Careers in Counseling & Therapy
The counseling and therapy field offers a range of career choices for people who have the ability to gain the respect and trust of others in the process of helping them. Licensed counselors and therapists must possess a master's degree, but the specific educational and training requirements vary from state to state, according to the "Occupational Outlook Handbook."
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School Counseling
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School counselors work in elementary and secondary schools and colleges. They provide personal, social, career and academic counseling to students and offer resources to assist them. School counselors often administer interest and aptitude assessment tests to students to discover their skills and abilities.
Career Counseling
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Career counselors, also known as vocational counselors, assist people in making decisions in relation to their education and career. They investigate clients' interests, skills and personality to find the best career matches. They also assist clients in finding job-search resources and offer advice for securing a job.
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Rehabilitation Counseling
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Rehabilitation counselors address physical and emotional disabilities in clients. Disabilities can result from accidents, disease or birth defects. Rehabilitation counselors work with other professionals to increase the client's ability to function independently.
Mental Health Counseling
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Mental health counselors work with a variety of people to improve mental and emotional disorders such as depression, thoughts of suicide, low self-esteem, anxiety and grief. There has been an increased demand for mental health counselors as more people have embraced the idea of seeking help, according to the "Occupational Outlook Handbook."
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counseling
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Eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse and gambling fall under the expertise of counselors specializing in substance abuse and behavioral disorders. Counselors in this field help clients identify the root of their problems and create a rehabilitation plan to counteract it. Counseling provides a large part of the plan and can take place in a group or one-on-one setting. These counselors often have special certifications.
Marriage and Family Therapy
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Marriage and family therapists address issues such as marital and financial strife within the family, the effects of substance abuse and depression on the family and general conflict between family members. Therapists in this field often have a master's degree, and some have credentials from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
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