What kind of careers are available to those with an associate's degree in mental health?

Question

I'm planning on getting a bachelor's in psychology, and from there I'd like to go into graduate school, and eventually become a licensed therapist. But because I have been told there are very few options for those with a bachelor's degree in psychology, I'm considering the associate's in mental health first, which will hopefully lead to a job that'll get me through the rest of school. The problem is, I can't find any information on what I can do with this degree, if I do go through with it. Does anybody out there have any suggestions?

Answer 1

The only thing I can think of is maybe a "psych tech." At some risk of oversimplification, these people work in mental health facilities basically doing the same for mental health as nursing aides do in nursing homes. Unless you have a graduate degree in psychology, social work or education, there are few opportunities in the mental health/chemical dependency fields. Furthermore and unfortunately, urban and suburban areas have an oversupply of therapists. This means that good jobs are difficult to find and insurance reimbursements are remaining the same or slowly falling. If this field is your calling, then by all means proceed. If you are just searching, consider other alternatives.