In general, clinical psychologists are professionals who assess and treat various severe mental and behavioral disorders. However, there are many different career paths that you can explore within the field when you obtain a Master’s degree.
This article covers the six career paths you can pursue with a Master’s in clinical psychology. If you’re interested in entering the field, you’ll want to keep reading to learn more. Let’s begin!
What a Clinical Psychologist Does
First, you’ll want to better understand what a clinical psychologist does. These experts provide diagnosis and treatment to mental health patients. Generally, the difference between a clinical psychologist and a psychologist is that the clinical psychologist has patients with more severe conditions. The field covers emotional and behavioral disorders as well.
You’ll want to pursue a Master’s in this field to be more competitive in the job market. You’ll also have access to higher, better-paying positions and will have stronger skills to handle your daily tasks. After working on furthering your education, you’ll have more thorough training in counseling and conducting research too.
Career Paths To Choose From With a Master’s in Clinical Psych
Once you have your Master’s in the field, you can choose many different career paths. Many people view this as a significant benefit because you can follow a path that you’re the most passionate about.
According to Indeed, a clinical psychologist’s average base annual salary is $100,911 in the United States. That said, you may make more or less, depending on where you live and what area of clinical psychology you practice.
Here are some of the best career paths in clinical psychology to consider:
1. Child Psychology
Many people pursuing a Master’s in clinical psychology are interested in working with children. You may work at inpatient or outpatient facilities, research centers, private practices, or schools. Those in the field are very passionate about their work, and they often make a huge difference in the lives of children.
Suppose you decide to follow this career path. In that case, you’ll teach children various skills that help them through emotional and mental distress. Additionally, you can provide them with better learning opportunities and conditions.
So, if you want to provide children of various ages with the support they need, this career path is one of your best options.
2. Clinical Substance Abuse Counseling
Clinical substance abuse counselors provide patients with the assistance they need to break their addictions, whether they’re abusing alcohol or drugs. As a professional on this career path, you’d be responsible for studying their habits and helping them manage withdrawal symptoms.
Earning a Master’s in clinical psychology before pursuing this path is critical because you’ll need to deeply understand the behavioral patterns that influence additions in your patients. You’ll also likely work with your patients’ doctors and social workers to form a reliable care team.
Overall, this is another career path that would let you make a significant impact in another’s life. The Master’s degree will give you the confidence and expertise you need to make a safe and effective treatment plan for all your patients, no matter their needs.
3. Clinical Social Work
Next, you might consider following the path of a clinical social worker. You can work with families and individuals to improve their quality of life. The work you do is different from that of a social worker, as you can also provide clients with diagnoses and treatments regarding behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders.
Clinical social workers also help clients find housing resources and support difficult occurrences, including divorce or losing a job. You might be employed in private practice, although there are plenty of other locations to work. For instance, many clinical social workers also work at treatment centers and residential facilities.
Lastly, these professionals respond to mental health crises, making obtaining a Master’s in the field essential in many places.
4. Clinical Psychotherapy
Another great field to enter would be clinical psychotherapy. These psychologists assess their patients for mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders. Then, they use their background to help give their patients the skills and strengths to change their lives.
You’ll work in one-on-one settings with your patients, usually offering therapy, depending on the patient. Some other responsibilities include creating treatment plans and watching how the patient progresses through them. You may need to change the plans to better suit your clients.
5. Family or Marriage Counseling
You might also be interested in family or marriage counseling, which would require a Master’s degree in most cases. You’ll work with couples with marriage issues and families with members who often have behavioral or other problems.
As a professional on this career path, you’ll need to create treatment plans and offer solutions to families and couples. You’ll bring a family focus to counseling, which often reframes the situations for individuals to make change easier.
Overall, you’ll need a Master’s to understand the relationships between people, whether in a family setting or you’re assisting a couple. You may also need to provide accurate diagnoses or treatment plans.
6. Clinical Case Management
Lastly, you might consider a career in clinical case management. A job in this area requires communicating with your patients to develop strong treatment and care plans. Then, you need to review their progress often to ensure they’re improving in various aspects. Essentially, you manage a patient’s clinical care, which requires a solution-based approach.
The clinical case manager is one of the first specialists a person will see after a mental health crisis, so you must have a strong understanding of your responsibilities.
Start Your Master’s in Clinical Psychology Today
If you know you want to get into clinical psychology and are thinking of pursuing a career in the field, it’s best to start as soon as you can. You’ll learn plenty of skills and techniques that allow you to choose from many outstanding career paths.
