Counseling, as a field, continues to evolve and expand to meet changing human needs while encompassing a growing number of specializations. This also shows in data: “counselling near me” is one of the most relevant local, health-related Google searches.
Counseling, as a field, continues to evolve and expand to meet changing human needs while encompassing a growing number of specializations. This also shows in data: “counselling near me” is one of the most relevant local, health-related Google searches. Professional counselors help people from all walks of life experiencing difficulties with their emotional and psychological well-being.
Different career tracks in counseling
Depending on their area of expertise, counselors can practice in a wide range of settings, from private clinics and rehab centers to schools and hospitals. Although a counselor’s professional path and employment requirements vary depending on whom they’re working with, they all have the same overarching objective of improving the well-being of the patients and achieving positive outcomes.
Are you considering a career in counseling? If the answer’s yes, familiarize yourself with the field’s career tracks and what they entail. It can help you determine the role that is the perfect fit for your personality and temperament – keep reading to find out what options you have for a career in counseling.
Six career tracks for aspiring counselors
1. Behavioral counselor
The goal of a behavioral counselor is to help patients become more self-aware and support them in making positive changes to their life. They help patients manage their behaviors outside the clinic by assessing their problems and developing comprehensive treatment plans to overcome them.
Counselors can choose various approaches to achieve positive health outcomes depending on the patient’s condition. They can also recommend relaxation, reflective exercises, and meditative practices to help clients. In behavioral therapy, a licensed practitioner collaborates with patients to develop treatment strategies that reward positive behaviors and improve undesirable habits.
A master’s degree and a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) is the core requirement for pursuing this career path. All behavioral counselors must maintain their LPCC status to continue working in this area. An average behavioral therapist makes about $45489 every year in the US.
2. Career counselor
A career counselor helps clients land a job best suited for them according to their work experience. Counselors offer feedback on client resume and suggest job openings that fit their interests and skills.
They also outline the educational requirements for clients looking to switch careers, coach them throughout the application process, and so on. They must be aware of all industry-specific knowledge, such as keeping up to date with new job postings, the expected income in the industry, etc.
To work as a career counselor, a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a closely related discipline and a master’s degree in career counseling and development are necessary. To land the job, you need to have some experience that you can gain by working as an intern in career counseling, development, or assessment.
All career counselors must be certified by the national board of certified counselors and hold a state license to practice. You can expect an average salary of $45,600 annually as a career counselor.
3. Grief counselor
Many people turn to grief counselors when their pain and grief becomes too much for them to bear alone and starts to interfere with their everyday life. Grief counselors assist patients in dealing with the grief following a significant loss and help them healthily navigate through their grief.
Along with providing a safe space, grief counselors teach their clients coping mechanisms for emotions like despair and anxiety. Grief counselors help patients find closure and improve their health by doing so.
They work with the client’s support system to help them work through their emotions and help clients open up about their experiences. A counseling psychologist will make it possible for their patients to open up about their grief in a supportive setting, all with the goal of healing and moving on.
To practice as a grief counselor, you must hold a Ph.D. or PSY.D and a state license. The average salary of a grief counselor is about $53,233.
4. School counselor
School counselors work with students to help them identify, address, and navigate through personal, academic, or social challenges. They are an integral part of the education team and dedicate their time daily to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed, including assisting with college applications, rearranging class schedules, and counseling students facing emotional difficulties.
It’s not unusual for counselors to help students with personal struggles, even though their primary focus is academic and career development.
You must possess a master’s degree in counseling to land a job as a school counselor. Additionally, you must hold a state license and renew it regularly. You can expect an average salary of $60510 annually as a school counselor.
5. Family counselor
Family counselors help people with difficulties in their relationships, whether with their significant others, their children, or other members of their immediate family. A family counselor typically deals with problems, including misunderstandings, divorce talks, child custody disputes, grieving the death of a loved one, and other life events that strain relationships.
They can help individuals, couples, and families in adjusting to life changes such as
- Separation or death
- Adopt a wellness-based approach to healing,
- Assess current family dynamics and make recommendations for improvement,
- Identify patterns of behavior, and cope with these changes.
To work as a family counselor, you must hold a bachelor’s degree in relevant disciplines such as sociology or psychology, a master’s degree in family therapy or other closely related fields, relevant clinical experience, and a practice license. The average salary of a family counselor is about $49,880 per year.
6. Rehab counselors
A rehabilitation counselor helps people whose mental, emotional, or physical struggles make it difficult to function independently.
Like other licensed counselors, rehabilitation counselors focus on helping their clients reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives, including mental, social, and physical health. Clients often seek therapy for issues like drug abuse, loss, and trauma to get their lives back on track.
A rehabilitation counselor can decide the optimum treatment and care by evaluating their patients’ strengths and weak points. They can help a patient in need get medical treatment, find employment, and learn new skills to better their quality of life.
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum level of education required for a career in rehabilitation counseling. To become a professional, you should study the licensing requirements in the state or jurisdiction where you want to work. The average salary of a rehab counselor is about $37,530 per year.
Final thoughts
Counselors assist their patients in coping with their struggles and thriving in their daily lives. Becoming a professional counselor might be an excellent career option if you have strong interpersonal skills and a passion for helping others live their best lives.
Take some time to think about the above-discussed career paths and choose the one that’s best for you. The minimum requirement for a counseling job is a bachelor’s degree, with the highest being a Ph.D. or Psy.D. You can start gaining practical experience as an intern after you’ve met the prerequisites for your chosen profession.
Earning your LPCC certification will open doors to fulfilling careers where you influence positive change in people’s lives.