Life after Graduation: Opportunities for Clinical Advancement for Bachelor Graduates
After my red cap and gown were neatly placed in my special keepsake drawer and I had officially completed my undergraduate career, I stood there for a moment. A familiar thought made me tense; I was plagued with uncertainty regarding my future plans. Individuals in my inner circle were highly concerned with the applicability of my Psychology Bachelor’s degree to the workplace. Many urged me to immediately apply to post-graduate programs. Although I felt prepared academically for graduate school, I was unwilling to start a clinical graduate program without first experiencing a clinical setting. I became increasingly worried that I would be unable to find paid clinical experiences geared towards Bachelor’s graduates.
My initial concerns upon graduation are not unique: Many Bachelor graduates in mental health fields are anxious that they will be under-qualified for good-paying, stable careers in the field unless they continue on to a Master’s or Doctoral program. This belief is perpetuated in many classroom settings where Bachelor’s level work opportunities are ignored and post-graduate studies are the focus. Many students who are uninterested in continuing educational opportunities are systematically discouraged. Although continuing education increases employability and work opportunities, Bachelor’s graduates do have options for clinical employment.
Before telling you more about my own experiences, let me give you a couple of examples from each of the major sectors of mental health providers. A Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or a related social science or human services field will qualify you for the following career opportunities:
State of Nevada Occupations:
1. “Elder Rights Specialist II: Approximate annual salary: $43,179.84 to $63,830.16”
Description: “Elder Rights Supervisor and Specialists provide assistance and advocacy to protect and enhance the health, safety, welfare and rights of persons aged sixty years and older.”
2. “Developmental Specialist I, II, or III: Approximate annual salary: $39, 000 to $69,000”
Description: “Developmental Specialists provide individual and group clinical, developmental and support services for individuals of all ages who have, or who may be at risk for, developmental delays, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities or related conditions, and social, emotional, and/or behavioral disorders.”
Retrieved from: https://nvapps.state.nv.us/NEATS/Recruiting/ViewJobsHome.aep
Clark County Occupations:
1. “Program Administrator – Specialty Courts: Approximate annual salary: $64,750 – $100,360”
Description: “Plans, organizes, assigns, supervises, reviews and evaluates the work of professional, technical and/or support staff. Recommends selection of staff; trains staff in work procedures; administers discipline as required.
2. “Child Development Specialist I: Approximate annual salary: $47,611 – $73,777”
Description: “Performs assessment, treatment and behavioral intervention to abused, neglected and abandoned children, many of whom are behaviorally or emotionally impaired or medically fragile, in sheltered treatment home or facility that provides for the safety, permanency and well-being of children.
Retrieved from: http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/human-resources/Pages/JobDescriptions.aspx
Private Practice Occupations:
1.Qualified Mental Health Aid (QMHA): Approximate hourly wage: $20 – $25
Description: Performs psychosocial rehabilitation to children and adults with wide variety of diagnoses who benefit from Medicaid insurance. Provides rehabilitative mental health interventions designed to reduce cognitive and behavioral impairments and store clients to highest level of functioning. Assists clients in managing interpersonal and intrapersonal responses by utilizing positive reinforcement, modeling, operant conditioning, and other clinical modalities.
2. Community & Day Treatment Supervisor: Approximate annual salary: $45,760 – $60,000
Description: Designs and oversees implementation of clinically appropriate services for individuals and groups. Directly supervises day treatment clinical curriculum for children and adults. Leads crisis interventions, develops and executes clinical protocol for active de-escalation, treatment plan implementation, and scheduling for clients. Reviews clinical treatment plans, advocates for client services, and navigates the intricate foster care system.
Each of these positions provides a variety of workloads, benefits, flexibility in hours, assisted tuition for graduate school, and ability to climb the occupational ladder. While navigating your options, be empowered with the realization that each of the above-mentioned opportunities provides a most important requisite: clinical experience.
