Transcript Psychologist/Mental Health Counselor

Psychologist/Mental Health
Counselor
Lori Balcom
GHEC
ASL 2
What do Psychologist/Mental
Health Counselors do?
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Mental health
counselors use their
knowledge and skills
to assess and diagnose
behavior problems,
psychological
problems, and social
problems.
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A mental health
counselor help people
prevent or reenacting
problems or conflicts.
These problems vary
depending on the area
you are specializing in.
Education Required
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Graduation from high school.
Completion of a four-year college program in
human services, nursing, psychology, education,
or social work.
A 60-credit master's degree in mental health
counseling, community counseling, or
psychology is the minimal entry level.
What type of duties are preformed?
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Mental Health
Counselors are trained to
do a variety of
therapeutic techniques to
address wide ranges of
issues. These issues vary
depending on the person
being counseled.
What is the expected annual income?
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In 1998, the median annual salary for mental
health counselors was $38,650.
At a bachelor level starting salaries are between
25 to 30 K range.
Graduates with a license can expect between 35
to 40 K.
Sign Language
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Sign language plays a major role in this career if
you are training to work with deaf clients.
For most non-signers, it is important to get into
the deaf community to develop some natural
connections to improve sign language skills
following the completion of 4-6 courses in ASL.
Several therapists take a 2 year interpreter
training course and become fluent in the
language.
Interview with Thomas Fatticci
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Where did you attend college? I started
my undergrad work at Bemidji State U
in Psyche and then later added an
additional major in social work,
thinking that both would give me a
more rounded education.
What are some classes that you needed
or that helped for this job? Completion
of 4-6 courses in ASL. Several
therapists I know took the 2 year
interpreter training course and are
fluent in the language. Sign language is
a must and one will not be able to work
effectively in the field without its
mastery.
What is the work setting in which you
work like? The work environment has
been varied for me. It has included
inpatient hospital settings, clinic
settings, community outreach and drop
in centers and residential treatment
facilities in the community run by
private vendors.
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What is something you have learned
throughout your career? The one thing
I have learned is that it has been
essential to my career success that I
always maintained a servant mentality
to my clients. Meaning that the service
to them and their well being comes
before anything else. If you fail in that
department, a person doesn't belong in
the field.
What is the major concern facing your
career? The major concern I am facing
is the fear that all the work that has
gone into my work will fade away in an
instant as the state changes the way it
does business and does not replace the
services in the private sector. This will
effect a lot of deaf people. I am also
feeling anxious because I am not ready
to retire and there may not be another
similar situation to slide into that pays
as well. That is terrifying at times. I am
not alone as many of the State hospital
employees are in the same boat