Mental health professional counseling jobs?? (Dallas, Plano: insurance, home, school districts) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

deenie1 · 10-10-2013, 08:10 AM

I have my Master of Science degree in mental health counseling and recently passed my NCE boards. I am getting ready to start looking for supervised hours to get my LPC in NJ, however, we are considering a relocation to Dallas if my DH can find a good position. (My LAC license will be processed in NJ soon but I would be considered a LPC-intern or LPC-I in TX). On a personal level, we like Dallas, like Plano and nearby school districts (have a 9 & 10 yr old), have some family living there and are very open to moving but the career piece has to make sense. I know NJ seems rather saturated with therapists but I've seen a little more action in DFW area, even for interns. Wondering if I will hit the same competitive marketplace there. TX supervised hr requirement is 3000 vs. 4500 in NJ (one more reason to move!). I will probably just need P/T hours and then will look into teaching P/T at the undergrad level. Dallas has a good amount of higher education for adjunct faculty. I searched this topic on the board and found some info but it was a few years old. Need an update. Thanks.

deenie1 · 10-15-2013, 08:13 AM

I don't need a fellow counselor to answer this but, if anyone you know were to look for a therapist, are they on every corner like in my state? Are psychological counseling centers a dime a dozen? I just know that, for example in NJ, there is a shortage of developmental pediatricians and child psychiatrists. Of course I'm in the field but, even before that, my friend needed her child evaluated for ADHD and she had a hard time getting someone decent and then had a 10 mo. waiting period for her child's first appt. Just wondering if I'm setting myself up for the same glut of therapists like we have in NJ if we relocate to DFW. TIA!

Also, are people in Dallas into health "wellness"? - not to be new age-y about it but preventative health care is popping up here and includes psych services mixed in with physicians, all under one roof. They offer acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, traditional medicine along with mental health services.That's more of the type of practice I want to eventually work with. Still, we have more therapists than clinics. I'd appreciate any insight

Even though I'm not the primary breadwinner, I'd like to work P/T.

SouthernBelleInUtah · 10-15-2013, 08:38 AM

Your second post doesn't make sense: a glut of therapists but your friend had to wait 10 months? That sounds more like a shortage.

I know of some people who have a bipolar child who is mildly autistic and they have a hard time finding a therapist to see him after school or on Sat. They are both working parents. So, if you are willing to work non-traditional hours, you would have a niche.

deenie1 · 10-15-2013, 10:43 AM

She had to wait for a dev. pediatrician. Those, as well as psychiatrists, are MDs with a specialty and usually prescribe medication. I'm talking about counselors and social workers who are not able to prescribe but treat psychological problems with different types of psychotherapy, even though they could be in a private practice. I've worked in hospitals, addiction treatment centers, day treatment centers and even an adoption agency so there is a lot of work out there. I'm sure I could find a niche, like you explained with your friend, but I wasn't sure if the supply outweighed the demand there. Thanks for responding.

Mrscaston · 10-17-2013, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deenie1

I have my Master of Science degree in mental health counseling and recently passed my NCE boards. I am getting ready to start looking for supervised hours to get my LPC in NJ, however, we are considering a relocation to Dallas if my DH can find a good position. (My LAC license will be processed in NJ soon but I would be considered a LPC-intern or LPC-I in TX). On a personal level, we like Dallas, like Plano and nearby school districts (have a 9 & 10 yr old), have some family living there and are very open to moving but the career piece has to make sense. I know NJ seems rather saturated with therapists but I've seen a little more action in DFW area, even for interns. Wondering if I will hit the same competitive marketplace there. TX supervised hr requirement is 3000 vs. 4500 in NJ (one more reason to move!). I will probably just need P/T hours and then will look into teaching P/T at the undergrad level. Dallas has a good amount of higher education for adjunct faculty. I searched this topic on the board and found some info but it was a few years old. Need an update. Thanks.

Hi Deenie,

First of all let me say congrats for passing your NCE. I am a current grad student at Texas Woman's University (Denton, Tx) in the Counseling and Development program and I am not sure I am looking forward to that exam but it is what it is. I am not too familiar with the work force here in Texas because I haven't had to look at working in quite some time. I did my internship at the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County and they offer a great resource for counselors as well as the Denton County Advocacy Center. My school is always looking for professors but I would start with University of North Texas, which is also located in Denton because they have an even larger counseling center.

Just from doing searches looking for internships, I found a lot more small private practices than larger organizations. My goal is to open a one stop shop type of organization with several different types of counselors once I get going. I can do some research in the north dallas area if you are interested.

deenie1 · 10-19-2013, 07:49 AM

Good luck with your NCE when you take it. I'm the worst at standardized tests (but great GPA) so this was a challenge for me. A few of us got together every Fri and spent 3 hrs in a study group just teasing out the answers to sample questions. I downloaded Rosenthal's book and went over it disc by disc. My kids would groan when they heard his voice. It was constant but then it was over!

Thanks for the info. A couple of people I know are doing pvt. practice here but it's dicey in that the state can deny your license if you don't follow strict guidelines like - not accepting payment (has to go through practice and then they can choose to pay you), insurance needs informed consent that services are provided by an intern, your supervisor cannot be your boss (conflict of interest), etc. It's much easier to pass through hours at a non-profit but that's the last place I want to be. I've done that long enough. I also have 2 school aged kids so I need something with flexibility. It's fine if it's P/T but I can't work all evenings because my DH works in NYC and gets home really late. Makes no sense to pay a sitter.

Just wanted to find out what the market was like there. I appreciate your input and good luck!