My own ignorance regarding my post-graduate opportunities almost worked against me. I was desperate to obtain clinical experience during the last few semesters of my undergraduate career. Up to that point, I had been working for a clothing store, feeling unfulfilled. My eagerness to obtain ANY mental health experience led me to call every behavioral health agency I could find in my area, asking for volunteer opportunities. I was extremely surprised when the third agency I called, Compass Behavioral Health, replied, “we aren’t looking for volunteers, but we are hiring.” This was the start of my now four-year career with Compass, the last two of which have been spent as their Community and Day Treatment Supervisor.
My clinical work with Compass has been the most formative experience of my career. Being immersed in a therapeutic milieu for 40 hours a week, 160 hours a month, for two years and counting has helped me develop the interpersonal skills necessary to cope with a variety of clients and challenging situations. As such, my post-graduate experience in the mental health arena has increased my mental and emotional dexterity, improving my ability to communicate appropriately with children and adults who have a wide range of mental health diagnoses, socio-economic statuses, and developmental levels.
Working within the mental health arena has exposed me to the responsibilities of clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed clinical counselors. Such exposure has broadened my understanding of each profession’s scope of practice, caseloads, and client populations. This has strengthened my decision to become part of the mental health profession and to focus on Social Work as my desired area of practice.
While completing my statement of purpose for my Master’s in Social Work application for UNLV, I relied upon my daily experiences within the field to strengthen my position on why I wanted to become a Master’s level clinician. My practicum interviews also served as arenas to showcase my clinical fortitude. During each interview, I was able to utilize clinical terms, present real-life clinical examples, and provide substantial depictions of my strengths within the helping profession. Being accepted at my first choice of practicum in the District Attorney’s office has greatly increased my confidence and strengths.
Currently, I am completing my first semester of graduate school while maintaining my supervisor position at Compass. My agency has offered me tremendous opportunities, such as sitting in on intakes, therapy sessions, and reviewing clinical assessments. I’m grateful for these moments as they will further solidify my experience by providing much needed opportunities to practice clinical listening, posturing, questioning, and responding empathetically. Furthermore, my agency will serve as my first paid internship opportunity after I complete my Master’s education, giving me a great deal of peace of mind as I have laid the foundation for my fledgling career as an interning clinician.
I have been fortunate with the boundless clinical exposure I have received from my agency. I am now equipped to provide context and insight on clients’ presenting problems. I have become better prepared to advocate for clients’ rights and respond professionally to instances of aggression and hostility. I have written treatment plans, witnessed moments of significant client distress, enacted necessary client-provider boundaries, and been involved in tackling ethical dilemmas. Additionally, I have engaged in self-exploration while working. I have recognized my own clinical triggers, areas in need of self-care, and vulnerable reactions to client symptoms. I have strengthened my inner resources to successfully address sensitive clinical hurdles. Thus, my positions at Compass have substantially furthered my academic and professional aspirations and you could do the same with your own post-Bachelor’s position.
A Bachelor’s degree is more than just a stepping stone to a graduate program. My Bachelor’s degree in Psychology gave me a solid foundation of theory and research, and an empirical understanding of the world. This prepared me for the fast-paced, highly demanding clinical environment at Compass. But importantly, each of my undergraduate textbooks kept me at arms’s length from the challenging reality of clinical work. My post-Bachelor’s work fostered an understanding of the day-to-day life of a clinician, one that doesn’t make it into many college textbooks. It better prepared me for graduate school: I utilize my tangible work-place experiences daily. It has also created opportunities that I would not have had, if I had gone straight into graduate school. With post-Bachelor’s work experience, my clinical journey began before I was ever admitted into a graduate program. Yours can, too.
Claudia Villasante joined the Interactive Measurement Group in the summer of 2013, serving over 850 lab hours in the course of seven semesters. She graduated from UNLV in May of 2015, obtaining a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Marriage and Family therapy. Claudia is currently the Community and Day Treatment Program Supervisor at Compass Behavioral Health (CBH). She also sees clients for neurobiofeedback at CBH.
Claudia was recently accepted into the Master’s in Social Work program at UNLV. She will be obtaining her practicum hours at the District Attorney’s office, Family Support Division. She plans to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, primarily working with children in the Department of Family Services. Claudia enjoys to travel and spend time with her two adopted dogs, Luna and Luca.