Is it possible to get a mental health-related/assistant job if you've been in a mental facility?

Long story short i quit my job because my “new employer” told me to give my 2 weeks, but now they’ve been delaying my start date month after month, so i gotta start looking elsewhere. That being said, I’m getting old and body can’t handle the physical toll of a restaurant–and right now it’s basically working for $4 an hour because nobody is tipping.
Anyways, I would like to get in a different field. What types of jobs should I be looking for, and is it possible to get a job in a mental health department as like a receptionist or a helper or something? obviously I’m not qualified to be a therapist or anything like that, but I’m more or less just looking for some sort of income that isn’t going to have me limping when i come home every night.

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Hey @mlssufan01,

Regarding your question in your title: of course it is possible. During an interview, you have no obligation to share that kind of information either. You know, therapists themselves have to go through a process of therapy (at least licensed ones). It is not a shame that you had to be in a mental facility before, as it doesn’t indicate how is your current mental health in the present moment. Actually, in some places it could be seen as an advantage, because you’ve seen how that kind of instution works from a patient standpoint. You might have acknowledged pros and cos in the way it works, and what kind of needs are yet to be met for most patients. You could have a very interesting outlook and feedbacks to share with the people you would work with, in the case that you’d like to share about it with them.

It’s very wise and honest of you to recognize that your current work is not something you can handle physically anymore. There is nothing more beautiful and motivating than feeling a call for what I call “jobs of passion” such as care ones.

As for the type of job you should be looking for, it would be difficult to respond to you as we don’t know anything about your own work experiences and qualifications. Maybe you could consider seeing a job counselor on that matter, just to have some guidance? Nowadays, transitions between one field to another are generally supported in different ways, including through a possible job search. You could also start looking at volunteering possibilities in your area. It wouldn’t prevent you from looking after a job, but it would be good both for you to develop an experience in a mental health service or organization, and to see if you like that kind of work too. Once again, a counselor could also help you for that, as they are more aware of the institutions that exist in your area.

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