What kind of job could I get with a Master's degree in Psychology or a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling?

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Cupcakexox

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I know you need to be licensed to work as a Psychologist.
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A masters in psychology is a non-terminal degree and leads to limited options in most states. I know two people who left PsyD programs after earning MAs and one is a research assistant and the other is a psychometrician.

A masters in mental health counseling is a terminal degree and that is a degree held by some LPCs, who then pursue licensure after meeting additional requirements.
 
I would add that a master's in general psychology excludes the option of clinical practice as a career and is usually restricted to research-related activities, etc. as mentioned by @sabine_psyd. I don't actually know anyone with this degree, so there's not much overlap with clinically-trained folks and folks with general psychology advanced degrees outside of research.

A mental health counseling master's will lead to becoming a master's level clinician (licensed professional counselor or in some states, a marriage and family therapist). Often these folks provide therapy in community mental health, treatment centers, or private practice (group or individual). Occasionally, a few will end up in academic advising positions or doing related outreach (i.e. trauma-informed care or domestic violence trainings), etc.
 
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Cupcakexox said:
These are the jobs that come up on indeed when I search Masters Psychology.

Masters Psychology Jobs, Employment in Michigan | Indeed.com

543 Masters Psychology jobs available in Michigan on Indeed.com. Apply to Psychometrics Specialist, Autism Navigator, Assistant Director and more!
www.indeed.com

Which are jobs I would like to do.
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You may want to consider a master's degree in social work. That degree will likely get you the jobs you are interested in.
 
For the jobs that require licensure, be sure to look up the licensure requirements in your state. Licensure boards specify what degrees they accept, as well as what accreditation the schools need in order for licensure to be a smoother process.

Even if the jobs say “masters in psychology” as one of three degree options, if the job requires licensure and the licensure board requires a masters in MH counseling, for example, or a MSW, it doesn’t matter what the job lists for degree options if the licensure board won’t license you with that degree.
 
R. Matey said:
I made this with a bachelor’s degree in psychology over ten years ago.


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Agree that with a masters degree $20/hr is on the lower end. Looks like they’re looking at jobs in MI per the jobs they cited on Indeed. I don’t know anything about cost of living in MI.
 
foreverbull said:
...I don't actually know anyone with this degree...
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Same here. I worked in wide variety of clinical settings and have been affiliated with several different training programs and have never met someone with a terminal masters in psych or been at an institution where it’s even offered.

I have met, taught, and supervised many people with a masters in mental health counseling. YMMV with this degree and LMHC/LPC credential, but my experience is they are often grossly underpaid and underprepared for the work they do.
 
Cupcakexox said:
The jobs posted on indeed start at $20 an hour.
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That's about $40K per year, which is a bachelor's level salary. For reference, 20 years ago I earned $32K per year in an entry-level job with a BA in psychology. I realize that wage growth has been slow, but my point is that if you want to work in the field in that salary range, a master's degree is not necessary.

Rather than think about the degree first, think about the kind of things you'd like to do in your career, and what educational options are most likely to get you there.
 
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ClinicalABA said:
Same here. I worked in wide variety of clinical settings and have been affiliated with several different training programs and have never met someone with a terminal masters in psych or been at an institution where it’s even offered.

I have met, taught, and supervised many people with a masters in mental health counseling. YMMV with this degree and LMHC/LPC credential, but my experience is they are often grossly underpaid and underprepared for the work they do.
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I agree. I have had some bad experiences with LPCs.
 
ClinicalABA said:
Same here. I worked in wide variety of clinical settings and have been affiliated with several different training programs and have never met someone with a terminal masters in psych or been at an institution where it’s even offered.

