Job Responsibilities
Most of my time is spent working directly with couples,
individuals and groups in a chemical dependency recovery
outpatient setting. I generally work from noon until 8pm,
keeping evening hours in order to accomodate the patient's work
and school schedules.
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Job Requirements
Master's degree in psychology, followed by at least 2 years of
internship while obtaining the 3000 hours needed for licensure,
take and pass written exam at the end of internship. It is
fairly easy to obtain internships in Los Angeles that pay 35K
per year while you earn your hours.
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Uppers
Being able to draw on your creativity and intuition to help others realize their
true potential. In this field there are so many different populations to work
with that it need not ever be stagnant.
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Downers
Sometimes it can be hard to leave work at the workplace
emotionally, and it is very important to find ways to de-stress.
There is a lengthy low-paid licensing process and then once
licensed it is unlikely you will make as much as you would in
other careers requiring this level of education (though some
agencies pay pretty well and there is theoretically unlimited
potential for income in private practice.
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Lifestyle
I work 12-8 Monday-Thursday and 9-3 on Fridays. Dress is business causual and
cheerful so as to make patient's feel at ease. My office is decorated to feel
like a cozy living room. Almost all my time is spent working directly with
patients and treatment planning and there is very little paperwork.
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Compensation
Once I became licensed, my salary increased to $60,000. I am a
union member of a strong union that has negotiated for 4 weeks
vacation per year, excellent benefits, and 5 days off per year
to attend trainings of my choice.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Because of the financial and educational investment involved it
seems that those who are most successful are those who truly
feel they have a calling and a passion for this type of work.
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