Help with Career in Mental Health Administration or Policy
August 9, 2015 5:19 PM   Subscribe

I’m a lawyer, and have been working in civil litigation for 10 years. It never felt right, and I’m finally ready to make a change. My undergraduate was in psychology and I’ve always thought that I would feel more fulfilled working in that field. So, I’m scheduled to start graduate school next month to get my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I’m not sure that I want to work as a therapist, but it feels like that would be in the right direction. As I get closer to needing to quit my law job, I’m wondering if there is an easier way to get into my ideal career that doesn’t require the time and expense of going back to school. The problem is that I’m not sure exactly what I want to do. I sense it is something related to working on public policy for mental health issues, particularly concerning foster children or in the juvenile courts. Maybe working in the administration of a foster home, at a mental health non-profit, at a government mental health agency, etc.? I would really appreciate any thoughts, ideas of where to search, or if anyone has experience with this type of work. Thanks in advance for your help.
posted by metawabbit to Education (4 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I know someone who did this. First, she got a job working as an advisor in a university's law school, so that she had an opportunity to do some counselling-type work. She also volunteered for several organizations, including as a mentor of young lawyers. When she decided that she truly did want to become a therapist, she worked part-time as a lawyer, so that she wasn't dropping work completely.
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 6:09 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]


I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist. I would not pursue the master's in counseling psychology if you don't want to work as a therapist; the degree is very focused on providing therapy, and the degree and license are not generally considered hugely relevant to any policy jobs, which are usually filled by people with master's degrees in social work (though not necessarily with licensed social workers).

Lawyers could probably give you better advice on pivoting that experience into more nonprofit advocacy jobs, but I suspect that would be your best bet. Maybe look into volunteering as a CASA to get some relevant experience, or talking with your local CASA office about other local opportunities?
posted by jaguar at 6:13 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]


I'm a relatively recent law school graduate, the executive director of a public policy not-for-profit, and the husband of a PhD level clinical psychologist who just made the transition from a primarily research-based career to one focused almost exclusively on providing therapy. I feel like I can probably offer at least some kind of meaningful advice, and I'd be happy to chat with you individually if you're interested. My contact info is in my profile.
posted by saladin at 6:44 PM on August 9, 2015


If you have an interest in Public Policy, administration and/or an executive role in mental health services I would strongly encourage you to look at a Master's in Social Work (MSW) rather than a direct clinical or alternative program. Most Masters Schools of Social Work offer a specific degree/sub-specialty in Public Policy and/or , Administration etc. The MSW has national stature and credibility because of the nationally based accreditation of the programs. Good Luck-- from a retired MH executive. I would make the same offer saladin if you want to continue to explore this.
posted by rmhsinc at 4:11 AM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


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