# Career



## josh23 (Nov 26, 2010)

I'm unsure about what career I want in the future.

I do know that I want to be basically the 'ultimate' in treating and helping people with mental health issues, through all means necessary...

What would be the best career that fits this terrible description?


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## Ambitious (Apr 17, 2011)

Hey josh, it is important that you dont limit yourself. See everything as an opportunity.

I have done 3years Social Studdies and am going on to do 4years in Psychology *eek*

but one thing i have learned while going threw the previous three years is that you mind changes like there is no tomorrow. For that reason i would best suggest to you to get into a course that will help you on the way to having a career in the MH field. Something like what i have done, social studdies or psychology.

Do you know what area of MH you would like to work in becoz there are LOADS?

I have found that once you create a path that gives you direction it can help you to discover where you are headed. For example, i chose my 1year course in Community and Heath Studdies. I wanted to help the homeless and the elderly. Well, i got work experience with adults with a mild/moderate/severe Intellectual Disability and got insight into the work a Social Care Pratitioner does. From that experience, i told myself i wouldnt mind doing that while im young, but i dont want to be washing and bringing them to the toilet for the rest of my life. From that experience i applied for a job as a home carer. I never got a job due to lack of experience but im glad i didnt anyway because i like the volunteer work i do now.

The first year of my 2year Diploma course i didnt know what i wanted to do and i wasnt thinking about it either becoz i had another year to go. But i done work experience in a Hospice. There i gained insight into the job that Care Assistants and Occupation Theripists do. I wouldnt mind becoming an OT but the money isnt good enough. Care Assistants, again i didnt want to be changing nappies for the rest of my life so from that my inital reaction to do that job diminidhed.

My final year of the Diploma. Still didnt know what i wanted to do, but i became intrested in crime. A module on the course was Psychology that i liked and was good at. I even went for a meeting with my guidence counsellor becoz i wasnt sure what i wanted to do...

I left a year gap and i knew that i needed money. I didnt want to be a care assistant so i looked into some volunteer work as volunteer work is great to have on you CV. I ended up getting a place in a Crime Victims Helpline. I specifically applied for this place because the word 'crime' would hold to me if i wanted to presure the intrest i have in crime.

Now where im at... Im still in the helpline. I applied for a couple of courses, Psychology being the main few. And 'when i complete' the next 4years i have ahead of me i am going on to do a masters in Criminalistics. Personally i have some addiction issue that i am address atm and from some insight i hae gained addiction (from personal experiences and from other peoples stories of recovery) is now an intrest for me and who knows where ill end up? I will only find this out 'when i get to the end' of my Psychology Degree. Something completely new may become an area of intrest to me.

The whole point of me telling you my story is to show you that once you begin something you will gain insite and experience into what and where you might go. I still am not sure if crime is the final area i want to end up but that is the route i am heading. Within the next few years my mind may completely change to something else, but that will be becoz i have gained the insight and experience i am talking about. So pick a course, follow a plan but dont be afraid to change direction of you want. Follow your intrests, thats what i am doing and the intrest can only come from experience etc.

What part of MH are you _intrested _in?

If you want to have a final goal planned, then you will have to look at various different factors and decide what you want. There are so many careers out there if you want to work in the MH field. It is up to you to find out what you want from you job...

Hope my story helps you and dont be afraid to ask me any further question.


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

josh23 said:


> I'm unsure about what career I want in the future.
> 
> I do know that I want to be basically the 'ultimate' in treating and helping people with mental health issues, through all means necessary...
> 
> What would be the best career that fits this terrible description?


thats exactly the carear i want. it depends what approach you want to go with. do you want to be a doctor type person who perscribes meds? do you want to be a psychiatrist? if so you'll have to spend years studying in university 1st

for me ive decided to go with the self help appraoch as i beleive that the best treatment for SA. ive got myself certified in nlp and hypnotherapy. and i also want to get some training in cbt and counselling. for me the perfect appraoch would be to have a few session with clients were i use cbt, nlp etc... and then also i'd like to create a ebook/cd set treatment programme


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## laura024 (Aug 11, 2006)

Clinical psychologist. Possibly counseling psychology, but that's mainly getting through everyday issues instead of the more problematic mental illnesses.


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## ForeverInBloom (Oct 4, 2010)

Pathologist perhaps.


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## polardude18 (Oct 13, 2009)

Psychiatric & mental health nurse practitioner might be a good choice, because the nurse practitioner must have a background in nursing they are very good at treating mental health issues as they understand healthcare and people very well.


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