| Many people have already found rewarding | | | | Social Worker. Employment in healthcare and |
| careers in the field of mental health, | | | | social assistance is one the fastest growing |
| enhancing and treating the emotional and | | | | fields in the US. Social workers are required |
| psychological well being of others. There | | | | to have a bachelor's degree with several |
| are many types of jobs that allow people to | | | | years experience, though many have master and |
| work in the field, working with people of | | | | PhD level degrees. Social work involves |
| all ages and all types of cases. Positions | | | | improving the lives of those who are faced |
| range from associates degrees to | | | | with serious issues including physical |
| post-graduate training, with work ranging | | | | abuse, serious illnesses, or social problems, |
| from research to patient interaction. . | | | | such as unemployment, inadequate housing, |
| | | | substance abuse, and domestic problems. |
| Counselor-Family, child, or marital. | | | | Social workers may work in schools, for |
| Counseling is one of the most prominent | | | | government organizations, in healthcare |
| fields in mental health. It requires a | | | | institutions, or rehabilitation clinics. |
| master's degree in counseling and well as | | | | Earnings for social workers depends on |
| licensure and certification. Half of | | | | educational background, years of experience, |
| counselors are employed by local or state | | | | and type of employer. Those who work as |
| government, while others are employed by | | | | child or family social workers typically earn |
| mental health facilities. Many counselors | | | | more than those employed in mental or public |
| work in school providing career and education | | | | health. |
| services, as well as prevention services and | | | | |
| identifying mental health problems in | | | | Occupational Therapy. Occupational therapy |
| students. Counselors can work in mental | | | | is an important and rapidly growing field |
| health facilities treating mental and | | | | where healthcare professional aid those with |
| emotional disorders. In this setting, | | | | disabilities or disorders in order to be |
| counselors work with a wide variety of | | | | functional in daily living and working |
| patients and work closely with other mental | | | | environments. Occupational therapy offers |
| health professionals to provide optimum | | | | opportunities as a therapist, requiring a |
| mental health. There are several other | | | | master's degree, or as aides and assistants, |
| specialized counseling fields including | | | | requiring only associates degrees or a |
| marital counseling, geriatric, | | | | diploma certificate. Occupational therapists |
| multicultural, or genetic counseling. | | | | perform a wide variety of tasks including |
| | | | physical exercise and mental exercise, and |
| Psychiatrist-Specialize, MD or DO. | | | | make plans and strategies to be more |
| Psychiatry is a mental health positions that | | | | functional according to the type of |
| requires training as a physician. Physicians | | | | disability or disorder. Occupational therapy |
| complete medical school and specialize in | | | | may focus on a specific age group, or |
| psychiatry and one of several psychiatric | | | | patients with specific disabilities. |
| sub-fields. Specialties include child | | | | Occupational therapy work may be found in |
| psychiatry, learning disabilities, forensic | | | | home healthcare services, physician's |
| psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, and | | | | offices, nursing homes, hospitals, and also |
| addiction psychiatry. Other areas also | | | | in schools. Occupational therapists can earn |
| include neuropsychiatry, pharmacology, and | | | | up to $60,000 annually, while aides and |
| psychoanalysis. Psychiatrists work in a | | | | assistants earn around $35,000 annually. |
| variety of healthcare setting including | | | | |
| hospitals, private practices, and mental | | | | Recreational Therapy. Recreational |
| health facilities. Earnings are high for | | | | therapists like occupational therapists |
| psychiatrists, as with most physicians, with | | | | provide services to those with mental and |
| earnings up to $180,000 annually. | | | | physical disabilities, but recreational |
| | | | rather than occupational activities. |
| Psychologist. People often interchange the | | | | Activities include games, sports, art, |
| terms psychologist and psychiatrist, but | | | | crafts, and playing with animals, which all |
| they are in fact quite different. | | | | aid to reduce depression, increase |
| Psychologists are not physicians, but must | | | | confidence, and reduce the ailments of |
| obtain post graduate degrees as PhD or PsyD. | | | | disability and illness. Many recreational |
| Psychologists work in several areas | | | | therapists work in nursing homes, while |
| including clinical psychology, child | | | | others work in mental health facilities. |
| psychology, school psychology, health | | | | Recreational therapists are required to have |
| psychology, and research psychology. | | | | a bachelors degree while many institutions |
| Psychologists are considered scientists, and | | | | also offer a masters and doctoral level |
| use a variety of methods to perform research, | | | | degree. Recreational therapists are also |
| collect data, and publish studies. | | | | required to be certified and licensed. |
| Psychologists are subject to certification | | | | |
| depending on area of specialization. They | | | | Angela Oliver is a contributing writer for , |
| work in schools, business, hospitals, and | | | | a site offering free information for |
| research centers. | | | | healthcare training and job opportunities. |
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