Helping Others: The Essential Skills for a Career in Counseling
Helping others and nurturing positivity comes naturally to many people. If you are a person with these characteristics, then a career that includes working with others is an excellent choice. One such job that often holds a presence in this field is counseling. Within the counseling field, there are also many paths that an individual can specialize in depending on the type of work you enjoy.
What is Counseling?
Broadly, counseling is a role that involves helping others to identify and cope with a range of issues that affect everyday life. Everyone is different, and lifestyles are getting increasingly complicated and busy as we try to navigate and balance work, relationships, and social interactions.
Counseling covers a broad range of areas, such as helping people deal with grief or supporting personal development. Becoming a counselor includes gaining a Masters in counseling and obtaining the necessary practice experience to get a license to treat clients. This career path typically takes between 3 and 5 years for full qualification and includes your higher education Masters in counseling study.
While holding a master’s in counseling is vital to gain your license to practice and treat people, many other skills are crucial to be successful in this career choice.
Many of these skills naturally evolve as you study counseling. Some techniques are also taught throughout a master’s in counseling course. However, many aspects are characteristics you hold already. These are developed to bring depth and understanding to this job role.
So, if you’re considering a job in counseling and want to use your skills to help others, have a look at some of the qualities you’ll need to carve a career in this field.
Non-judgmental approach
One misconception about counseling is that a counselor often thinks that a counselor gives advice about how people should feel or act. However, the role of a counselor is not to pass judgment on any of these aspects. Instead, you use a range of techniques to help clients talk about their feelings and actions and help them see different viewpoints. By taking a non-judgmental position, you make an individual feel at ease to ensure they express themselves without fear of criticism.
One of the most challenging aspects of this attribute is that we naturally react to how others think and feel. In this instance, a counselor will need to contain and manage personal feelings or reactions to provide a supportive and professional service. While studying a master’s in counseling, techniques are explored to help you manage this aspect of the role to ensure you give an impartial and understanding program.
Active listening and attendance
When you are in session with a client, the treatment program goes beyond just listening to the issues and problems they experience. Being present and giving someone your attention ensures you build a strong rapport with the client. The focus here is to make the patient feel they are understood and heard within the setting without judgment. This is also where active listening takes place, as you encourage them to keep talking while ensuring you take in everything they say.
Getting the balance between talking and listening is an essential skill in these circumstances. During your studies, such as when you learn the different processes in your master’s in counseling, you’ll develop ways to notice natural cues to strike this balance. Everything from observing body language, eye contact, and tone of voice comes into play throughout a session. Your gestures and body language also need to make the client feel at ease.
A genuine interest in helping others
Having a genuine interest in helping others is vital for a role in counseling. While the job may have a reasonable salary and projected growth in the sector is high, this career should be viewed more than ‘just a job’ but instead a vocation. While this attribute is not technically a skill, it is essential to possess a natural instinct.
If you have this attribute, then the other skills you require typically fall into place throughout your master’s in counseling study and internship training.
Respect for boundaries and ethical responsibility
The role of a counselor involves strict confidentiality and respect for a client’s boundaries. As mentioned above, this job is not to pass judgment or influence the client in any way about how they think or feel. This is a professional boundary that is vital to maintain.
Counseling in any capacity has a wide range of ethical and legal responsibilities to adhere to. Throughout your study in a master’s in counseling and during training, these will be built into your learning. However, it is vital to stay up to date with changing policies and laws surrounding the job throughout your career.
After your studies, there is a range of professional development courses and further training that can be taken to progress in your career.
Patience
The nature of counseling means that you may be treating clients with extensive issues. These problems are not a quick fix, and you will rarely see someone for just one session. Even if you are making good progress with your clients, you may also see setbacks that take them back to the start again. This can be frustrating, as you can see the potential and positive changes within someone. Still, patience is vital for this role to ensure you don’t express this frustration.
Resilience
The work of a counselor can also be intense and mentally exhausting, as you are dealing with emotional issues daily. This can cause burnout and stress for a counselor, so it is important to learn how to maintain a strong and resilient emotional resistance in the workplace. To do this, there is also the need to ensure self-care is administered in downtime. Everyone has their own limitations and recognizing your own is another key aspect of becoming a successful counselor.
