Early Career Professionals and Student Resources

What is a Master of Social Work (MSW)?  

An MSW is a broad degree that involves learning about individuals and how to help them on both a micro, macro, and mezzo level. Individuals with an MSW can have a variety of jobs including, but not limited to, individual clinical providers in a variety of treatment settings (e.g., assessment, treatment planning, and interventionist), clinical supervisors, trainers and professors, programmatic director, care coordinators, researcher, consultant, speaker, social justice advocates, and policymakers.  

As a MSW, to provide therapy, an individual takes licensing tests. They then need to practice under a supervisor until they are eligible to sit for a second level licensing exam. Details vary by state.  

Why did you decide to pursue your degree? Why did you choose this degree over the other available pathways (e.g., Social Work, Counseling, Psychiatry, Psychology)?  

Individuals choose an MSW program for a variety of reasons, including length of program, accessibility (e.g., financial and geographical), and flexible program structure.                     

“I was in a psychology graduate program but was not interested in testing or research, so I left to pursue an MSW where I could learn to advocate for marginalized people and develop clinical skills to help people live their best lives.” - Kimberly Morrow, LCSW

What, from your perspective, differentiates your degree from other mental health degrees?

A social work program includes a wide breadth of topics, including clinical skills, case management, advocacy, and policy development. An individual in a social work program will learn about these topics through the micro, macro, and mezzo level. Social workers also complete internships during their time in graduate school. These internships can range from inpatient mental health programs to working in geriatric care management. Those seeking to work as a clinical social worker are encouraged to seek supervision and postgraduate training to supplement what is learned in the social work program.                                 

What advice do you wish you had when choosing which degree to pursue? and/or What advice would you like to give to individuals who are trying to choose a career path in mental health?    

“Love what you do! And if you don’t, try something different! It’s ok to change your mind. Seek support, know yourself, always be open to new learning, self care is vital. Build your support network.” - Heather Greenawalt, LCSW

“I had a mentor early on who had an MSW, and she gave me great advice that this is a degree that can grow and change with you over your career. I agree completely and am grateful to her for that advice.” - Elizabeth DuPont Spencer, LCSW 

What is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)?

First, there are numerous PhD (academic) programs that focus on mental and behavioral health. Some programs emphasize understanding, assessing, and treating mental health through scientist-practitioner or clinical scientist training models (e.g. Clinical, Counseling, or Educational Psychology), and some emphasize understanding biological or societal aspects of mental health that can inform assessment and intervention (e.g., Neuroscience or Public Health). PhD programs will inherently emphasize skills in conducting research, student mentorship, and teaching.  

PsyD (professional) programs were developed to train students under a scholar-practitioner model, as an alternative to scientist-practitioner PhD programs. PsyD programs are an excellent option for  students who aspire to primarily practice as licensed clinical psychologists. 

Why did you decide to pursue your degree? Why did you choose this degree over the other available pathways?  

Individuals choose a doctoral program for a variety of reasons, including a passion for highly specialized research, teaching, and/or practice.  

“I felt that a doctorate in clinical psychology provided me with an advanced training in assessment, treatment, and research of mental health disorders.” - Jesse Spiegel, PsyD, Private Practice

“[I chose a PhD program] because I wanted to pursue a career that allows me to mainly conduct my research and mentor students, as well as provide therapy to patients.” - Cope Feurer, PhD, Researcher at a College or University

“I quickly realized I wasn't interested in how bones nor other body parts work, so I became disenchanted with the idea of spending 4 years in medical school to become a psychiatrist. At the same time, [...] I loved learning and uncovering new understandings about how the brain works and operates, and could see myself pursuing a career that blended both clinical and research expertise.” - Katie Bessette, PhD, Researcher at a College or University

“I enjoy working with children and families, really enjoy brain science, like the real-life application of clinical work, and wanted to have the option to do it all (practice, research, teach, train)”  - Elle Brennan, PhD, Clinical Psychologist a Children’s Hospital

“I wanted to lead scientific studies that help answer the most pressing questions in the field of neuroscience and mental health. Therefore, I chose a degree that completely immersed me in the research process and allowed me to focus all of my time on science.” - Lana Ruvolo Grasser, PhD, Researcher at a Federal Agency

What, from your perspective, differentiates your degree from other mental health degrees?

