I am a 22 year old college grad with a BS in psychology and a concentration in criminal justice. I really want to pursue a career in counseling, but I know I have to go to graduate school first. In the mean time, I’d like to get some experience in the mental health, or even just health care field. What are some reliable options for getting my foot in the door of the health care field?

I know some people that work in the mental health field do have a history of mental illness, some that I have met are currently on antidepressants, but because they have their illness under control they are perfectly fine. Is this common, and if you were looking to get into a career in mental health would having a personal history of mental illness benefit you because maybe you could relate to your clients/patients better?