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About Mental Health Professional

Mental health professionals work in various capacities to diagnose, treat and offer medical and physical care to people who are suffering from mental illnesses and disorders.

Who Is a Mental Health Professional?
Mental health professionals work in various capacities to diagnose, treat and offer medical and physical care to people who are suffering from mental illnesses and disorders.

“Mental Illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all” - Bill Clinton (Former President of the United States of America).

Before you begin, here are a few facts that you might be interested in - 

  • In 2020, due to COVID-19, India saw an increase of 35% in cases revolving around Depression and Anxiety.
  • According to Economic Times, in 2018, there were only 898 psychologists as compared to the requirement of 20,250.
  • India had 900 psychiatric social workers compared to its requirement of 37,000.
  • The World Health Organisation has predicted that around 20% of Indians will face mental health issues by the end of 2022.

Mental Health Professional, as a career, is the NEED of the hour, not just a passing concern.

But what does a Mental Health Professional do?

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act.”

But do we really know how it affects us?
More importantly, do we recognise how our mental health is?

This is where Mental Health Professionals come in.
Some of the disorders that are commonly faced by people include anxiety, substance abuse and addiction, depression, schizophrenia and others.

What are the different types of Mental Health Professionals?

  • Counsellors
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologist
  • Rehabilitation Officers

Is there scope in Mental Health?
Between 2020 and 2030, studies show that the employment rate of Mental Health Professionals will grow by 14.9%.Now that you know the scope, let’s take a look at how you can bridge that gap!

Related Departments

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Top Colleges

India

Duration: 3 years.

Fee per course/annum: Rs.2.5 Lakh Per Annum - 4 Lakh Per Annum

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Duration: 4 Years

Fee per course/annum: -

UK

Duration: 3 - 4 Years

              (Honours Courses are 4 years)

Fee per course/annum: Rs.10 - Rs.21 Lakh Per Annum

Canada

Duration: 4 Years

Fee per course/annum: Rs.11 - 30 Lakh Per Annum

Career Prospects

What are the Career Prospects for a Mental Health Professional?

Counsellor
Counsellors are trained professionals who offer advice and direction to their clients. They are trained to provide psychotherapy (talk therapy) and typically specialise their practice to work with a specific population.
As a counsellor, you would be providing a safe space for your clients to talk, share, discuss, and seek advice for the different issues they face.

Some of the issues Counsellors help you with are -

  • Emotional or behavioural distress
  • Addictions and substance abuse
  • Family, parenting, and marital problems
  • Stress, anger management
  • Low self-esteem, lack of confidence
  • Career-related confusion

With Counselling and Therapy becoming a popular career option in India, the stigma and bias toward mental health have gradually, but slowly decreased. Due to this, the popularity of psychology as a career has increased.

Psychiatrists
There’s just ONE difference between a Psychiatrist and all other types of Mental Health Professionals -

Psychiatrists hold an MBBS or an equivalent Doctoral Degree.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor or a physician who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in people. Mental health issues include illness and emotional disorders.
Like Counsellors, there are different types of Psychiatrists as well -

  • Clinical Psychiatrists - They assess, diagnose, and treat patients suffering from mental illnesses. They usually work in offices, hospitals, or mental health clinics.
  • Forensic Psychiatrist - This type of psychiatrist works very closely within the system to provide expert witness testimony, assist in the investigation of crimes, and treat criminals with mental illness.
  • Correctional Psychiatrist - Often known as ‘prison psychiatry’, is a specialisation where incarcerated mentally ill offenders are treated for mental disorders.
  • Child Psychiatrist - A specialisation where a psychiatrist diagnoses and treats mental, emotional, and behavioural problems in children.

Psychiatrists are the professionals who provide help to understand the deepest issues that you may have or experience at some point. In a way, they are the primary advocates for mental health and seeking ‘help’.

Psychologist

“No one can hurt me, without my permission” - Mahatma Gandhi

As ironic as this quote is, the ideology behind it never fades. However, most often than not, we hurt, without knowing, and more importantly, it happens without permission.

A Psychologist works on treating mental health disorders, most often through private practice. However, without limiting themselves to it, psychologists can also be researchers, investigating human behaviour and effective methods of treatment.

By being experts in evaluating and diagnosing mental health disorders, you as a psychologist can suggest and implement interventions. However, you cannot make recommendations for medication or prescribe it.

To know more interesting facts about Human Psychology, watch this video!
15 Psychological Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

Social Workers

Social workers work in communities connecting people to resources and providing counselling to their clients. Due to their familiarity with local services and their urge to assist people, they orchestrate logistical tasks to organise their lives, decreasing stress and therefore improving mental health outcomes.

Working from a holistic lens, social workers also help clients with finances, education, legal matters, housing, obtaining food and a host of other daily matters.

From working in schools to help veterans, working in elder care facilities to addiction recovery centres, Social Workers are often trained for general practice and then specialise when they seek an advanced degree.

Here’s a Fun Fact - By 2026, the employment demand for Social Workers will increase by 16%.

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Jobs & Salary

  • Psychologist
  • Psychoanalyst
  • Psychiatrist
  • Psychiatric nurse
  • Psychotherapist
  • Mental health counsellor
  • Family and marriage counsellor
  • Addiction counsellor
  • Religious counsellor
  • Art therapist
  • Social worker

Counsellor
The average pay per annum ranges from Rs.2.1 lakh to Rs.29.1 lakh.

Psychiatrist
For a psychiatrist, the average pay per annum ranges between Rs.70,000 to Rs.24.2 lakh.

Social Worker
A social worker gets paid anywhere between Rs.20,000 - Rs.6 lakh a year depending on the education level and experience.

Industries that hire Mental Health Professionals -

  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Marketing
  • Finance

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Good Earning Potential
  • Multiple Employment Opportunities
  • Career Advancement
Cons
  • Irregular Work Schedule
  • Self-Employment Challenges
  • Stress
  • Excess Emotional Investment

Famous Personalities

Wilhelm Wundt

Wilhelm Wundt opened the Institute for Experimental Psychology at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879 which was the 1st laboratory dedicated to psychology. Its opening is thought of as the beginning of modern psychology. With his specialisation in experimental psychology, he exerted a lot of influence on the development of psychology as a discipline.

 

Albert Bandura

The Founder of Social Cognitive Theory, Dr. Albert Bandura first came to prominence due to his work on human aggression, especially in adolescents and children. Did you know that he designed an experiment called the ‘Bobo Doll Experiment’ to demonstrate aggression in children? While you read it, also know that the ‘Good Doctor’ has authored and co-authored more than 350 journals and is a recipient of the prestigious US National Medal of Science.

Dr. Rashi Bijlani

Specializing in Dance Psychotherapy, Dr. Rashi Bijlani is the founder of the Asha Hai & Centre for Dance Movement Psychotherapy. An inclusive preschool for children with special needs, she focuses on establishing a ‘Dancing Bond’ for parents and their children to make them empowered adults. Dr. Rashi is also the head consultant psychologist at the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, and the co-founder and General Secretary of The Indian Association of Dance Movement therapy.

Timeline

1550 First Mention about Depression and Thought Disorder.

1901 The British Psychological Association is Established.

1906 Classical Conditioning’ Introduced by Ivan Pavlov.

1942 Carl Rogers introduces the practice of ‘Client-Centred’ Therapy.

1954 Abraham Maslow talks about the ‘Hierarchy of Needs’.

1968 Association of Black Psychologists founded.

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