Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am currently a psych undergrad and am looking into graduate schools. What I want to do is work in a mental health clinic and counsel children and teenagers who are being abused or who have severe emotional problems.
1. Which graduate degree would be best for me to be able to do this, and also allow me flexibility?
2. Which would I be able to make the most money living in NYC? I will also be multilingual, speaking 4 languages by the time I"m done with grad school.
Well, if you want to do counseling, and work with abused children I would go for the masters degree in Social Work. That gives you the flexibility to do a lot of things.
A degree in school counseling, is pretty terminal, keeps you nailed to the school system, and they don't do a lot of counseling, priumarily they do scheduling, and transcript review. Minimal counseling.
A degree in school psychology/educational psychology will take longer than the MA in social work, and be more math intensive. With this degree you will be doing primarily testing, and interpreting test results. Very little direct counseling.
I am currently a psych undergrad and am looking into graduate schools. What I want to do is work in a mental health clinic and counsel children and teenagers who are being abused or who have severe emotional problems.
1. Which graduate degree would be best for me to be able to do this, and also allow me flexibility?
2. Which would I be able to make the most money living in NYC? I will also be multilingual, speaking 4 languages by the time I"m done with grad school.
Thanks in advance!
Degree in counseling
I know lots of counselors who do what you describe and have a degree in counseling, but none with a degree in social work... go for an LPC
LCSW work in mental health clinics, hospitals, school systems and for the government. I was in health care and worked in same department with social workers and got to know some in several agencies. Seems a useful degree.
You could actually call a couple clinics you might be interested working in after school and ask to set up a shadow or at least have coffee with with a couple of them. Would be early networking also. It also might be worth talking to ones from more than 1 agency because the jobs can be completely different from one place to the next. Also, in every field you'll find people who love it and hate it so don't make a decision base on one interview.
Well, if you want to do counseling, and work with abused children I would go for the masters degree in Social Work. That gives you the flexibility to do a lot of things.
A degree in school counseling, is pretty terminal, keeps you nailed to the school system, and they don't do a lot of counseling, priumarily they do scheduling, and transcript review. Minimal counseling.
A degree in school psychology/educational psychology will take longer than the MA in social work, and be more math intensive. With this degree you will be doing primarily testing, and interpreting test results. Very little direct counseling.
Social workers don't do the kind of counseling she is talking about. They evaluate situations and recommend counseling but don't do it themselves. Most are cautioned NOT to do counseling. School counselors do NO counseling for psychological problems like these. They counsel for school problems, maybe go as far as dealing with bullies but once it gets into family problems, they refer to a school psychologist or an outside resource. School counselor's function is to help kids through the school process.
OP your options really are to get an undergrad in psychology and a masters in counseling and most likely a PhD in psychology to do the work you want to do. Neither of these jobs really pay well enough to live in New York City though
A degree in social work is the most flexible at the master's level. In Texas, one can become an LPC with a degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or just about anything mental health related. Marriage and family therapy and social work graduates have two options: they can get licensed in their fields and/or become LPCs. I've heard other states are also like this when it comes to becoming an LPC or LMHC. Licensed social workers can open up their own counseling practices in some states which is why the field is so overcrowded. People with master's degrees in psychology, counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, and mental health can all provide many of the same counseling services.
I am currently a psych undergrad and am looking into graduate schools. What I want to do is work in a mental health clinic and counsel children and teenagers who are being abused or who have severe emotional problems.
1. Which graduate degree would be best for me to be able to do this, and also allow me flexibility?
2. Which would I be able to make the most money living in NYC? I will also be multilingual, speaking 4 languages by the time I"m done with grad school.
Thanks in advance!
It is hard to say what would be best for you. In NYC, and anywhere really, the PhD is the most prestigious degree. Therapists with this degree will earn more per hour in a private session, and can also teach at colleges and universities. Being multi-lingual will help you in NYC - and anywhere.
If working with children is your goal, an MSW might be a very useful degree. Traditionally, Social Workers have treated the populations that you describe. A doctorate is also available in Social Work.
The PsyD has increased in it's respect among both the therapeutic and academic communities. The PsyD is more oriented towards the provision of treatment, where as the PhD is a more academic degree.
I should add that I agree with what was said above. A PhD/PsyD would bring in the most money and open up more opportunities for counseling. If you don't want to commit to a doctoral program, then social work would be the best option. Something else just came to mind. Social work programs are long. I think they usually take 3 years, so it might make more sense just to spend an extra year in a PhD/PsyD program. Social workers aren't paid well for the amount of education and training required, but neither are psychologists.
Quote:
Median annual wages of child, family, and school social workers were $39,530 in May 2008.
Median annual wages of medical and public health social workers were $46,650 in May 2008.
Median annual wages of mental health and substance abuse social workers were $37,210 in May 2008.
Median annual wages of social workers, all other were $46,220 in May 2008.
PhD, PsyD or MSW...all would work. If you go the MSW route make sure you choose a program that is clinical/counseling specific.
Frankly, with any of those degrees AND being multi-lingual, the world is your oyster, you will have no problem getting a job.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
