Masters in Mental Health Counseling

Learn more about the Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling and what it can do for your career...

When considering a Masters in Mental Health Counseling, or more to the point... a career as a Mental Health Counselor, you should be highly vigilant when considering your educational options.

schools

Be sure that the program you enroll in has a deep roster of courses covering everything you will need to know as a professional. In addition, you should look for schools who offer a CACREP accredited mental health counseling program. The CACREP accreditation is often required for state certification and will also help improve your chances of being accepted into a doctoral program if you choose to eventually go down that road.

What you will learn...

Specifically, a Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling should provide you with knowledge in some, if not all, of the following areas:

  • Lifespan Development (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood)
  • Attachment theory
  • Group dynamics - develop culturally and contextually effective group practices
  • Interviewing techniques - observing and collecting practical data and understanding associated legal, ethical, and cultural issues
  • Counseling and psychotherapy theories
  • Diagnostic and assessment practices
  • Professional mental health counseling issues - ethics, etc.
  • Multicultural counseling
  • Couples and family therapy
  • Substance abuse counseling practices, theories
  • Vocational psychology and career counseling
  • Intervention methods
  • Statistical analysis
  • Methods for psychological research
  • Mental health law
  • Professional credentialing - how to earn and keep your counseling certification

Masters in Mental Health Counseling Programs ...

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Online Schools:

Please select a state from the drop-down list above to view campus based schools available to you.

Salary Benefits...

As stated in a Bureau of Labor and Statistics Current Population Survey from May of 20081:

  • The average salaries of those who hold a Masters degree in 2008 was $1,228/week, while those only holding a Bachelor's degree was $978/week.
  • In addition, those who are educated in a psychology field typically earn above the national average for individuals with a similar level of education. Click here to download a BLS survey of wage distributions for careers often held by those who enter a professional field in psychology.

Advancement...

Many individuals who earn a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling will go on to earn their doctoral degree as well. Typically, those with doctoral degrees can charge more money for their services and will often have more career opportunities, such as becoming an academic professor.

One thing to consider before beginning your Master's degree is to learn more about CACREP accreditation. You admission into a doctoral program may be significantly easier if this accreditation is attached to your Master's degree.

Resources:
1 BLS Statistics from 2008