Alternative Careers for Mental Health Counselors & Therapists
The mental health field can be very tiring, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. If you are experiencing burnout or questioning your career choice, it might be time to switch. In this article, we’ll provide you with the knowledge and tools to see if a career change is right for you.
If you need help, Hidden Gem offers career coaching services. These can help you use your counseling and therapy experience. This will improve your chances of getting a new job.
Exploring New Career Paths for Mental Health Counselors
Thinking about a career change may feel stressful right now. Still, it never hurts to explore alternative careers for mental health counselors. Knowing what else is out there can expand your horizons. Knowing this information can also help you make a more informed decision on your prospective career change.
Signs It’s Time to Explore Alternative Careers
If you’re stressed at your job, unhappy, or often tired, it’s time to consider your other options. Here are some warning signs to keep watch for:
Burnout - Your job is a constant source of stress.
Job dissatisfaction - Your job no longer makes you happy.
Mental health issues - You are struggling with unhealthy habits to cope with stress.
Lack of concentration - You struggle to motivate yourself to work.
Disassociation - You find yourself detaching from friends and family.
This list isn’t exhaustive. You shouldn’t feel guilty for thinking of changing careers due to personal reasons. If you stay in an unhappy job, your state of mind will only get worse over time. These feelings are not uncommon either. The American Psychological Association (APA) even commented on this: “Almost half (45%) [of psychologists] reported feeling burned out in 2022.”
Why Mental Health Counselors Seek Career Changes
Mental health counselors look for jobs for various reasons. Some of the most common ones include:
Emotional exhaustion - Work is too mentally draining.
Low pay - The pay isn’t good enough for the work you are providing.
Professional burnout - Climbing the ladder isn't worth it anymore.
Popular Alternative Careers for Mental Health Counselors
There are jobs for burned-out counselors out there. You can use your current skills to find a new job that fits your experience.
Careers in Human Resources and Employee Relations
HR professionals and employee relations managers oversee employees in the workspace. In many cases, they focus on employee well-being, as well as conflict resolution. This job might be a great fit if you’re interested in taking a more active corporate role. An HR professional does a lot in a company. They manage employee relations, resolve conflicts, and provide continued support for employee growth.
This is a great career change for therapists because it lets you interact with employees. This comes without the inherent stress of a therapist-patient dynamic.
Transitioning from Counseling to Human Resources
To make the switch, you may want to consider getting an HR-related certification. Many websites offer online options for this. For example, you can use sites like Coursera to launch your HR career. With an HR certification, you’ll learn lots of relevant skills to further a career in HR.
It's also good to be familiar with Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). EAPs provide employees with support for personal and work-related challenges. These programs typically offer a phone service where employees can discuss their issues and be connected with the appropriate professional, such as a counselor or legal advisor, for further help.
As such, HR is a good career change option for therapists since you can potentially have a hand in implementing EAP programs. You also make sure employees get the help they need. In this role though, you don’t need to take on those high-stress, personal conversations with individuals either.
Working in Higher Education and Academic Advising
Higher education is among the best alternative careers for mental health counselors. Here, you can use your background in counseling or therapy to give advice to students. This may come in the form of:
Academic advising - You can help students learn what academic path is best for them.
Student support - You can help students get resources for mental and physical health.
Educational consulting - You can work with schools to make programs better.
Becoming a Career Counselor or Academic Advisor
A career counselor is one of several jobs in fields related to counseling. College career centers and student mental health facilities are your starting point. Think about what you want to focus on: academic advancement or mental health for students.
You will likely need certifications for this role, including:
Certified Career Counselor (CCC) Credential - This is intended for someone with a master’s degree. It also may require passing the National Counselor Examination (NCE).
A state license - Some states need you to have a state license to be a career counselor.
Career agent certification - These aren't required, but they could be helpful to enhance your credibility.
Roles in Corporate Training and Development
Some alternative careers for LPC graduates are corporate in nature. These careers let you set up mental health programs and training for companies.
For example, you can help put corporate wellness programs into place. You can also help leadership to identify key areas for improvement. These areas of improvement focus on employee wellness and mental health.
Providing Mental Health Expertise in Corporate Settings
Improving workplace mental health is a good use of counseling skills. With your background, you can help employees get the support they need. This could be in the form of programs or counseling.
