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Clientele and Audiences in Counseling

The document discusses the clientele and audiences of counseling. It describes them as normal individuals and groups who seek counseling for issues like youth guidance, behavior/attitude change, coping with crises, and premarital counseling. It outlines the varying needs of clientele as individuals, groups, communities, and in contexts like schools, workplaces, and government/NGO settings. Common types of counselors are described as helping with careers, marriage/family, mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation, education, and more.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
710 views15 pages

Clientele and Audiences in Counseling

The document discusses the clientele and audiences of counseling. It describes them as normal individuals and groups who seek counseling for issues like youth guidance, behavior/attitude change, coping with crises, and premarital counseling. It outlines the varying needs of clientele as individuals, groups, communities, and in contexts like schools, workplaces, and government/NGO settings. Common types of counselors are described as helping with careers, marriage/family, mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation, education, and more.

Uploaded by

rose gabon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Clientele and audiences in Counseling

Individuals and groups of people Who received service from various counselling professions constitute
the clientele and audience. These individuals and groups vary in their needs and context where they
avail of counselling services.

4.1. Characteristics of the Clientele and Audiences of Counseling

The clientele and audiences of counseling are normal people. They are not in need of clinical or mental
help. They may be the youth in need of guidance at critical moments of their growth, anyone in need of
assistance in realizing a change in behavior or attitude, or simply seeking to achieve a goal. What the
audience normally calls for in counseling is application or development of social skills, effective
communication, spiritual direction, decision-making, and career choices. Sometimes, people need to
cope with crisis. Other clientele and audiences of counseling may be people in need of premarital and
marital counseling, grief and loss (divorce, death, or amputation), domestic Violence and other types of
abuse, or coping With terminal illness, death, and dying.

4.2 Needs of Various Types of Clientele and Audiences of Counseling

The needs vary for each type of clientele and audience of counseling. In the school context, guidance
and counselors aim to meet needs such as job-hunting coaching, conflict management providers, human
resources personnel, marriage counselors, drug abuse and rehabilitation counselors, bereavement
counselors, and abused children caretakers and rehabilitation in government and NGO settings.

As school guidance and counselors, these professionals provide the need for personal guidance by
helping students seek more options and find better and more appropriate ones in dealing with situations
of stress or simply decisionmaking. This may include career options. Sometimes, they bridge between
family and the school in resolving conflicts that affect students and their families to the extent of
becoming a threat to student development and learning.

As job-hunting coaches, counselors provide avenues for people to find necessary information and get
employment that is suitable to them. The services

Individuals and groups of people Who receive service from various counseling professions constitute the
clientele and audience. These individuals and groups vary in their needs and context where they avail of
counseling services.

4.1. Characteristics of the Clientele and Audiences of Counseling

The clientele and audiences of counseling are normal people. They are not in need of clinical or mental
help. They may be the youth in need of guidance at critical moments of their growth, anyone in need of
assistance in realizing a change in behavior or attitude, or simply seeking to achieve a goal. What the
audience normally calls for in counseling is application or development of social skills, effective
communication, spiritual direction, decision-making, and career choices. Sometimes, people need to
cope with crisis. Other clientele and audiences of counseling may be people in need of premarital and
marital counseling, grief and loss (divorce, death, or amputation), domestic Violence and other types of
abuse, or coping With terminal illness, death, and dying.

4.2 Needs of Various Types of Clientele and Audiences of Counseling


The needs vary for each type of clientele and audience of counseling. In the school context, guidance
and counselors aim to meet needs such as job-hunting coaching, conflict management providers, human
resources personnel, marriage counselors, drug abuse and rehabilitation counselors, bereavement
counselors, and abused children caretakers and rehabilitation in government and NGO settings.

As school guidance and counselors, these professionals provide the need for personal guidance by
helping students seek more options and find better and more appropriate ones in dealing with situations
of stress or simply decisionmaking. This may include career options. Sometimes, they bridge between
family and the school in resolving conflicts that affect students and their families to the extent of
becoming a threat to student development and learning.

As job-hunting coaches, counselors provide avenues for people to find necessary information and get
employment that is suitable to them. The services

offered may include technical aspects of how to prepare a curriculum vitae (CV) or a resume, how to
speak to employers, and how to present and conduct OHESelf before employers. These can even c0ver
such details as how to walk and how to groom oneself to meet expectations of prospective employers.

As conflict management providers, these professionals provide the need for principles and theory-based
approaches to deal with conflict and deescalate it, if not revolve it positively. Conflicts are everywhere
and they are not always that easy to avoid. These professionals provide ways to manage conflict
constructively.

