Deciding on a career path is not always the easiest option for everyone. While some have a staunch understanding of their direction in life, many more of us question each step of the way, changing course often as our desires shift. There is nothing inherently wrong with either of these mindsets, and it’s perfectly understandable if someone can’t make up their mind on what they want to do professionally.
Instead of thinking about a specific role, it may be worth deciding what you want to get from your career and then exploring the potential roles that will accommodate that desire. This article explores the potential career paths you could take if your focus is on helping others in life. These roles often come with a sense of fulfillment once you know that your actions have improved someone else’s life.
1. Physical Therapist
If someone sustains a significant or life-changing injury, regaining some semblance of normality in their life can be a considerable accomplishment in some cases. While the length of recovery following an injury on this scale varies depending on the actual injury itself, an excellent physical therapy team can identify the best route to achieve this as quickly as possible.
A physical therapist will provide exercises and training to their patients with the help of physical therapy assistants to encourage movement and strengthen the body after it’s become weakened following its injury.
In cases where someone has lost a limb, the patient will require assistance in learning how to cope without it or with the use of a prosthetic, which can take a significant amount of time and help. Once you manage to get a patient to a stage where they are getting on with their life again, the sense of achievement and joy can be hugely rewarding.
2. Marriage And Family Therapist
When couples experience trouble within their relationship, it can be highly destructive and often difficult to repair alone. This doesn’t mean that that couple is destined to drift away from one another or that they’d even be better separated. A marriage therapist can help a couple talk through their feelings and concerns to fix what has been damaged.
Of course, not everything can be put back together, depending on what is causing the issue, but a saved marriage can be stronger than ever and provide both that couple and their family with renewed cohesion and love. Similarly, a family therapist can help rebuild bridges following feuds within a family and bring back something that was lost before it’s too late.
3. Substance Abuse And Rehabilitation Counselor
When someone has become addicted to a particular substance, there is usually some significant trauma behind this. Most people of sound mind don’t turn to drug use, except perhaps recreationally, which can also cause problems with addiction and the law.
However, for those that have become addicted to narcotics, alcohol, or recreational drugs, seeking help is a courageous step. The support you can provide them in a counselor position could drastically change their lifestyle and provide them with the help they need. Substance abuse is incredibly harmful, and your work may, in fact, save lives.
4. Mental Health Coach
Life coaching has become a popular career choice over the years, with coaches focusing on different areas of life, including careers and relationships. One, in particular, that has become even more popular today is that of the mental health coach.
Making use of techniques such as neurolinguistic programming, a mental health coach will aim to improve the quality of life of those suffering from mental health disorders. If you’d like to become a mental health coach, you should consider earning a certification that is recognized by others in this field, lending more credibility to you and your work. The iNLP Center provides certification for mental health coaching as well as the training required to achieve this certificate.
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5. Financial Advisor
Money is a constant concern for many of us today, and knowing how to manage our finances can be extremely beneficial, as it can provide us with peace of mind and economic stability. There are many areas that a financial advisor can work in, from corporate settings, working with businesses of all sizes, to assisting wealthy individuals in investing and planning for their futures.
However, some would suggest that those on lower incomes can actually benefit from the help of a financial advisor much more than those earning huge sums of money. Being a financial advisor for those that are struggling with money can be very rewarding for both parties. You could also advise new business owners to help get their project off the ground, allowing them to make a great life for themselves.
6. Police Officer
While there are, of course, bad apples in every industry, especially in policing, there are still many people who take on the role of police officers because they wish to help and protect others. Being a police officer is no easy task and requires you to work undesirable hours, but the satisfaction that you can get from knowing that you’ve helped someone or even saved a life is incomparable.
There are many desirable traits that make a good police officer, but most importantly, this role is perfect for those who can exercise patience and possess high levels of compassion and understanding. At the same time, a police officer needs to be able to act quickly in a just manner, as saving a life is often time-sensitive.
7. Clinical Psychologist
A role in which you utilize your psychologist training is generally going to benefit others significantly. In particular, becoming a clinical psychologist will require you to help patients overcome or manage trauma and other mental health problems and can seriously help you change someone’s life for the better.
At the same time, a role as a clinical psychologist also provides you with further training and research opportunities as you learn about new cases, allowing you to improve your knowledge and understanding to provide even better services to patients in the future. It’s a great task for those who like solving problems and helping others deal with serious issues, but it requires a lot of dedication and hard work.