Life Coaching and Personal Development Coaching
Another group of alternative careers for counselors is life coaching. A life coach helps clients achieve their goals. This could include helping clients set goals and keeping them accountable. You'll also work on identifying areas for improvement.
In this role, you will make personalized life recommendations to people. The one-on-one relationship is likely to be less taxing than therapy.
Wellness coaching is good for helping with health related goals. Executive coaching is great if you enjoy helping people reach their business goals.
How to Become a Life Coach as a Mental Health Counselor
While becoming a life coach doesn't require a certification. There are shorter courses, usually 12 weeks, but you can pursue more accreditation if you want. Forbes has a handy list of life coach certification courses that you can refer to.
For business coaching, you can pursue a Certified Business Coach (CBC) certification, which is offered by organizations like the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC).
Writing and Publishing for Mental Health and Wellness
If mental health is important to you, why not put that into writing? Your unique perspective could help people achieve a better mental health state. You can do this in several ways. Some examples are mental health publications, personal content creation, and healthcare publishing.
How to Transition into a Writing Career as a Therapist
To get started, think about your platform. What do you want to write about? A writing career can be a great way to share mental health information with a wide audience. Freelancing can also help you transition. You can also try to connect with industry professionals. There are also some great low-hanging fruit gigs available for diving into writing like Upwork.
Mental Health Advocacy and Nonprofit Work
One of the best alternative careers for mental health counselors is advocacy. Here, you can engage on both an intimate and broad scale to raise awareness about mental health. You could work for a nonprofit. Some options are
Mental health concerns
Crisis prevention
Advocacy.
Nonprofit Jobs for Mental Health Professionals
If you’re interested in this field, look into jobs promoting community outreach. This could let you use your mental health experience to improve people’s mental health. This may be in the form of programs and campaigns.
Special Education and Tutoring as an Alternative Career
Special education is a good career change for mental health counselors. You could focus on a specific area, like child development. You could also specialize in learning disabilities. And you can use your knowledge to help parents understand what’s right for their child.
Transitioning to Special Education as a Former Counselor
As a former counselor, you have an advantage over others when it comes to transitioning. You already have skills working with people. To make the transition, you may need educational certifications, such as a Master of Special Education. You can earn this online in as few as 12 months.
You can also offer tutoring services to help students succeed in school.
Lesser-Known Career Paths for Counselors Seeking a Change
There are jobs that let you use your established skills. Here are some niche jobs for therapists to consider.
Industrial Organizational Psychology (IO Psychology)
Industrial psychology aims to improve employee well-being and productivity. IO psychologists do this by studying the workplace. If you find the study of psychology fascinating, this might be for you.
How IO Psychology Applies to Former Mental Health Counselors
As an IO psychologist, you consider employee performance and provide organizational consulting. You will take a holistic approach to improve the workplace. These skills are a good match with your patient-oriented mindset.
Consulting and Training for Mental Health Initiatives
Another niche career is consulting for mental health programs. This serves to improve the workplace. This could include:
Developing mental health initiatives
Implementing diversity and inclusion training
Advocating for employee mental health programs
Providing resources for struggling employees
Mental Health Consulting Opportunities for Counselors
In this niche, you can consult on a variety of issues on employee mental health. One path is to provide companies with ways to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. You could also give mental health training to help make mental health programs.
Entrepreneurship: Building Your Own Business Beyond Counseling
The world is your oyster. With a strong understanding of mental health, you can start your own business. Consider developing new products and programs. You could also manage a private practice.
How Counselors Can Become Entrepreneurs in Related Fields
Online coursework is a good way to become an entrepreneur. You can work with course design professionals for this. That way, you can share your knowledge with various fields. This includes many we’ve mentioned above. You can also create scalable business models with mental health programs. Or, you could make courses tailored to a niche.
Preparing for a Career Change as a Mental Health Counselor
As you shift your focus, you'll need to prep for challenges. The first step is to figure out your reasons. Why do you want to quit your job? What other careers are you interested in? What are you passionate about? Answering these questions gives you a framework to rely on. This can help you look for alternative jobs for therapists.
Update your resume and get certifications for the field you want to go into. Also, make a list of your transferable skills that make you more attractive to employers.