As human resources personnel, these professionals provide the needs common to all workplaces and
they are employed in almost all workplaces to' deal with various employee needs that cover aspects of
remunerations, social services, compensations, conflict resolution, and discipline. There is a wide range
of services that employment provide for the work force, which are not directly related to their technical
work. They are designed to keep workers happy and cared for as humans. They form part of human
resource management.

As marriage counselors, these professionals provide the need for conflict. resolution skills to parties,
couples, and children to deal with various stresses and issues that threaten their unity or peaceful
coexistence. Sometimes, their work is to reconcile couples, while at other times, they work to help them
part ways in the best way possible through available legal instruments such as separation, divorce, or
annulment. '

As drug abuse and rehabilitation counselors, these professionals meet the need to help people
overcome their problems or mitigate some of the most negative effects of drug abuse. Their goal is to
facilitate client rehabilitation.

As bereavement counselors, these professionals respond to the need to be helped to go through loss,
such as death in the family, in a way that Will help prevent depression and other unhealthy ways of
dealing or coping with loss such as committing suicide or giving up on life. Through them, clients are
empowered to experience recovery or some form of healing that will help them cope well with such
human tragedies. '
As abused children caretakers and rehabilitation in government and NGO settings, counselors meet the
need to facilitate processing and restoration of abused children through recognition and
implementation of existing laws and recovery procedures in coordination with relevant units.

The Individual as Client of Counseling

The individual Who needs to be helped to manage well a life-changing situation or personal problem or
crisis and other support needs may ‘undergo counseling as an individual. This is the common type of
counseling: the individualized type. The individual needs capacitation to be able to manage well their
unique circumstances, which may be very difficult to endure alone. Problems like alcoholism, loss of job,
divorce, imprisonment, and rehabilitation can be a cause of shame and embarrassment. Without
acquiring enough strength and ability to go through such life experience, people are vulnerable and
maycome out worse; even while simply going through natural life transitions like retirement and.
growing old.

4.4. The Group and Organization as Client of Counseling

Groups exist in communities, organizations, students in schools, teachers in school, and departments in
workplaces, and such an entity can undergo group counseling to meet counseling needs on that level.
The needs can range from desire to reduce conflict or manage it, become more productive as a team or
work better together. Some of the group processes and procedures resemble those that are applied to
individuals. However, some are very unique to group and

organizational context.

4.5. The Community as Client of Counseling

When people experience something collectively, which may be socially troubling and constitute the
danger of blocking their collective capacity to move on, counseling is necessary to be undertaken on a
community level. In postapartheid South Africa, a truth and reconciliation commission was sought to
help restoration of the South African communities. Likewise, in the post-genocide Ruanda,‘ a similar
approach was done to help restore trust and conlidence in communities that were brutally disrupted by
civil war and mass killing.
ypes of Counseling

Here are the most popular types of counseling specialties explained.

types-of-counseling

Counselors and therapists help their clients in a variety of ways, and there are many different types of
counselors depending on their specialty.

Continue reading to learn about the different kinds of counseling careers and specialties you can study
and practice: marriage and family therapy, career counseling, mental health counseling, substance
abuse counseling, and more.

Counseling Specialties

“Counseling” is a very broad category that encompasses many opportunities in any number of
counseling subfields.

Counselors work in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, among other locations, or they can
maintain a private practice, and there are many ways in which to specialize during your counseling
career.

Common Types of Counselors

Here are some of the most common types of counselors:

Marriage and family counseling

Guidance and career counseling

Rehabilitation counseling

Mental health counseling

Substance abuse counseling

Educational Counseling

It is not necessary to choose a specialty before you begin your master’s program in counseling, although
many students go into their counseling programs with one in mind.

Don’t be surprised if, during your 2-year degree and year of post-graduate work, you end up in an area
you had not considered prior to grad school. Keep an open mind, and unless you truly know what type
of counseling you would like to pursue, choose a counseling degree in a traditional setting or a
counseling degree online, that offers a variety of options.
In addition to the main specialties listed above, counselors can also assist their clients using techniques
in areas such as these:

Debt counseling

Child development counseling

Eating disorder therapy

Grief counseling

Art therapy

Musical therapy

Types of Mental Illnesses

According to the National Institute for Mental Illness, approximately 26.2 percent of adult Americans
(over one in four) are affected by some type of mental illness each year. Here are some of the common
mental illnesses that counselors work with:

Anxiety disorder

Attention deficit disorder

Bipolarity

Borderline personality

Depression

Eating disorder

Generalized anxiety

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Panic disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Schizophrenia

Social phobia

You Have the Desire—Now Find Your School

Use your desire to help others by finding the right counseling degree program from a top accredited
school today. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job opportunities in counseling are
favorable and job openings are expected to exceed the number of students graduating from counseling
schools.
No matter what type of counseling program you complete, professionals in every field foster respect
and trust. Combined with such a positive job outlook, a career in counseling is a win-win all the way.

