Guide to Mental Health Careers

There is a significant underrepresentation of Asian clinicians in the mental health field. According to 2019 data, 84% of psychologists in the United States identified as White, while only 17% came from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds, and just 3% were Asian. Although this number is slowly increasing, it still falls far short of reflecting the nation’s diversity.

Many young people express a desire to become therapists and help others.  However, these aspirations are often met with hesitation or disapproval from their families.  Common responses include, “My parents don’t support it”, or “They don’t think it’s a good career”.

The faculty of the Asian Mental Health Concentration at William James College recognized an opportunity to address this cultural and informational gap. They aimed to reach not only students but also their parents, fostering open conversations about careers in mental health, what they involve, their societal importance, and the growing need for representation.

This vision led to the creation of the program’s first Career Day in 2024.  Informational materials were developed to highlight various mental health professions, including psychology, psychiatry, social work, and psychiatric nursing. To promote accessibility and inclusivity, these materials were translated into multiple Asian languages, ensuring that families could fully engage with and understand the career paths being presented.

The guide is available in multiple languages, as listed below.

• Mental Health Careers (English)
• وظﺎﺋف ﺑﻣﺟﺎل اﻟﺻﺣﺔ اﻟﻧﻔﺳﯾﺔ (Arabic)
• 心理学和心理治疗职业(Chinese)
• मानसिक स्वास्थ्य करियर (Hindi)
• メンタルヘルスのキャリア (Japanese)
• Các Nghề Nghiệp Trong Lĩnh Vực Tâm Thần/Lý (Vietnamese)

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This work was made possible in part by a grant by the CIgna Health Foundation.  We would like to extend our appreciation to all our translators:  Thanh Phan (Vietnamese), Manrou Zhen (Chinese), James Young (Chinese), Meihan Guo (Chinese), Melody Li (Chinese), Aashi Chhabra (Hindi), Sarah Miller (Arabic), Pauline Tran (English), Eva Wu (English), Tina Wang (Japanese), Hwalim Kim (Korean), and Jung Yoon Choi (Korean).