While studying a master’s in counseling, you will also discover techniques to build upon personal resilience to maintain a good work/life balance.
Ability to adapt to the work environment
Working with others can offer a varied career and a range of opportunities. Depending on what type of counseling you offer, you may be required to work in different and sometimes challenging environments with many different kinds of people. Counselors often work in healthcare settings such as hospitals, doctors, and private clinics. However, some roles are required in commercial, military, and charity settings, so there is a chance for variety.
Explore counseling niches
Careers in counseling are rewarding and interesting, whatever environment you choose to work in. While counseling is a broad term for helping others, you can also specialize in different counseling fields.
One of the common types of counseling role is a mental health counselor. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2019, approximately 51.5 million people were living with mental disorders in the United States. Of this number, only 44.8% received help for these conditions. These figures offer the scale of help that is required throughout the US, and now the stigma on mental health issues is beginning to break down, there is a broader call for professionals in this area.
Whatever niche you choose in your career, counselors must all have a master’s in counseling with relevant practice experience behind them.
This qualification, alongside hands-on training, ensures you can gain a license to offer services within states in the US. There are varying requirements in states, so it’s vital to ensure your master’s in counseling and internship is recognized by the accredited bodies.
Graduates in this field have a range of options to explore, and specializing can bring job satisfaction and rewards. Some of the top career choices in counseling include:
- College or school counselor
- Grief counselor
- Couples counselor
- Substance abuse counselor
- Rehabilitation counselor
- Pastoral counselor
What qualifications do I need for a career in counseling?
As mentioned previously, a master’s in counseling is crucial to be able to pursue a career in this sector. The process typically involves getting this qualification, undertaking internship training, and applying for your state license to practice. There are different requirements depending on the state you live in, and some require more hands-on training hours than others.
When you are qualified and licensed to work, the training does not stop there. There are numerous on-going professional development courses to explore to ensure your skills and knowledge are up to date. Some permits to practice require on-going training is completed to renew the license.
Where can I study for a master’s in counseling?
There are many colleges and universities offering courses such as a master’s in counseling. To ensure you get the best education and training for this career, choosing a suitable option accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) is essential to gaining a reputable qualification.
You can opt to study for a master’s in counseling in a class-based setting or via an online degree course. Both options offer viable solutions to gaining your master’s in counseling. Still, there can be differences in costs between the two, especially if you have to travel or live out of state to study.
The selection of online master’s in counseling courses opens up an accessible way to study and avoids the living expenses of on-campus learning. Many online courses are appropriately accredited and hold the same status as brick-and-mortar courses.
What training is required to become a counselor?
Alongside a master’s in counseling, practice training, or an internship is required. A licensed professional supervises the training, and a minimum number of hours is required before you can apply for a license. This can range from 600 hours for internship roles and between 100 and 300 hours for practicum settings.
There are varying requirements on the number of training hours that need to be completed depending on the state you are working in. for more information on your area’s requirements, be sure to research before applying for a license.
How long does it take to become a counselor?
When choosing to become a counselor and exploring the niches available, it is also essential to note the time it takes to complete your qualifications and training. Typically, it takes between three to five years to complete. This includes studying for a master’s in counseling and gaining relevant experience in the field.
You also need to factor in the time it takes to complete a master’s in counseling, as this can vary depending on your circumstances. If you study full-time, you can expect to complete a degree in two years. However, part-time courses could take you up to four years. There is also the option to study quicker, and some people complete a degree in as little as 18 months.
Whether you study full or part-time, this can add time to the completion of your training, so it is vital to factor in your circumstances and goals.
The Job Outlook for Counselors
For anyone looking to pursue a career in counseling, the future does look stable. As more people are diagnosed each year with mental health disorders, the call for professionals to provide care is high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected growth in this area is 25% between 2019 and 2029, which is significantly higher than the national average in other employment sectors.
The average salary is $46,240 a year (2019). Still, there are varying factors for pay, depending on whether you choose to work in private or public settings.
The next steps
The American Counseling Association (ACA) defines a counselor as someone that “empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.” So, if this sounds like the type of job that would stimulate your passion for helping others, this could be the perfect job for you.
Why not take a look at the types of counseling roles that may fit your interests and discover the selection of qualifications that will give a stepping-stone to this career path.
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