You may increase your prospects of long-term employment by pursuing a vocation where work possibilities are expected to be more plentiful. The rapidly expanding field of counseling and therapy, a branch of medicine focused on mental health, is one career sector with many opportunities. Discovering the most sought-after therapeutic careers will assist you in landing the job of your dreams.
In this post, we address highly sought-after careers in counseling and therapy, including compensation details and in-depth job descriptions.
Ten in-demand jobs in treatment
A job outlook exceeding that rate may be considered fast-growing, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has projected a 7.7% growth rate for all occupations between 2020 and 2030. Keeping that in mind, you might want to look into these ten in-demand positions in counseling and therapy. Visit indeed.com/salaries for the latest recent Indeed salary information.
1. A rehabilitation specialist
$52,203 annually is the average pay nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: A rehabilitation counselor focuses on providing support to people with physical, developmental, emotional, or cognitive impairments. These professionals assist their clients in overcoming the obstacles or consequences of their disability. They frequently work for hospitals, family services, rehabilitation agencies, or residential care institutions.Helping clients adjust to life with a handicap, developing treatment goals and plans based on their interests and skills, pointing clients in the direction of resources and services, and teaching them coping mechanisms are among the fundamental responsibilities.
2. A mental health professional
The average annual wage in the country is $73,279
Principal responsibilities:A qualified practitioner who assists clients in achieving enhanced well-being is a mental health counselor.They frequently assist patients with typical mental health issues such anxiety, sadness, trauma, or low self-esteem.One way that mental health counselors and psychologists diverge is that the former emphasize daily support and wellness techniques more than the latter.Assessing their customers’ well-being, assisting them in understanding their situations or placing important events in context, and teaching them coping mechanisms are among their main responsibilities.
3. A counselor in behavior
$60,232 annually is the average pay nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: A behavioral therapist, commonly referred to as a behavioral disorder counselor, is a mental health specialist with a focus on behavior modification. They assist clients in strengthening positive behaviors and overcoming negative ones. These therapists frequently assist people with disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. They work with the clients to investigate the possible origins of these diseases and utilize different approaches, like operant training, positive reinforcement, and aversion therapy, to help them get better.
4. Career guidance
$45,844 annually is the average pay nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: People of all ages who are looking for help regarding their careers or future career possibilities can consult with a career counselor. They typically work with young individuals who are about to enter the workforce, such college students, or they coach professionals who are already in it. While each counselor’s job entails different tasks, there are certain similar responsibilities. These include testing clients’ abilities, assisting them in setting goals, giving career advice, and assisting them in finding employment.
5. A therapist for recreation
$50,640 annually is the average salary nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: A recreational therapist is a medical professional who treats patients with illnesses, physical impairments, disabilities, or mental health issues through leisure activities. By use of various modalities like arts, crafts, music, literature, dance, games, and sports, these therapists assist people in healing from ailments like trauma or injuries or in rediscovering their sense of purpose or wellbeing. Common responsibilities of the position include assessing patients, creating treatment plans and goals based on the assessments, motivating patients to engage in activities, and educating them on coping mechanisms.
Job outlook: 10% increase in this area is anticipated by the BLS.
6. Guidance counselor for schools
$55,573 annually is the average pay nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: Working with kids, school counselors—also referred to as guidance counselors—are professionals in the educational system. In general, school counselors assist pupils in cultivating valuable traits and getting ready for future obligations. Identifying risk factors in students, supporting them through social or personal challenges, assisting them in developing valuable abilities or traits, and working with teachers and families to establish academic or personal goals are some of their regular responsibilities.
Prospects for employment: Similar to career counselors, school counselors are expected to see 11% rise in employment between 2020 and 2030.
7. Counselor for substance abuse
$53,650 annually is the average salary nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: A substance abuse counselor is an expert in supporting people who have an emotional or physical dependence on drugs or alcohol. Developing recovery objectives and plans with patients and their associates, assessing patients’ level of wellbeing in the context of addiction, and helping patients navigate the challenges of recovery are among the main responsibilities of the position. Certain substance abuse counselors might also assist their clients in reestablishing relationships or employment.
Employment outlook: This profession is expected to rise by 23%, similar to that of behavioral therapists and mental health counselors who are classified under the same BLS category.
8. Family and marital therapist
The average annual wage nationwide is $67,235.
Principal responsibilities: A marital and family therapist focuses on assisting patients in resolving or managing issues related to intimate interpersonal relationships. They treat individuals as well as married couples and families, concentrating their treatment on the patients’ needs as well as the strained relationships. The work entails listening to a client’s concerns about their marriage or family life, assisting them in understanding how they feel about their loved ones, and providing them with coping mechanisms for handling their challenges.
Employment outlook: The BLS predicts a 16% growth in this field, which is more than double the average growth for all occupations.
9. A speech-language pathologist
The average annual wage nationwide is $74,303.
Principal responsibilities: A speech-language pathologist, sometimes referred to as a speech therapist or pathologist, works with patients who are experiencing difficulties swallowing or speaking. Such issues frequently come from neurological system problems, developmental delays, or illnesses such head trauma or stroke. In order to develop treatment programs, speech-language pathologists assess patients to ascertain the extent of their issues, teach them how to produce sounds and enhance their language use, and offer them counseling on how to deal with speech or swallowing difficulties.
Employment outlook: Between 2020 and 2030, the BLS projects a 29% growth in this area.
10. A genetic counselor
$52,203 annually is the average pay nationwide.
Principal responsibilities: A genetic counselor works with people who have a family history of an inherited ailment or who may develop one. These ailments include sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, and Down syndrome. Genetic counselors’ responsibilities include obtaining medical histories from patients and their families, testing and analyzing patient DNA, talking with patients and their families about the possibility of acquiring an inherited ailment, and providing them with experience-based counseling.
Prospects for employment: With a projected growth rate of 26%, the BLS reports that the job prognosis for this profession is quite strong.
FAQs
What type of therapy is most in demand?
Research indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is the most effective kind of therapy. Psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as talk therapy, is the most thoroughly studied kind of therapy and is in great demand because it effectively treats a wide range of mental health issues.
What is the highest degree in therapy?
PhD: A psychology doctorate in philosophy with a focus on research. A psychologist is a therapist who holds a doctorate in psychology. They have received training in both science and medicine. Most mental health illnesses can be tested for and diagnosed by psychologists.
Which subject is best for therapy?
Mentality
Psychology. To work as a therapist, you most definitely need a master’s or doctoral degree. Few degrees are available in “psychotherapy.” The majority of “therapists” has degrees in counseling, psychology, or social work.
