5 answers
H
Student
Levittown, New York
1
Question
Asked
460 views
What job can I get as an 18 year old who is currently taking my gap year interested in mental health? I want to get experience in the mental health field.
I want to be a psychologist in the future. I can’t seem to find anything near me or have many ideas of what I could do.
I’m interested in general mental health and mental health for those with OCD. Any ideas of where to start?
Login to comment
5 answers
Yoav Traeger
Bid Manager
93
Answers
Kiryat Ono, Tel Aviv District
Updated
Yoav’s Answer
It is so inspiring to see that you're already looking for ways to make a difference in the mental health field during your gap year, especially with such a clear goal of becoming a psychologist. Since you're eighteen, a great place to start looking for hands-on experience is by checking out local non-profits or community centers that offer mental health support services, as they often need help with administrative tasks or program coordination. You might also look into becoming a mental health support worker or a behavioral technician, as these roles sometimes provide on-the-job training for entry-level positions and get you close to the clinical environment you're interested in. If you can't find something directly focused on OCD right away, volunteering for a crisis text line or a local helpline is a fantastic way to build your active listening skills and understand the diverse challenges people face. Don't overlook the value of reaching out to local clinics or private practices just to ask if you can shadow someone for a few days, as those connections can often lead to unexpected opportunities. You've got a heart for helping people and that's the most important foundation for the career you're building. You're off to a wonderful start and I know you'll find a path that lets you grow while helping others. Stay curious and good luck.
Drew Ollero
Designer
2
Answers
Baltimore, Maryland
Updated
Drew’s Answer
This is great that you're thinking about this early. I agree with others to think about exposure and how to build your resume when you'll ultimately start applying for schools. While I was in college, I volunteered for a local sexual assault hotline which gave me exposure and lots of training (over 60 hours of required training). This gave me an edge when I started applying for by Bachelors in Social Work as my program required 200 hours of volunteer/work experience in a related field/industry.
If you're looking for paid roles I would consider roles that allow you to work within the field to gain exposure. For example in development or admin for a local mental health non-profit could get you exposure and great understanding of the field. You'll be hard pressed to do clinical work without a degree but getting experience working directly with people would be helpful (think tutoring, working with kids, working with seniors, etc.). This will allow you to build foundational skills or communication and working with people.
If you're looking for paid roles I would consider roles that allow you to work within the field to gain exposure. For example in development or admin for a local mental health non-profit could get you exposure and great understanding of the field. You'll be hard pressed to do clinical work without a degree but getting experience working directly with people would be helpful (think tutoring, working with kids, working with seniors, etc.). This will allow you to build foundational skills or communication and working with people.
Juanielle Jimenez
psychology
1
Answer
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Juanielle’s Answer
For an 18 year old taking a gap year who is interested in psychology, this is a good time to start gaining exposure rather than clinical experience. Entry level roles like mental health technician, behavioral health technician, residential counselor, or direct support professional are realistic options with just a high school diploma. These positions allow someone to work in psychiatric units, residential programs, or group homes while learning how mental health care works and building skills that matter later in psychology training.
Volunteering is another strong option, especially crisis hotlines or text lines. These roles provide training in active listening, crisis response, documentation, and ethics, and many can be done remotely. Volunteering with mental health nonprofits or community programs also helps show a genuine, long term interest in the field even without a formal job title.
For someone interested in OCD specifically, experience does not have to be disorder specific yet. Any work involving anxiety, emotional regulation, or vulnerable populations is relevant. Getting involved with mental health organizations, support programs, or community clinics helps build a foundation and makes a future path toward becoming a psychologist more competitive.
Volunteering is another strong option, especially crisis hotlines or text lines. These roles provide training in active listening, crisis response, documentation, and ethics, and many can be done remotely. Volunteering with mental health nonprofits or community programs also helps show a genuine, long term interest in the field even without a formal job title.
For someone interested in OCD specifically, experience does not have to be disorder specific yet. Any work involving anxiety, emotional regulation, or vulnerable populations is relevant. Getting involved with mental health organizations, support programs, or community clinics helps build a foundation and makes a future path toward becoming a psychologist more competitive.
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1205
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hello H!
This is a very smart topic, and to be honest, you're already ahead of the curve because you're thinking about experience at this early stage. Feeling trapped during a gap year is quite common, particularly if you're interested in mental health but constantly hearing things like "you need experience to get experience" or "you need a degree." The clinical barrier to entrance in this sector is higher, but you're not doing anything wrong.
A large number of direct "psychologist-type" positions won't be available at age 18, but there are still plenty of helpful, CV-worthy methods to gain experience in the mental health ecosystem. Consider this year as a time to develop related experiences, environments, and abilities that psychologists will truly value in the future.
Instead of starting with clinical jobs, support roles are an excellent place to start. Explore employment or volunteer opportunities as a care assistant, behavioral aide, juvenile support worker, residential support staff, or mental health support worker. These tend to appear in group homes, NGOs, disability programs, and community mental health groups. You will be learning about boundaries, empathy, crisis response, documentation, and working with vulnerable populations, all fundamental psychology skills, even if the role isn't OCD-specific.
