7 Careers That Let You Help Others
Overcome Life & Family Issues
If you’ve been searching for a meaningful and fulfilling career that will let you help others solve family and personal issues, you should congratulate yourself on being one of the few people who actually care about making a positive impact in society. While most aspiring professionals are looking for the jobs with the highest salaries and the best employee benefits, you’re basing your career search around the desire to help others, so that’s definitely a commendable trait. However, the short-term desire to help and the long-term commitment to following through are two entirely different animals, and the latter is where the real magic lies. If you’re willing to put in a few years of studying and gaining experience, here are 7 careers that will let you serve as a beacon of hope for struggling families and individuals:
1. Marriage and Family Therapist
Of course, you’ll be doing a great deed by helping couples mend their marriages and create better environments for their families. As a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist (LMFT), you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to help people overcome relationship problems, parenting challenges, financial woes, and any other obstacles that may be causing problems for your clients. This is one occupation where you’ll really get to know your clients and will play a direct role in helping them excel in various area of personal and professional improvement.
Note: whichever kind of therapist, to do a good job you'll need support and comfort yourself. Check out this therapist chair with good back support.
2. Substance Abuse Counsellor
Substance abuse and drug addiction are some of the leading causes of family and lifestyle problems. Thus, by becoming a substance abuse counsellor and helping parents and teenagers overcome their drug addictions, you’ll be making a small but tangible impact for the greater good in your community. There’s an epidemic of drug abuse afflicting the youth, and all of those suffering souls need someone to drag them out of their ruts and back into productive lives.
3. Domestic Violence Therapist
As a domestic violence therapist, you can help to break the cycle of physical and verbal abuse that plagues many modern families. You’ll specialize in topics like anger management, de-escalation, and relationship mending to aid your clients in preventing future bouts of domestic violence. This is a very in-demand job because the incidence of domestic violence is on the rise and there simply aren’t enough therapists who specialize in this topic to replace all of the retiring baby boomers in the field.
4. Family Social Worker
Family social workers ensure that children are being brought up in safe environments and work with parents to create more desirable outcomes for families in their communities. You’ll have the authority to exercise your discretion in recommending the necessary services and interventions to help your clients achieve stability. This is another field that is in desperate need of qualified workers, as there simply aren’t enough family-oriented social workers to go around.
5. Student Counsellor
Counselling students in an academic environment will let you serve not only as an educational advisor but a provider of general advice as well. Many times, the challenges associated with helping students get better grades will have to do with correcting imbalances or disturbances in their personal or family life. As a school counsellor, you’ll play a hands-on role in shaping the future of your community’s youth. Many students go on to credit their school counsellor with being one of the most influential parties in their development.
6. Sports Coach
Coaching a sports or fitness class might not seem like a very efficient way to help kids with their family and lifestyle problems, but you have to remember that you’re helping them take involvement in physical activities that will keep them off the streets and healthy well into their adulthood. Furthermore, by helping them build their physical strength and resilience, you’ll also be making them more resistant to all forms of disease later in life.
7. Financial Planner
Financial planners help families solve one of their most pivotal issues – money management. By helping parents, guardians, and young adults build their wealth wisely and responsibly, you can be the source of positive generational change that might even last for hundreds of years, as the descendants of your clients could benefit from the wealth you’ve helped them build.
Helping People Carries Value in Itself
Many people decide not to pursue careers in the above fields because they’re looking for jobs that offer higher income potentials. While that is certainly an understandable approach, you have to also remember that the fulfilment you get from helping others can feel just as valuable as a six-figure salary. Plus, you always have the option of investing your core income and making it grow with smart investments over the years. Thus, any of the 7 careers listed above are perfect for people who want to lend a helping hand and, in a way, they’ll even force you into trying your hand at entrepreneurship in your spare time if you want to increase your income.
