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Byron Said:

What career path should I INVEST myself into?

We Answered:

well i do believe tomorrow you should hit the bricks and go to every construction site and talk to the foreman and see if you can get on as labourer -- the money would be ok and put food on the table and the hard work would get you mind and body into shape to face the real world!!!

Paula Said:

Career change: can you help?

We Answered:

Congratulations on obtaining your G.E.D. and the high scores! That's a great step in the right direction. I also commend you for doing your homework and trying to suss out a workable job-to-career path.
I can't answer all of your questions, but I have some experience as a job-hunter and can refer you to some helpful articles. I also think a chat with a professional recruiter or other placement expert would be beneficial. They can assess the real potential impact of your criminal record. Basically, I think if you handle it right, this is not necessarily a train wreck. People with worse backgrounds than you find work every day.
The main thing is, you have to be ready to explain each circumstance honestly and in a way that makes people want to hire you. Everyone has made mistakes, and in some situations, it's even beneficial experience for a job (working as a counselor, for example.) Explain why it happened, what you learned and what you are doing about it. But be succinct. (You might want to practice answering these questions with a friend.)
I am not sure your mental health treatment as a teen-ager would even come up. Regarding your credit history, it will depend on what kind of job you are seeking whether it will impact you. I have had past credit issues but so far it has never been brought up by a potential employer. Also note that more and more businesses run background checks on prospective employees these days, so that makes it crucial that you bring up the information first by answering relevant application questions thoroughly and honestly.
Yes, this may allow them to screen you out up front. But if a background check brings up something you should have put on the application, you probably aren't going any further with that company anyway. If you are honest and you can show you have changed and want a chance, many people will meet you halfway. Then the question becomes whether you have the right skills and experience and whether your personality fits into the company culture.
Try to relax and remember how many people out there in the workforce have things in their past they aren't too happy with. Tons of them are working, many of them have succeeded and some of them are now bosses with the power to hire. If you are a good person with skills and determination, someone is going to want you on their team.
You have done a lot of hard work to get on the right track, so keep moving ahead and don't let fear sidetrack you. I wish you the best of luck!

Tom Said:

Intelligent and driven, but with a checkered past: What career direction should I go?

We Answered:

My first thought is that, given your history, whichever field you choose, one key question your next employer will have is, are you a good member of your community? Are you a "taker" or a "giver?" Will you work constructively as a team member in your career, or will you be demanding and self centered?

One great way to address this, and not at all incidentally to help with any depression and stress, especially while you're out of work, is to volunteer quite a lot. That will give you a chance to prove that you're generous, reliable, diligent, and cooperative. Giving of yourself is one of the best ways to cope with depression and stress as well. It's also a great way to broaden your networking circle to people who may be able to help you with your career. I understand (or expect, at least) that it might be a time challenge, given your baby, but it'll also give you a chance to get out of the house, and leave your wife some time alone (with the baby.)

Keeping yourself busy is vital during this period, as well. At the very least, regular volunteering will help fill the employment gap on your resume, keeping away questions an employer might have like, "was he really in prison for the past 6 months?" It will also give you plenty of people for your references section who will be happy to vouch for your character.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, as you know, this is likely to be a VERY stressful time for your marriage. Just keep it in mind, and keep communicating with your wife, acknowledging each other's frustrations every day. Truly, if this period doesn't kill your marriage, it will make it stronger. Talk, Talk, Talk - and more important, Listen, Listen, Listen. Even if you can't do anything about a particular irritant, the mere fact that your spouse understand and cares can be a huge comfort.

My first thought as a career choice would be to pick a field that's growing. Psychiatric care is perennially underfunded, however. I'd look into health care options that will grow with the aging population. If you're a quick learner, good with details, you might get into health care record keeping, a field that will explode starting very shortly if Obama's electronic health care records drive gains funding (which seems inevitable.) If you get into a field that's growing quickly, employers will have no option but to be more forgiving of bumps in your past. Plus, since the field is new, no one will be a lot more experienced than you, so you can advance quickly too.

Another sadly growing field you might consider is care of autistic kids. I don't know much about that, but it might be right up your alley, especially if you're a right brain type with your artistic leanings. At the very least, you can use your art skills to either volunteer or as an entry into art therapy for autistic care, stroke victims, perhaps brain injured vet therapy, etc. If you prove yourself as a volunteer for a few months, getting to know professionals in the field, your history may not matter any more, since they'll know what they're getting.

If you don't know where to start, and you live in a reasonable sized city, you might consider just showing up at a VA hospital and saying, I'm here to help, what can I do? (At the very least, volunteering in a patently patriotic way will help with any right-wing-judgmental future boss, the kind who might be particularly critical of your spotted past.)

Sorry for this sprawling answer. I hope you'll find something useful in there.