I have met, taught, and supervised many people with a masters in mental health counseling. YMMV with this degree and LMHC/LPC credential, but my experience is they are often grossly underpaid and underprepared for the work they do.
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A primary motivation for me to return to graduate school for a Ph.D. is because I felt unprepared and underpaid to do the work that I was doing as an LPC. My experience of the training is that it’s very centered on humanistic techniques and low on training in EBPs and the science of psychology. I think this leads people to have poorer case conceptualization skills and consequently a more difficult time designing or implementing a treatment protocol. Since being in graduate school (the second time...ugh), I’ve seen how a stronger knowledge of research and program development can be used in a counseling session. That and training in EPBs has made me more confident as a clinician.



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R. Matey said:
A primary motivation for me to return to graduate school for a Ph.D. is because I felt unprepared and underpaid to do the work that I was doing as an LPC. My experience of the training is that it’s very centered on humanistic techniques and low on training in EBPs and the science of psychology. I think this leads people to have poorer case conceptualization skills and consequently a more difficult time designing or implementing a treatment protocol. Since being in graduate school (the second time...ugh), I’ve seen how a stronger knowledge of research and program development can be used in a counseling session. That and training in EPBs has made me more confident as a clinician.



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I completed a master’s degree prior to my doctorate and had so little training/practice that I felt completely unprepared and had no real theoretical foundation, just Ivey & Ivey’s interview skills textbook down pat (how to paraphrase, reflect content, provide encouragers, etc.), which is basic interpersonal skills and nothing more. My theory class was very superficial and my supervisors didn’t help me link theory to practice, so going to a doctoral program after that was like night and day. My doctoral program provided a lot more of the close supervision and theory-grounding that I felt I needed, and because I was closely supervised for years and supervised others as well as part of my training, it gave me a lot of opportunity to grow and reflect on my own style and practice.

My master’s program was beyond bad, though, and not CACREP-accredited, so I think quality of training will vary by program.
 
foreverbull said:
My master’s program was beyond bad, though, and not CACREP-accredited, so I think quality of training will vary by program.
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I don’t have much faith in ACA’s rubber stamping process especially given their decision to exclude psychologists from training M.A. clinicians. That said, I agree with you that there are likely better programs. I know of at least one program that provides some funding to their students, requires the GRE, and is fairly competitive. My experience is that is the exception rather than the norm.


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cara susanna said:
For what it's worth, I've seen much more consistent quality clinical skills from MSWs. That is probably the path I would take if I wanted to be a Masters-level clinician.
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Agreed. EBP delivered on a masters level seems to more consistently come from MSWs rather than LPCs, from what I have observed.
 
sabine_psyd said:
Agreed. EBP delivered on a masters level seems to more consistently come from MSWs rather than LPCs, from what I have observed.
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Hit or miss. I do think LPCs, at least according to notes, don't really have a grasp of what they are doing, and are merely going through trained motions. But, MSWs/LCSWs appear to embrace pseudoscience treatments at a much higher clip, at least in my area.
 
WisNeuro said:
Hit or miss. I do think LPCs, at least according to notes, don't really have a grasp of what they are doing, and are merely going through trained motions. But, MSWs/LCSWs appear to embrace pseudoscience treatments at a much higher clip, at least in my area.
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One of the most unsettling remarks I’ve heard from a psychologist regarding EBP was the following statement: “Evidence-based interventions aren’t for every client and I tailor my interventions based on the client.”

I could spend hours listing all the problems I have with that sentence. To give you a bit of context, he is a graduate of a diploma mill that has since closed its doors.
 
sabine_psyd said:
One of the most unsettling remarks I’ve heard from a psychologist regarding EBP was the following statement: “Evidence-based interventions aren’t for every client and I tailor my interventions based on the client.”

I could spend hours listing all the problems I have with that sentence. To give you a bit of context, he is a graduate of a diploma mill that has since closed its doors.
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I don't consider these people psychologists. They merely paid for a piece of paper.
 
WisNeuro said:
I don't consider these people psychologists. They merely paid for a piece of paper.
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Yes. I find it scary that patients typically trust that the psychologist does follow EBP when that may not be the case. Meanwhile there are patients in therapy for years with minimal progress. I have parents come to me who are stunned to hear when I explain the typical length of CBT based on research, which they find to be very brief relative to past experiences. Other times I see assessment reports written by “psychologists” documenting use of measures that are not empirically validated.