Even if there aren't many paid positions in your area, strategic volunteering can still have a significant impact. 18-year-olds are often accepted by peer support groups, crisis hotlines, text-based help lines, and mental health nonprofits (some require brief training). These positions teach you how to listen ethically, control your emotions, and refer others while introducing you to actual human issues. Future supervisors and admissions committees take this seriously.
You can develop knowledge-based experience in addition to a people-facing job because you are particularly interested in OCD. Think about working with awareness campaigns, social media, community outreach, event planning, or volunteering with charities that specialize in OCD. Without a license, you are still working in the field, acquiring the language, the research, and the real-world experience.
Related job in teaching or caregiving is another underappreciated option for a gap year. Even while jobs like teaching assistant, special education aide, childcare worker, or camp counselor don't have the word "mental health" in their titles, they introduce you to behavior, emotional control, anxiety, routines, and support techniques every day. This is exactly how many psychologists began.
Develop your own experience (which is more spectacular than it seems) if you really can't find anything official in the area. You may:
Take reputable intro courses in psychology or mental health (especially OCD-related ones)
Start a small mental health awareness project, blog, or resource page
Shadow a therapist or psychologist if allowed in your area
Help a nonprofit remotely with research, content, or admin work
One important mentality change is that you don't need the "ideal" mental health job when you're eighteen. You only need to be close. It is enough at this stage to be close to the field, discover how people are assisted, and fully understand systems.
You're not lagging. You're asking the appropriate questions and are ahead of schedule. Instead of putting pressure on yourself, use this gap year to gain exposure, self-assurance, and clarity. When you later apply to psychology programs, every little action you take now adds up.
Best wishes!
This is a very smart topic, and to be honest, you're already ahead of the curve because you're thinking about experience at this early stage. Feeling trapped during a gap year is quite common, particularly if you're interested in mental health but constantly hearing things like "you need experience to get experience" or "you need a degree." The clinical barrier to entrance in this sector is higher, but you're not doing anything wrong.
A large number of direct "psychologist-type" positions won't be available at age 18, but there are still plenty of helpful, CV-worthy methods to gain experience in the mental health ecosystem. Consider this year as a time to develop related experiences, environments, and abilities that psychologists will truly value in the future.
Instead of starting with clinical jobs, support roles are an excellent place to start. Explore employment or volunteer opportunities as a care assistant, behavioral aide, juvenile support worker, residential support staff, or mental health support worker. These tend to appear in group homes, NGOs, disability programs, and community mental health groups. You will be learning about boundaries, empathy, crisis response, documentation, and working with vulnerable populations, all fundamental psychology skills, even if the role isn't OCD-specific.
Even if there aren't many paid positions in your area, strategic volunteering can still have a significant impact. 18-year-olds are often accepted by peer support groups, crisis hotlines, text-based help lines, and mental health nonprofits (some require brief training). These positions teach you how to listen ethically, control your emotions, and refer others while introducing you to actual human issues. Future supervisors and admissions committees take this seriously.
You can develop knowledge-based experience in addition to a people-facing job because you are particularly interested in OCD. Think about working with awareness campaigns, social media, community outreach, event planning, or volunteering with charities that specialize in OCD. Without a license, you are still working in the field, acquiring the language, the research, and the real-world experience.
Related job in teaching or caregiving is another underappreciated option for a gap year. Even while jobs like teaching assistant, special education aide, childcare worker, or camp counselor don't have the word "mental health" in their titles, they introduce you to behavior, emotional control, anxiety, routines, and support techniques every day. This is exactly how many psychologists began.
Develop your own experience (which is more spectacular than it seems) if you really can't find anything official in the area. You may:
Take reputable intro courses in psychology or mental health (especially OCD-related ones)
Start a small mental health awareness project, blog, or resource page
Shadow a therapist or psychologist if allowed in your area
Help a nonprofit remotely with research, content, or admin work
One important mentality change is that you don't need the "ideal" mental health job when you're eighteen. You only need to be close. It is enough at this stage to be close to the field, discover how people are assisted, and fully understand systems.
You're not lagging. You're asking the appropriate questions and are ahead of schedule. Instead of putting pressure on yourself, use this gap year to gain exposure, self-assurance, and clarity. When you later apply to psychology programs, every little action you take now adds up.
Best wishes!
Hwal Lee
DMSc, PA-C
277
Answers
Albany, New York
Updated
Hwal’s Answer
H,
I volunteered with CrisisTextLine for a few years as Crisis Counsellor and had a positive experience overall. I would recommend considering volunteering with them to support texters. Let me share this link in case you and to learn about who they are and how to volunteer with them:
https://www.crisistextline.org/blog/2019/12/04/how-to-become-a-crisis-counselor/
Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal
I volunteered with CrisisTextLine for a few years as Crisis Counsellor and had a positive experience overall. I would recommend considering volunteering with them to support texters. Let me share this link in case you and to learn about who they are and how to volunteer with them:
https://www.crisistextline.org/blog/2019/12/04/how-to-become-a-crisis-counselor/
Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal