Career Choice: Mental Health Service..ideas? (licenses, job, insurance, pay)

[Prettygyrl777]

I wasn't sure whether I should place this topic here or in the "Education" category. Well here's my problem- I have about a year and a half left of grad school (those 18 months will fly by) and I am studying mental health counseling.

I love the field that I'm in and I have worked (with my bachelors) in my current job as a counselor for the past 2 1/2 years. I work at a school (with kids ranging in age from 5-15). The best thing about the job is that I can be as creative as I want to be. The goal is to teach social and coping skills, assertiveness skills, anger management and I deal with any other personal problem the students might have.

Anyway, I'm narrowing down what I would like to do once I graduate and get licensed. My first choice is to keep my current job BUT once I'm established, I would like to start my own practice. Essentially, I want to do the exact same thing (counseling kids) but I want it to be more of a group program (not individual). Parents would decide which program they were interested in (like anger mangmt, bereavement, etc) and I would meet with the kids at certain times (say, once a week for example).

I had a professor who's wife ran a program like that. She was strictly private pay and her business was booming. I lost touch with them but I wanted to know more about it. Does anyone know of similar programs. Does this sound like a good idea??

[yellowsnow]

If you can support your lifestyle and it's work you want to do; you are already way ahead of most people. Helping children is a great thing to do and I'm sure it's a field that will see growth.

[echobeach]

Originally Posted by Prettygyrl777

I wasn't sure whether I should place this topic here or in the "Education" category. Well here's my problem- I have about a year and a half left of grad school (those 18 months will fly by) and I am studying mental health counseling.

I love the field that I'm in and I have worked (with my bachelors) in my current job as a counselor for the past 2 1/2 years. I work at a school (with kids ranging in age from 5-15). The best thing about the job is that I can be as creative as I want to be. The goal is to teach social and coping skills, assertiveness skills, anger management and I deal with any other personal problem the students might have.

Anyway, I'm narrowing down what I would like to do once I graduate and get licensed. My first choice is to keep my current job BUT once I'm established, I would like to start my own practice. Essentially, I want to do the exact same thing (counseling kids) but I want it to be more of a group program (not individual). Parents would decide which program they were interested in (like anger mangmt, bereavement, etc) and I would meet with the kids at certain times (say, once a week for example).

I had a professor who's wife ran a program like that. She was strictly private pay and her business was booming. I lost touch with them but I wanted to know more about it. Does anyone know of similar programs. Does this sound like a good idea??

Different states have different licenses for doing "counseling" or "therapy". In NY basically anyone can hang out a shingle and be "psychotherapist" but start a private practice and get insurance reimbursement you need to be licensed - usually a LCSW (licensed clinical social worker), which means a masters in social work and taking exams for your license. On the other hand, I have a friend that moved to Massachusetts and launched a private practice "coaching", running some groups with people with gender identity issues and others with body dysmorphia issues -- and she adds yoga to the mix. She has been quite successful.

I work with addicts and, much to my surprise, after almost 4 years of it, I still love it. I do individual and run lots of groups. I am an LMSW right now.

Start researching in your area - look for the type of facilities you would want to work in or private practices that cater to your base clientèle - and definitely post something about this in your city's thread.

Wherever you land good luck.
J.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by Prettygyrl777

I wasn't sure whether I should place this topic here or in the "Education" category. Well here's my problem- I have about a year and a half left of grad school (those 18 months will fly by) and I am studying mental health counseling.

I love the field that I'm in and I have worked (with my bachelors) in my current job as a counselor for the past 2 1/2 years. I work at a school (with kids ranging in age from 5-15). The best thing about the job is that I can be as creative as I want to be. The goal is to teach social and coping skills, assertiveness skills, anger management and I deal with any other personal problem the students might have.

Anyway, I'm narrowing down what I would like to do once I graduate and get licensed. My first choice is to keep my current job BUT once I'm established, I would like to start my own practice. Essentially, I want to do the exact same thing (counseling kids) but I want it to be more of a group program (not individual). Parents would decide which program they were interested in (like anger mangmt, bereavement, etc) and I would meet with the kids at certain times (say, once a week for example).

I had a professor who's wife ran a program like that. She was strictly private pay and her business was booming. I lost touch with them but I wanted to know more about it. Does anyone know of similar programs. Does this sound like a good idea??

I think your idea is EXCELLENT!!! I am a licensed therapist and I do group therapy for mentally ill adults in an agency. I started a private practice almost a year ago, but doing more hypnotherapy than anything (I love it!!).

I think you'll love private practice and even more if you are doing something that you really enjoy. If I had a child who needed help in one of those areas I would love to put them in a group like yours. I know the benefits of group counseling. Good luck with your idea!!!