A mental health-oriented doctoral program encourages specialization in certain mental health concerns. PhD programs, specifically, are unique in that they emphasize skills in conducting clinical research. APA-accredited, licensure-eligible doctoral programs emphasize specialized coursework and training in neuropsychiatric assessment, therapy fundamentals as well as specific treatment protocols for certain disorders or concerns, and biopsychosocial approaches to understanding and treating mental health disorders. Years of working with an expert mentor further enables topic specialization. Clinical/Counseling/School psychology PhD/PsyD students complete part-time clinical practica throughout graduate training and a full-time internship in a clinical setting (i.e., a year-long predoctoral residency placement). Postgraduate training may also be required for licensure (varies by state).

“The emphasis on research is the main difference [...] Other [mental health] degrees can provide training in clinical practice without such a large emphasis on the research piece.” - Cope Feurer, PhD    

“[A PsyD] provides more nuanced [and specialized clinical] training than [some Master’s degrees that are shorter in duration] .”  - Jesse Spiegel, PsyD

“My degree is different from many other mental health degrees because it does not have a clinical component [...]this means that my time, training, and expertise is entirely focused on research." - Lana Ruvolo Grasser, PhD (Neuroscientist)  

What are the various mental health roles you can perform with your degree (e.g., professor, individual provider etc.)?

In summary, with a doctoral degree in mental health, individuals can pursue many roles in their career. This may include, but are not limited to: professor/instructor, provider at a hospital, community center, or group practice, , psychological testing, business owner, clinical supervisor,, private practice, consultant, program developer, researcher, social justice advocate, institutional administrator, industry employee, AI consultant.  

What advice do you wish you had when choosing which degree to pursue? and/or What advice would you like to give to individuals who are trying to choose a career path in mental health?

“First determine the type of job or career you'd like to have [...]and from there, determine how others in that position got the training needed and which degrees they pursued. A PhD takes a lot of time, money, and energy, and is not needed for most mental health careers”. - Katie Bessette, PhD

“Advice for a degree: Be sure you are ready for the significant amount of training and studying that is needed.  The educational background can be costly. [However,] if you are looking to help people with mental health difficulties then [you are on the right] path!” - Jesse Spiegel, PsyD

“I do wish that I had known about other degrees that merged both research and clinical work, like clinical psychology. Talk to a lot of different people who have different degrees and expertise to find out what really interests you and what the best fit is. {...} Be very specific in your goals and align your time towards those goals through the degree that you choose. There is something for everyone and every career!” - Lana Ruvolo Grasser, PhD        

“PhDs in clinical psychology prepare one to enter the field through many paths (e.g., clinical, clinical supervision, teaching, research, administrative, industry, etc.) but take a long time and much dedicated work. I would not encourage someone just interested in clinical work to pursue this degree, but rather to start with a master's level degree.” - Elle Brennan, PhD 

• NAMI: Types of Mental Health Professionals  
• Department of Labor: Five Careers Making a Difference in Mental Health
• Mental Health America: Types of Mental Health Professionals
• A [Brief Synopsis] of Differences between a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Psy.D.
• American Psychological Association: Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?
• University of Buffalo: What is Social Work and What do Social Workers Do?

Unites students and early career professionals interested in the clinical treatment and research of anxiety and depression. The group develops ADAA conference activities organized around topics specifically relevant to students and early career professionals, and offers an initial avenue for students and early career professionals to become involved in ADAA. Early Career is typically defined as 5 years post degree attainment.

Why Join the Early Career SIG?

• Unparalleled networking opportunities, 
• Learn and share ideas in a welcoming space,
• Engage in Professional Development, including honing your leadership skills;
• Share your expertise; and
• Share Opportunities 

SIG Co-Chairs:

• Rachel Lippin-Foster, LMSW
• Ashley Howell, PhD

SIG Co-Vice Chairs:

• Lana Ruvolo Grasser, PhD
• Alnardo Martinez, LMHC 

Chair Emeritus: Lillian Reuman, PhD, Olivia Bogucki, PhD, Stephanie Woodrow, LCPC, NCC; Ashley Clausen, PhD; Krystal Lewis, PhD; Amanda Baker, PhD; Alex Bettis, PhD; Elle Brennan, PhD; Gopalkumar Rakesh, MD

Board Liaison

• Alison LoPilato, PhD, ABPP

Read the SIG's Winter 2024 Newsletter

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