Mental Health Counselor Interveiw

Could a mental health counselor answer a few questions like:

What kind of classes in college must you take?
Is the job rewarding?
How many work hours a day/week?
Yearly income?
Any moments that you will remember forever and would like to share?
Anything else you would like to add would be great! :)

What kind of classes in college must you take? -- My 60 credit program included the following: Intro to Counseling I & II, which are basic counseling skills and active listening and then gets into specific theories and techniques (with two practicum courses), Group Counseling (with practicum), Career Counseling (with practicum), Family Counseling, Multicultural Counseling, Ethics, Research, Psychopathology, Field Experience I & II, Human Development, two courses in measurement and assessment(psych testing), Program Development, an elective,

Is the job rewarding? Yes - you shouldn't be in this field if counseling is not something you are passionate about.

How many work hours a day/week? 40 hours - working at a clinic (not yes licensed to practice privately and make my own hours.)

Yearly income? $40K -- will increase with years/experience. If you get into supervision later in your career, you can make anything above $60K - $80K... plus private patients. The field can be somewhat lucrative... BUT, you're not a PhD, nor an investment banker, so larger salaries will require more work.

Any moments that you will remember forever and would like to share? As a new MHC, reaching the moment of "a-ha" with a client is always a big deal. All of my first clients will hold a special little place in my heart. Also - the first time I ever experienced a conversation with someone who had flat affect... that I will never forget. I've also had to hospitalize a few potentially dangerous people, and it was difficult and sad to do - but when you make the safest choice, you realize how you saved that person and people around them.

Anything else you would like to add would be great! :) Before getting into the field, make sure you research licensure in your state and see what the field is looking for. In NY, my current location, it's been difficult because the licensure and degree is so new. No one knows what an LMHC is - they all prefer LCSWs who work psychotherapeutically.

Please notify me of anyjobs as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor