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Approved and verified accurate by the CMHC Program Chair of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences on July 24, 2025.
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When evaluating alternative career possibilities, think about your current skill set and credentials and how they might translate to a new career. Do note that some career options may require heading back to school or obtaining additional training
One transition that may seem natural for therapists is to become a life coach. Life coaching is similar to therapy in that it involves working one-on-one with clients to help them overcome problems. Unlike therapy, however, life coaching focuses more on achieving goals than overcoming mental health problems like substance use. Because of that, you may find that it’s a sufficiently new direction to satisfy your craving for change.
A life coach focuses on helping clients achieve personal and professional change. They may help their clients identify and brainstorm solutions for overcoming obstacles in order to achieve goals such as:
Because there are no formal requirements to become a life coach,1 it’s possible for a mental health therapist to transition to this new career without having to go back to school. You might, however, decide to brush up on your skills and perhaps examine some new ones with a life coaching certificate program.
A corporate wellness consultant, also called a corporate wellness coach, is a professional who helps employees work toward better physical, mental, social and emotional wellness. These professionals help companies design and implement wellness programs that are intended to boost employee wellness and morale. In doing so, the intention is to improve productivity, employee retention and recruitment efforts.
As a corporate wellness consultant, you might help employees with:
There are no specific degree requirements or other credentials that are necessary to become a corporate wellness consultant. However, you may wish to consider a health psychology certificate program that may allow you to explore relevant health topics.2
Similar to therapists, social workers help people cope with various life problems. Social workers provide counseling, for example, but they also help clients connect to needed resources, such as housing assistance, childcare services, vocational training and food stamps. They may also respond to crisis situations, such as mental health emergencies.
Social workers act as advocates. They help their clients find their voice, and they may advocate for needed resources to public servants, such as elected officials.
Social workers may choose to specialize in a particular client population, such as neglected or abused children, elderly individuals, unhoused individuals, minorities, refugees or those with mental health issues.
Unlike some other alternative careers for therapists, becoming a social worker will require going back to school. A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) needs a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, along with supervised field experience and state licensure. It is not necessary to first earn a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW); you can apply to an MSW program with a bachelor’s degree in any field.3
Also known as case workers and clinical social work aides, social and human service assistants provide client services in an assistant role to professionals such as social workers. A case worker might interview a new client to determine what sort of help they may need and what challenges they're facing. They may then research services and community resources that can be helpful and connect clients to those services.
There are no strict requirements to become a case worker, which may provide an easy transition for former mental health therapists. Do note, however, that employers establish their own hiring requirements, and some may prefer to hire case workers with a specific bachelor's degree, certificate or relevant experience.4
Health writers create informational materials, often for a general audience, about various health-related topics. For example, they may write about physical fitness, dieting, chronic disease management and stress management. Health writing is distinct from medical writing, which is highly technical and scientific in nature and is not intended for a general audience.
There are no specific job requirements for becoming a health writer, making this a potentially ideal alternative career for therapists, although individual employers will have their own requirements. In general, health writers may be expected to hold a bachelor’s degree and some writing experience, along with a portfolio of writing samples.5
Not everyone sticks with their first choice of career for the duration of their working lives, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s quite common to switch to a new job in the same field or to a different field entirely. If you’re currently working as a mental health therapist and you’re interested in moving to a different career, you might consider alternative careers for therapists.
What else does a therapist do besides therapy? There are a number of options, but the one that suits you will generally depend on your interests, current career qualifications and willingness to head back to school.
Before making a decision about your future, it’s important to reflect upon questions such as:
Your answers to these questions can help you determine which path you should follow.
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Explore the diverse selection of master’s degrees and certificate programs at GCU and plan your future!
If you dread going to work each morning and find yourself feeling increasingly disengaged from your therapy sessions, it may be time to move on to a different career. Just like any other professional, therapists may develop burnout, particularly since their job requires shouldering the emotional burdens of other people.
It isn’t always possible or practical to make changes to your current job that could revitalize your interest in it. Instead, sometimes the solution could be to walk away.
Therapists may transition to new careers for a variety of reasons. It may be time to move on and explore alternative careers for counselors.
If you no longer find that a career in mental health therapy is personally fulfilling for you, it’s probably time to consider alternative options.
Grand Canyon University strives to prepare professionals for both traditional and alternative pathways in mental health. We offer a number of master’s degrees and certificate programs designed to help working professionals either switch careers or position themselves to pursue potential advancement. Some of the programs you may be interested in include the Master of Social Work degree, Graduate Certificate of Completion in Health Psychology and Graduate Certificate of Completion in Life Coaching programs.
Many of our degrees and programs are available online. Fill out the form on this page to connect with a university counselor and explore the possibilities at GCU.