As someone early in their career, I find myself becoming more and more aware of these types of practices and it bothers me.
 
sabine_psyd said:
As someone early in their career, I find myself becoming more and more aware of these types of practices and it bothers me.
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These issues are not unique to psychology, you'll find them across the spectrum in all of healthcare. Good reason for networking extensively and creating a trusted referral list across specialties.
 
WisNeuro said:
But, MSWs/LCSWs appear to embrace pseudoscience treatments at a much higher clip, at least in my area.
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I agree with that, but I've seen some really egregious things from LPCs that concern me far more.
 
@Cupcakexox

There is a bit of confusing information posted in this thread. Since we do not know your state of residence, it is a bit of a difficult question to answer. Simply speaking there are two types of masters-level degrees: those that lead to licensure and those that do not.

I wouldn't get caught up in the difference between social work, psychology, school, or counseling before deciding whether you are going to have a licensable degree or not.

If you are going to graduate with a non-licensable degree that is a different market than those that provide licensure. I had a masters in Developmental Psychology (non-licenseable) 15 years ago. I worked with developmentally disabled individuals for a position that required a masters (though many types of masters degrees would have been fine). The salary was 35K then (which would be 46K now if it kept up with for inflation, in a high CoL area). That ain't a bad salary if you can find it (I doubt the salaries have kept up with inflation). After that I became a research coordinator for a lab at a university for a little more money. There are other jobs that require a masters degree but don't require licensure.

If you are graduating with a license-eligible degree then it is a very different story. To be licensed as an LPC (or some similar acronym) doesn't require a counseling degree, per se. It is all about the courses you take and whether they meet requirements for licensure in that state (this also differs slightly between states). Similarly with social work, make sure the masters program leads to licensure, since not all do. Programs don't hide this info, so it would be easy to tell which type of degree is being offered.
 
R. Matey said:
I don’t have much faith in ACA’s rubber stamping process especially given their decision to exclude psychologists from training M.A. clinicians. k
Click to expand...
I do not believe the ACA governs supervision. Psychologists can train masters-level students in all states. I think you may be thinking that CACREP only accredits programs that are primarily staffed by counseling doctorates.

cara susanna said:
I've seen much more consistent quality clinical skills from MSWs
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I worry your experience is only anecdotal. I do not have much faith, on average, of any of these programs. Frankly, most doctorate programs as well. Though, I feel like I have said this before on this forum.

sabine_psyd said:
find it scary that patients typically trust that the psychologist does follow EBP when that may not be the case
Click to expand...
Even worse is when clinicians believe they are implementing an EBP but are doing it wrong due to lack of oversight.
 
DynamicDidactic said:
@Cupcakexox

There is a bit of confusing information posted in this thread. Since we do not know your state of residence, it is a bit of a difficult question to answer. Simply speaking there are two types of masters-level degrees: those that lead to licensure and those that do not.

I wouldn't get caught up in the difference between social work, psychology, school, or counseling before deciding whether you are going to have a licensable degree or not.

If you are going to graduate with a non-licensable degree that is a different market than those that provide licensure. I had a masters in Developmental Psychology (non-licenseable) 15 years ago. I worked with developmentally disabled individuals for a position that required a masters (though many types of masters degrees would have been fine). The salary was 35K then (which would be 46K now if it kept up with for inflation, in a high CoL area). That ain't a bad salary if you can find it (I doubt the salaries have kept up with inflation). After that I became a research coordinator for a lab at a university for a little more money. There are other jobs that require a masters degree but don't require licensure.

