hard and be prepared to go to college for five or more years.
Once you complete college, then you will need to train, usually through an internship or apprenticeship.
You will need to become licensed to practice anywhere, so you will also need to take an exam and do well on it.
It will be difficult to become a Mental Health Counselor compared to other careers.
Mental Health Counselor Career Paths
The Mental Health Counselor Career Roadmap
After an internship, supervised experience, and earning your master’s degree, you will be ready to be a Mental Health Counselor.
Some people become more specialized in the field, possibly becoming social workers, substance abuse counselors, rehabilitation counselors, health educators, relationship therapists, or geriatrics counselors.
The possibilities are endless!
Projections for Growth in Mental Health Counselors
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is going to be a 22 percent growth in mental health counselors through 2031.
This is great news if you are looking for a career in this field since more jobs are becoming available faster than average.
In Summary: Is a Mental Health Counselor a Good Career?
Yes!
If you like to work with people, if you like trying to figure out how someone’s brain works, a career as a Mental Health Counselor could be a great career for you.
It takes a bit of training and work to earn a position in the field, but it can be incredibly rewarding.
Working Conditions
Can a Mental Health Counselor Work From Home?
Thankfully, we live in a time where Mental Health Counselors can work from home.
Telehealth and telemedicine have become very popular in recent years.
Therapists and counselors can quickly call their patients over the phone or a Zoom call and complete the therapy appointment pretty much how they would in person.
How Many Hours Does a Mental Health Counselor Work?
Most Mental Health Counselors will work a full-time position, working 40 hours or more a week.
Most mental health professionals will work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless they are working in a different type of office setting.
Can a Mental Health Counselor Work Part-Time?
In most cases, no. Mental Health Counselors will most likely work with a handful of clients, filling up their schedules completely each week.
They usually work in offices within community health centers, mental health centers, private practices, and sometimes in prisons.
What are the Average Vacation Days of a Mental Health Counselor?
In the United States, most Mental Health Counselors will have up to two weeks of paid vacation days each year.
Mental Health vacations are important, even to counselors!
Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to a Mental Health Counselor
- Camp Counselor
- School Counselor
- Financial Counselor
- Cardiovascular Technologist
- Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant
- Case Manager
- Physical Therapy Assistant
- Medical And Health Service Manager
- Mortgage Loan Processor
- Neuroscientist
Mental Health Counselor Resume Tips
First, write a strong summary of your resume that reflects your Mental Health Counselor experience.
Hiring managers usually look at your summary first, so make sure it stands out!
Then, start going into your work history.
Make sure you describe each experience in detail, highlighting your best skills and best achievements.
Lastly, list any important certifications and volunteer work and, of course, all of your educational experience!
Mental Health Counselor Interview Questions
Q1: How do you build trust with your clients?
Why It Works: Employers will want to know how you work with clients and how you keep clients coming back to you.
Q2: What do you think the hardest part of being a Mental Health Counselor is?
Why It Works: Employers will want to see how you handle stressful and tough situations, which will happen very often in this job.
They want to make sure you can handle everything that goes into being a Mental Health Counselor.
Q3: Why did you choose a career in Mental Health?
Why It Works: Employers will get to see how passionate you are about your career–they will want someone who loves what they do!
Q4: How do you help clients achieve their goals?
Why It Works: Employers will want to see what your process is when working with clients and if it matches up with what they want.
Jobs Related to Mental Health Counselor
Similar jobs related to mental health counseling include:
- Clinical Physiatrist
- Marriage Counselor
- Psychiatric Nurse
- School Counselor
- Rehab Counselor
- Social Worker
- Forensic Psychologist
For HR Manager: Tips for Hiring a Mental Health Counselor
Key Characteristics to Look for in a Mental Health Counselor
Besides educational and work experience, Mental Health Counselors should be caring, compassionate, understanding, and willing to work with difficult people.
Asking a range of interview questions about personality will help you figure out if the potential employee will fit in well.
Minimum Level of Education & Experience
To practice mental health counseling, potential employees will need a clinical therapy license from the state, at least a master’s degree in a related field, and supervised real-world experience with the official practice.