Social Work - How to Become a Counselor

by 07:18 0 comments
"Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals." - The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs


People who seek careers in counseling usually have one desire in common - to help others. They may prefer to work with children, teens, or adults; in K-12 schools, college campuses, or community settings such as mental health centers or private practice settings.

Students who want to pursue a career as a psychologist or a counselor usually major in psychology. Both psychologists and counselors help people cope with emotional stress, but licensed psychologists must have a doctorate in psychology, which requires 5-to-7 years of postgraduate work, while most states require counselors to have at minimum a master's degree to obtain licensure.

Additional years of supervised clinical experience are also required in some states for counselors to become licensed. Common areas of study include school counseling, career counseling, mental health counseling, community counseling, marriage and family counseling, or substance abuse counseling. Coursework generally consists of psychology, sociology, child development, statistics, in addition to research and counseling techniques.

On top of state licensure, some counselors pursue National Board Certification. The National Board for Certified Counselors offers a National Certified Counselor credential as well as certification in sub-specialty areas including addiction counseling, clinical mental health counseling and school counseling.

Counselors work in a variety of settings and with a range of specialties. Common directions include:
Educational and school counseling. Counselors offer personal, educational, social and academic counseling services working in K-12 or university settings. School counselors help students assess their abilities and resolve personal or social problems while working with teachers and school administration.

Vocational/career counseling. Counselors help people make career decisions. They may conduct assessments to determine which jobs best suite their needs, interests and talents. They also help people market themselves in the job world by refining their resume and improving their interviewing and job skills.

Marriage and family counseling. Counselors offer social, emotional and mental health treatment to couples, families or individuals.They are concerned with modifying behavior and enhancing communication and understanding among all family members.

Addictions and behavioral counseling. Counselors work with people with addictions to things such as drugs, alcohol, or gambling. Behavioral counselors can also work with individuals with problems such as eating disorders or anger issues.

Mental health counseling. Counselors work with people suffering from emotional or psychological distress and promote mental health. They could work with individuals suffering from a range of problems such as anxiety, phobias, depression, grief, esteem issues, trauma and other issues. Mental health counselors may also often work closely with the individual's physician, psychologist, social worker or other health care professional.

Rehabilitation counseling. Counselors work with individuals with physical or emotional disabilities that may affect their family, social, school or work life. They may help individuals who have experienced an injury make the transition back into the workforce.
Counseling can be a rewarding career for those with a strong desire to interact, communicate with and help others. Choosing to become a professional counselor is a noble commitment and service that takes an individual with strength, patience, determination and a kind and giving heart.
Search for top online counseling degree programs here.

Public Service Degrees is your advocate in the search for quality distance learning programs. Our mission is to provide high quality, undergraduate and graduate level degree programs designed to help officials respond to today's current challenges.
Visit PublicServiceDegrees.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7617602

Visit our social worker training resource

Emman

Admin

Visit our website http://socialworkprocesses.co.uk we are providing social worker online continuing professional development training.

0 comments: