Mental Health Careers

Mental Health careers focus on helping people overcome the emotional and psychological challenges in their lives.

Whether you are helping someone overcome the unexpected loss of a loved one, or you are helping someone win a lifelong battle against mental illness, careers in mental health can make a huge impact on people's lives.

Learn more from alumni who have gone into this field below:

Mental Health Career Resources

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Learn about other psychology graduates working in mental health by clicking the links below.

Cassandra Patton

Crisis Specialist, LaFrontera EMPACT

How she became a Crisis Specialist

Katy Kandaris, MA, LPC

Professional Counselor, Inner Balance Counseling

How she became a Professional Counselor

Dawn Bartleman, MSc, LPC

Professional Counselor, Happy Hour Counseling

How she became a Professional Counselor

Emma Lauer, LMSW

Clinical Social Worker/Therapist, Find Your Shine

How she became a Therapist

Michelle Mugge, PsyD, LPC

Psychologist, Serenity Foundations

How she became a Psychologist

Morgan Hall, PhD

Clinical Neuropsychologist, Pinnacle Center

How she became a Clinical Neuropsychologist 

Carolyn Cavanaugh Toft, PhD

Psychologist, Arizona State University

How she became a Psychologist

Interested in a career in mental health? Check out the resources below.

Prevention Specialist

Prevention specialists work to educate at-risk youth about substance abuse and other high-risk activities. In this career, you may work in schools or in the community to encourage a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. You plan and implement programs to help young people in the target demographic become aware of substance abuse issues and teach them how to make alternative lifestyle choices. You may prepare and host activities in schools to discourage tobacco and drug use and to encourage healthy habits.

Recommended classes:

  • PSY 290 - Research Methods
  • HCR 350 - Introduction to Clinical Research
  • PSY 315 - Personality Theory and Research
  • PSY 360 - Cognitive Science

Typical salary: $35,000 - $60,000 a year

Requirements:

Psychometrist

Psychometrists primarily create, score and evaluate neuropsychological, psychological, personality and academic tests given to patients. Psychometrists must work under the direct supervision of a clinical psychologist or neuropsychologist.

Recommended classes:

  • PSY 290 - Research Methods
  • HCR 350 - Introduction to Clinical Research
  • PSY 315 - Personality Theory and Research
  • PSY 360 - Cognitive Science

Typical salary: $25,000 - $57,000 a year

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field with at least 3000 hours of testing, scoring and other administrative work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist
         OR
  • Masters or Doctoral degree with at least 2000 hours of testing, scoring and other administrative work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist
  • Finally, you will want to complete a licensure exam to be board certified

Click here to learn more about how to become a licensed psychometrist

Counselor

Counselors work with individuals and groups to promote mental and emotional wellbeing. Counselors can both evaluate and treat mental health problems using counseling and psychotherapy. Counselors can specialize in issues from family or marital problems to substance abuse.

Recommended classes:

  • CAP 120 - Introduction to Counseling
  • PSY 370 - Interpersonal Relationships
  • PSY 315 - Personality Theory and Research

Typical salary: $27,000 - 70,000 a year

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a closely related field
  • Master’s degree in counseling or related fields
  • After finishing a graduate degree, you will work on becoming licensed. Licensure requirements vary per state.

Click here to learn more about ASU’s Master’s in Counseling program

Click here to learn more about ASU’s Master’s in Human Systems Engineering

Click here to find out more about the different counselor licensing requirements by state

Clinical Psychologist

A clinical psychologist diagnoses and treats patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

Recommended classes:

  • PSY 366 - Abnormal Psychology
  • PSY 472 - Clinical Psychology
  • PSY 370 - Interpersonal Relationships
  • PSY 315 - Personality Theory and Research

Typical salary: $39,000 - 100,000 a year

Job outlook: Expected to increase by 14% by 2026

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology or a related field
  • A doctoral degree (can be either a Ph.D. in psychology or a Doctor of Psychology degree (Psy.D.))
  • 3,000 hours of supervised training required for licensure in Arizona

Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illness. Psychiatrists differ from psychologists in that they can prescribe medication to help treat their patients.

Recommended classes:

  • PSY 366 - Abnormal Psychology
  • PSY 325 - Physiological Psychology
  • PSY 224 - Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSY 462 - Health Psychology

Typical salary: $71,000 - 250,000 a year

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree that will help you need medical school admissions requirements
  • A medical degree (either an M.D. or a D.O.)
  • Become licensed and board-certified

Interested in finding an internship or mentor in mental health? Fill out the form below.

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