Over the last several decades, mental health has become an increasingly important aspect of overall health in the eyes of countless people. As a result, mental health professional roles have proliferated to meet the growing demand for mental health care.
In recent years, online roles have been increasing in popularity for a number of important reasons. Most importantly, online mental health care has made this type of care far more accessible to a wide array of people.
Those looking to pursue a professional career in the mental health space should be aware of the emerging online and tech-related career options.
Here is a look at online and tech-based mental health careers.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
For many aspiring mental health care professionals, the role of psychiatric nurse practitioner can be extremely attractive. From being able to practice nursing at a high level to being qualified for job roles with lucrative salaries, this is an amazing position.
While many psychiatric nurse practitioners have traditionally worked in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and psychiatric facilities, this is starting to change. Today, many of these admirable mental health professionals are engaging in telemedicine services or the practice of providing health-related care through electronic means.
For soon-to-be mental health professionals looking to use technology in inspiring ways throughout their careers, telemedicine offers amazing opportunities. From breaking down geographical barriers to mental health care to working from the comfort of one’s own home, the perks of this emerging job role are significant.
Mental Health Counselor
Much like many other job roles, mental health counselors are turning to remote options in droves. Put simply, these professionals help their clients achieve better mental health states in a variety of ways.
One of the most popular techniques used by mental health counselors is talk therapy. In essence, this process aims to help clients uncover the stressors in their lives that are causing them to act in different ways.
Some mental health counselors specialize in treating individuals with mental health ailments, while others focus on providing guidance and support to those struggling with substance abuse issues. In some cases, mental health counselors treat couples and families as a whole.
Over the last several years, the normalization of video call technology has made it easier than ever for these professionals to connect with clients and make an impact on people’s lives. For this reason, this is an amazing mental health career to pursue for budding professionals looking to take advantage of technology in their mental health careers.
Mental Health Care App Developer
Believe it or not, mental health care apps are emerging as the potential future of mental health care around the world. While they’re not yet perfect substitutes for experienced mental health professionals, they are providing countless people with an amazing resource for cultivating good mental health.
For individuals interested in the intersection of technology and mental health, becoming a mental health app developer could be an amazing role to pursue.
To step into this role, one will have to be adept at coding and have a deep understanding of mobile apps. Beyond this, having an interest in making mental health care more accessible and robust will definitely be a plus on the journey to stepping into this fulfilling job role.
Ultimately, this role allows one to be deeply steeped in the world of technology while also working in the mental health space.
For this reason, this is an amazing tech-based mental health career that’s great for any budding professionals wishing to push the boundaries of mental health care.
VR Technology Mental Health Programmer
Though it may sound more like a scene straight out of a science-fiction novel than reality, virtual reality technology may soon become a robust means for mental health care. Though this type of treatment is still in its testing phases, it could soon become accessible to the public.
In particular, many are looking at VR technology as a powerful means of helping people with post-traumatic stress disorder overcome this ailment. Essentially, VR can be used as a tool that mental health professionals use to help their clients revisit and hopefully overcome traumatic events and the lingering emotions they cause.
For those truly intent on being on the cutting edge of mental health care, becoming a VR technology mental health programmer is one of the best ways to achieve this.
To step into this role, one will have to study VR technology and programming. After becoming capable of bringing VR worlds to life, these skills can then be focused on crafting mental health VR programs. Though this is a relatively new mental health care-related role, professionals engaging in this work will likely play a key role in the future of mental health care.
Mental Health Care and Technology are a Perfect Pair
Though the field of mental health care isn’t typically associated with technological innovations, this is quickly changing. From mental health counselors providing care remotely to app developers using their skills to develop mental health tools, technology is enabling more people to get the care they need. This being the case, aspiring mental health professionals with an interest in technology have a growing number of career opportunities that can satisfy both of these needs.
