Facing tough decisions about entering a difficult job market and growing increasingly attuned to modern breakthroughs in psychological science, many students are opting to go pro.

Anchorage, Alaska -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/03/2010 -- Thumbing through the list of a University&aposs degree programs and graduate offerings is much the same task as it&aposs ever been for students –with the exception that today&aposs youth are faced with special considerations in terms of career viability. The lure of the medical field has always been strong for students hoping to secure a reliable and well-paying job once they&aposre out of school, and jobs related to psychology are becoming an increasingly popular choice. Recently, the US Department of Labor noted that by 2016, substance abuse and addiction counselors alone will rise from an estimated 83,000 to 112,000, which constitutes an increase of over 34% in ten years. From counselors to psychotherapists, psychiatrists to clinicians and researchers, the field of psychology is bursting with potential for students, some of whom may be returning to school to seek greater opportunities as the difficulties of the current economy wreak havoc on personal expenses.

The expansion isn&apost limited to the United States, either. An Australian professor of psychology at the University of New South Wales was recently awarded a fellowship in recognition of her involvement in a record rise in undergraduate interest in psychology-related courses. As increasing numbers of new college students explore career options in psychology, scores are making the decision to pursue both an undergraduate and post-graduate degree in the field. Of course, planning for a professional career path in psychology isn&apost always easy; from choosing classes to picking grad schools and understanding licensing and other requirements, the process of becoming a professional may be as challenging as performing work. In response, resources both on the web and offline are extending their help to interested students; GoodTherapy.org too recently added a directory of psychology graduate schools which exemplifies the move towards assisting students as they work towards their career goals.

While some careers may be more glamorous, highly paid, or more simply obtained, those in the psychology field are proving to be very attractive thanks to their relative stability, opportunity for income and wealth growth, and the sheer fascination with which many students approach the subject. As the effects of the economy doubtless play a major role in the overall mental well-being of people around the world, the need for more psychology professionals is bound to increase, and these same effects may be largely responsible for creating many new counselors, therapists, and other workers; a harmony that psychologists are likely to appreciate.

Psychology and related fields have been gaining momentum for quite some time as more becomes known about the brain and behavior, and the decline in stigmas associated with mental health practice and the seeking of treatment have also contributed to psychology&aposs rise. As the challenges of the global financial downturn continue, the field is ultimately experiencing a greater boost in popularity and interest –a boost that may prove invaluable for helping more people overcome the downturn&aposs bite.

About GoodTherapy.org
Created in 2007 by Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Noah Rubinstein and supported by a network of caring and driven psychology and psychotherapy professionals, GoodTherapy.org is an online resource for anyone interested or involved in the many fields of mental health. The site recently announced the addition of an extensive directory of graduate psychology degree programs.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/sbwire-46677.htm

The poll questioned emerging ideas about the importance of having experience “on the other side” of therapy before and during professional mental health care work.

Anchorage, AK -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/26/2009 -- Goodtherapy.org (http://www.goodtherapy.org) is an international directory of around 5000 therapists operating online for around 2 years now. In a recent survey conducted through an email questionnaire sent to around 4350 therapist members, it was asked if respondents favor state licensing programs that require professionals to participate in psychotherapy as clients. A significantly high 85% of respondents replied that they would in fact support such measures, and several of them expressed their desire to help facilitate and promote an initiative to convince state licensing authorities to adopt the idea. On the other hand, 11% respondents did not approve of this and answered negative, while 3.9% gave a vague response choosing ‘it depends’.

“Although the survey was not very scientific with only a 13% response rate, it was an effort to evaluate the scope of this positive change in state licensure requirements”, stated LMFT Noah Rubinstein who is the Executive Director at GoodTherapy.org. “One of the basic and much-lauded principles of healthy psychotherapy, the idea that therapy for mental health care professionals should be available, encouraged, and used may be fairly new on the scene, but it can quickly become de rigueur as a growing number of professionals show their support”.

Following the announcement of the survey&aposs results, the site has played host to a lengthy discussion of the issue, in which the majority of readers warmly welcomed the idea and expressed their interest in helping bring the issue to a wider audience. Some joining the discussion have added their own twists on the possibilities of requiring that licensed therapists, counselors, and other mental health professionals receive their own therapy, including ideas about making the requirement a part of post-graduate training, and developing a widespread encouragement program rather than a strict licensing prerequisite.

In the coming months, new developments in this initiative are sure to arise as more professionals consider the benefits –both for therapists and their clients-- of the proposed requirement and bring their own thoughts and resources to the project. It is worth noting here that GoodTherapy.org is a strong advocate of non-pathologizing psychotherapy and all members have to agree with this stance before they are granted membership. So this bias might have skewed the results slightly and there’s clearly room for more surveys on a broader scale.

About GoodTherapy.org:
Created in 2007 by Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Noah Rubinstein and supported by a network of therapists who all provide collaborative and non-pathologizing therapy, GoodTherapy.org is an online hub for clients, therapists, and anyone interested in positive, effective, and meaningful mental health care. The site has recently achieved a monthly yield of over 120,000 unique visitors.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/sbwire-30909.htm