If you are graduating with a license-eligible degree then it is a very different story. To be licensed as an LPC (or some similar acronym) doesn't require a counseling degree, per se. It is all about the courses you take and whether they meet requirements for licensure in that state (this also differs slightly between states). Similarly with social work, make sure the masters program leads to licensure, since not all do. Programs don't hide this info, so it would be easy to tell which type of degree is being offered.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your input I am located in Michigan. I did a search on Indeed for Master's in Psychology and there were a lot of jobs listed. I understand the difference between being licensed though.
 
DynamicDidactic said:
I do not believe the ACA governs supervision. Psychologists can train masters-level students in all states. I think you may be thinking that CACREP only accredits programs that are primarily staffed by counseling doctorates.
Click to expand...

Yep. That comment was made in response to a comment about master’s level training programs, not post-graduate field supervision for LPCs. I am aware that it is governed by at the state level. All of my own LPC supervision was done by a psychologist.



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DynamicDidactic said:
I do not believe the ACA governs supervision. Psychologists can train masters-level students in all states. I think you may be thinking that CACREP only accredits programs that are primarily staffed by counseling doctorates.


I worry your experience is only anecdotal. I do not have much faith, on average, of any of these programs. Frankly, most doctorate programs as well. Though, I feel like I have said this before on this forum.


Even worse is when clinicians believe they are implementing an EBP but are doing it wrong due to lack of oversight.
Click to expand...

My experience is only anecdotal. Didn't mean to imply that it was anything different.
 
sabine_psyd said:
Agreed. EBP delivered on a masters level seems to more consistently come from MSWs rather than LPCs, from what I have observed.
Click to expand...
I was happy to find an empirical examination of this...

It was found that the majority reported using interventions that had empirical support. However, three-fourths of the sample also reported using at least one novel unsupported intervention in their practice. The use of novel unsupported interventions was found to be statistically more likely among women. The entire sample scored above the midpoint on the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS), indicating an overall positive attitude toward EBP. Moreover, the present study found a weak but significant positive correlation between number of novel unsupported interventions used and EBPAS score. It appears that a positive attitude toward EBP and the use of novel unsupported interventions are not mutually exclusive
Click to expand...
 
I'd take these results with a grain of salt. Self-reporting use of EBPs is sometimes different from the reality of the situation. I've had conversations with some masters level providers here about certain orientations that purport to use (e.g., CPT, ACT, PE) and in those conversations, it is very clear that they have no clue what they are talking about, and I can only assume they are similarly clueless in session with patients.
 
R. Matey said:
Generally speaking, my experience has been that the job opportunities are better for social workers than they are for mental health counselors. Just another thought.


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Click to expand...
This is quite true. In fact, if you want to be in an 'administrative' position in a govt run agency, you would do just fine with a SW degree. In many such organizations PhD's/PsyD's deliver services and social workers run everything. Having a doctorate in psychology turns out to be a liability (if you want to move up the hierarchy). SW's are cheaper and psychologists are needed to see caseloads of patients. Also, psychologists are trained to be skeptical and ask questions...something that nearly no one in a govt organization wants in an underling. It may be different in different agencies (public vs. private vs. 'university-affiliated'), but this has been a strong dynamic I have observed in at least two govt run healthcare systems.
 
Fan_of_Meehl said:
This is quite true. In fact, if you want to be in an 'administrative' position in a govt run agency, you would do just fine with a SW degree. In many such organizations PhD's/PsyD's deliver services and social workers run everything. Having a doctorate in psychology turns out to be a liability (if you want to move up the hierarchy). SW's are cheaper and psychologists are needed to see caseloads of patients. Also, psychologists are trained to be skeptical and ask questions...something that nearly no one in a govt organization wants in an underling. It may be different in different agencies (public vs. private vs. 'university-affiliated'), but this has been a strong dynamic I have observed in at least two govt run healthcare systems.
Click to expand...

Even in non-government agencies, social workers with MBAs tend to get the mid level mgmt. positions. They're cheaper than us. Higher-ups love to see lower numbers in the expense columns, as long as it's not in the box for their own salaries.
 
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