In a recent blog entry I wrote about the different kinds of psychology related jobs you can get according to the degree level required for each job. This got me thinking, what other kinds of cool psych careers are out there? Here are 3 up-and-coming psych careers to keep an eye out for:

1. Art Therapist

Grab your markers, paints, and paper, and let yourself express what you feel! This cool psych career allows psychology professionals use art therapy to help their patients achieve a number of therapeutic goals, including coping with stress, improving relationships, increasing insight and cognitive abilities, developing creativity, and working through trauma. Some believe that this sort of expressive psychology is life enhancing and promotes emotional healing. (An art therapist friend of mine says, “The art is the therapy.”) Art therapy is often used in combination with a more traditional psychotherapy and is most often used when counseling children, couples, and families.

Most art therapists have training in both art and psychology and/or a master’s in art therapy.

2. Genetics Counselor

It’s official: with genetics counseling, you can actually receive therapy prior to being born! Ok, that’s not entirely true, but it’s close. Genetics counselors provide information and support to families who have relatives with birth defects or genetic disorders, or those who are at risk of inheriting a disorder, to help them avoid or live with such conditions. Parents can get help from a genetics counselor prior to conception if they are both carriers of a certain gene. Adults with a potential for onset genetic conditions can also benefit from genetic counseling.

A psych career in genetics counseling usually requires a master’s degree in genetics counseling and many have undergraduate degrees in psychology.

3. Animal-assisted Therapist

I have heard many times of the positive impact animals can have on a person’s health, but only in a warm-your-heart kind of way. Animal-assisted therapists use animals (from lizards and cats to dolphins and elephants) to help people prevent, improve, and manage a number of physical, mental, and emotional conditions. Some examples include dogs that are specially trained to predict seizures in humans, and horses that help patients with muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy improve posture, balance, and mobility. Animals are also linked to reducing stress in people, which is useful for those who are at risk for heart attacks or who live with high anxiety. For patients with terminal illness, a pet can lessen depression, providing a unique kind of comfort. The unconditional love and trust that we depend on in animals helps troubled individuals develop similar connections with people.

A master’s degree in psychology followed by a certificate in animal-assisted therapy is a great education track for those interested in this cool psych career.

The best part of these psych careers is not just that they involve lizards, crayons, or the fascinating science of genetics, but that they also help people improve their lives in significant ways through creative and technological means.