Pillar Guide 10 min read

Remote Mental Health & Wellbeing Careers: The Complete Guide

Mental health is the fastest-growing sector in social services. The BLS projects 313,700 openings annually through 2034. Telehealth has made remote therapy mainstream, and wellness tech startups are scaling rapidly. Here's how to build a career in this space.

22%
Job Growth (2024-34)
$59K
Median Counselor Salary
313K
Annual Job Openings

⚡ Quick Summary

  • Fastest-growing sector per BLS — 22% growth projected through 2034
  • Three paths: clinical (licensure required), nonprofit, or mental health tech
  • Telehealth platforms (BetterHelp, Lyra) hire remote therapists nationwide
  • Non-clinical roles: program management, peer support, health coaching, tech

🧠 Career tracks in mental health

Mental health careers span clinical practice, nonprofit work, and technology. The pandemic accelerated telehealth adoption, creating new remote opportunities at every level.

🩺

Clinical Therapy

Licensed therapists providing individual, couples, or group therapy via telehealth. Requires LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or doctoral credentials.

🏥

Nonprofit Mental Health

Program managers, outreach coordinators, and peer support specialists at mental health nonprofits and community health centers.

📱

Mental Health Tech

Product managers, engineers, and designers building apps for meditation, therapy matching, and digital therapeutics.

🎓

Corporate Wellness

Employee wellness program managers, EAP coordinators, and mental health benefits specialists at large employers.

💼 Key skills & credentials

Clinical vs. non-clinical: Clinical roles require state licensure and supervised hours (2,000-4,000 depending on credential). Non-clinical roles value lived experience, program management skills, and comfort with mental health topics.
📜

Clinical Licensure

LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PsyD, or PhD. Multi-state licensure via PSYPACT (psychology) or compact agreements expands remote options.

🤝

Peer Support Certification

Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credentials for roles supporting people with lived mental health experience.

🧘

Health Coaching

NBC-HWC or similar certifications for wellness coaching roles that don't require clinical licensure.

📊

Program Management

Grant management, outcomes measurement, and community partnership skills for nonprofit leadership roles.

Top Employers

🏢 Top employers hiring remote

💚

Lyra Health

Enterprise mental health platform serving companies like Meta, Starbucks, and Morgan Stanley. Hires remote therapists (W-2), clinical directors, and product/engineering roles. Strong clinical culture with competitive pay.

🏠 Fully Remote 🩺 Clinical 💰 $90-150K (therapists)
💬

BetterHelp / Teladoc

Largest telehealth therapy platform with 30,000+ therapists. Flexible scheduling, contractor model. Good entry point for newly licensed clinicians building a caseload.

📋 1099 Contractor ⏰ Flexible Hours 💵 $30-40/session
🧘

Headspace / Ginger

Combined meditation app and clinical services. Hires coaches, therapists, psychiatrists, and tech roles. Focus on accessible, scalable mental health support.

📱 App + Clinical 👩‍💻 Tech Roles 🏠 Remote-first
🏛️

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Largest grassroots mental health organization. Hires for advocacy, peer support programs, education, and state affiliate coordination. Strong mission alignment.

🎗️ Nonprofit 📢 Advocacy 🤝 Peer Support
Also hiring: Modern Health, Spring Health, Talkspace, Alma, Two Chairs, Cerebral, and Brightside. Mental health startups raised $5B+ in 2021-2023 and are still scaling.
FAQ

❓ Frequently asked questions

Can therapists work fully remote?

Yes. Since the pandemic, most states allow licensed therapists to provide telehealth services. Platforms like BetterHelp, Talkspace, and Lyra Health hire remote therapists nationwide. You must be licensed in the state(s) where your clients reside. PSYPACT allows psychologists to practice across 40+ participating states with one license.

What credentials do I need for mental health jobs?

Clinical roles require licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PsyD, or PhD). Non-clinical roles like program management, peer support, or mental health tech require relevant experience but not necessarily clinical credentials. Health coaching and wellness roles often need only certification (NBC-HWC, ACE, NASM).

What's the salary range for remote mental health jobs?

Remote therapists earn $50,000-$90,000 at platforms (W-2), or $80-150/hour in private practice. Mental health program managers earn $65,000-$100,000 at nonprofits. Mental health tech roles (product, engineering) range from $90,000-$180,000 at funded startups like Lyra, Modern Health, and Spring Health.

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