Identifying Transferable Skills from Counseling
Some transferable skills from counseling include:
Active listening
Empathy
Conflict resolution
Communication
Documentation
Key Skills Mental Health Counselors Bring to New Careers
It’s not only about skills that apply with some tweaks to a new career. You also have some learned skills for alternative careers for therapists, such as:
People skills
Emotional intelligence
Attention to detail
Critical thinking
Certifications and Training to Boost Your Career Change
Think about what field you want to go into and jot down a list of what you already bring to the table. Then, focus on where you need to upskill.
You may need to take certification courses or programs. Even if you don’t, these might be worth considering to advance your career. A Gallup study found that 41% of Americans have a professional certification, with 81% of them employed, compared to 68% of those without one.
Top Certifications for Mental Health Professionals Switching Careers
Some certifications will help regardless of career. These include:
HR certifications - HR management skills are in high demand across the board. This certification shows your ability to manage conflict.
Coaching certifications - Providing guidance is a key component of many advisory careers. A coaching certification makes you a good all-rounder.
Educational certifications - These certifications show that you understand the academic world.
How to Market Yourself for a New Career
One of the biggest make-or-break moments during the job hunt is how you market yourself. First, buff up your resume. Include your work experiences, certifications, and highlights. This is also a good time to pick up any easy certifications that may help in your chosen field.
Think about your transferable skills, too. During interviews, highlight how these skills helped you. When and how did you succeed in using these skills? Be ready to give a few examples of when you made a measurable impact on the company.
Crafting a Resume That Highlights Counseling Experience
Your resume should focus on your counseling experience. Many managerial or advisory positions are counseling-adjacent. Make sure your resume highlights your skills. This includes your professional experience in counseling.
Making the Transition: Steps to Begin Your New Career
To begin the journey, plan for the transition. The best way to ease the stress of a job change is with actionable goals. Make sure you do your research and get certifications where needed. You'll also need to spend some time looking for job offers.
Creating an Action Plan for Career Change
A good roadmap and actionable goal setting can help you plan your career change. Your roadmap should include steps like:
Researching careers
Buffing up your resume
Planning for the transition
Looking up necessary certifications
Building connections within the industry
Making job offers
Make sure your goals are attainable. This means you should set a deadline and be confident you can actually achieve them. That way, you can keep track of your progress and stay committed.
Setting Realistic Goals for a Successful Career Transition
A realistic plan consists of both short and long-term goals. A short-term goal might be to find a few industry professionals to follow in your new career. A long-term goal might be to set aside 3-6 months of living expenses. It’s important you have both so that you can have small victories and gear toward your broader goals.
Networking and Building Professional Relationships
One important step during the transition is networking. You can buy books relevant to your industry, and you can also subscribe to social media accounts in your industry.
Using LinkedIn to Connect with Professionals in New Fields
To build professional relationships, set up a LinkedIn profile. Use the platform for professional organizations. On here, you can learn more about the industry. You can also interact with some of the leaders in the community.
Balancing Financial Stability During Career Transition
Financial planning is part of your career transition. If possible, secure part-time work as you hunt for a new job. Try to save up to 3-6 months of living expenses. This can hold you over while you find work. Look at your budget to see where you can save.
How to Maintain Income While Changing Careers
Get as much experience and prepare as much as possible before making the switch. Try and secure a new job before quitting your old one. If you do need to quit though, side gigs and freelancing are good options. This could be to provide consulting services. You could also try content creation, or freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Legiit.
How Hidden Gem Career Coaching Can Help You Transition to a New Career
Going at it alone can be challenging. It helps when you have someone to come alongside and guide you. Hidden Gem offers personalized career transition services. These help you see your strong points, find an industry that suits you, and leverage your skills to land a new job.
Career Transition Coaching for Mental Health Professionals
You can expect personalized coaching. If you’re struggling in a job you don't like, you'll get help to understand if a career change is right for you.
Free Consultation: Start Your Journey to a New Career Today
We offer career coaching and a free consultation. Our career coaching includes various services, including:
Resume-building tips
Branding services
Tailored career coaching
Get Started with Your Free Consultation Today
Hidden Gem commits to diversity and empowerment. We can help you unlock your potential and find a career you are passionate about. Contact us for a free consultation today!