Methods of Counselling

Both Counsellors and Psychotherapists work from a variety of Theoretical Approaches with their clients.
These therapies range from the type of Psychoanalysis, originally practised by Sigmund Freud and later
developed into other forms of analytic psychotherapy by his pupils, through Humanistic Psychotherapy
(based on personal growth and self development) to the Behavioural Therapies used for dealing with
specific phobias and anxieties. However there is evidence that the relationship between the counsellor
and the client is more important than the approach the therapist uses.

The following is an alphabetical list of commonly used Theoretical Approaches with brief descriptions of
their meanings:

Adlerian Therapy

Adlerian Therapy, originated by Alfred Adler, is also called individual psychology and focuses on creating
a therapeutic relationship that is co-operative, encouraging and practical. Adlerian counsellors help
clients look at their lifestyle and personal values to help them understand and question their usual
patterns of behaviour and hidden goals. It is a learning process that assists the client to move towards
useful involvement and contribution to society.

Behavioural Therapy

This therapy is based on the belief that behaviour is learnt in response to past experience and can be
unlearnt, or reconditioned,

without analysing the past to find the reason for the behaviour. It works well for compulsive and
obsessive behaviour, fears, phobias

and addictions.

Cognitive Analytical Therapy

This combines Cognitive Therapy and Psychotherapy and encourages clients to draw on their own ability
to develop the skills

to change destructive patterns of behaviour. Negative ways of thinking are explored in structured and
directive ways, involving diary-keeping, progress charts, etc.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy


This combines Cognitive and Behavioural techniques. Clients are taught ways to change thoughts and
expectations and relaxation

techniques are used. It has been effective for stress-related ailments, phobias, obsessions, eating
disorders and (at the same time as drug treatment) major depression.

Cognitive Therapy

Uses the power of the mind to influence behaviour. It is based on the theory that previous experiences
can damage self image and

this can affect attitude, emotions and ability to deal with certain situations. It works by helping the client
to identify, question and

change poor mental images of themselves, thus altering negative responses and behaviour. It can help
pessimistic or depressed people to view things from a more optimistic perspective.

Dialectical Behavioural therapy

DBT was developed from cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).The main aim of CBT is to change behaviour,
which is done by applying

techniques with a focus on problem-solving, such as homework, diary cards and behavioural analysis.
However, some people felt

uncomfortable with the strong focus on change, and felt that their suffering and apparent loss of control
over their lives were not

understood. This caused them to become frustrated and even to drop out of treatment. Therapist
sought to resolve this by the use of acceptance strategies. Acceptance strategies are added to the
process of CBT which means that the therapist explores with their clients an acceptance that their
behaviour (e.g. self-harming, drinking, etc.), even though damaging in the long term, may be the only
way they have learned to deal with intense emotions; and which might have led to positive short term
benefits.

Eclectic Counselling

An Eclectic counsellor will select from a number of different approaches appropriate to the client’s
needs. This is based on the theory that there is no proof that any one theoretical approach works better
than all others for a specific problem.

EMDR

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that was developed
to resolve symptoms resulting from disturbing and unresolved life experiences. EMDR is thought to
imitate the psychological state that we enter into when in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Studies
show that when in REM sleep we are able to make new associations between things very rapidly –
EMDR may be tapping into this high speed processing mode that we all have but often can’t access. The
theory is that EMDR works directly with memory networks and enhances information processing by
creating associations between the distressing memory and more adaptive information in other memory
networks.

Family Therapy
This is used to treat a family system rather than individual members of the family. A form of Systemic
Therapy, it requires specifically trained counsellors.

Gestalt Therapy

The name is derived from the German for “organized whole”. Developed by Fritz Perls, it focuses on the
whole of the client’s experience, including feelings, thoughts and actions. The client gains self-awareness
in the `here and now’ by analysing behaviour

and body language and talking about bottled up feelings. This approach often includes acting out
scenarios and dream recall.

Humanistic Therapy

Coming from the “personal growth movement” this approach encourages people to think about their
feelings and take responsibility for their thoughts and actions. Emphasis is on self-development and
achieving highest potential. “Client-Centred” or “Non-Directive” approach is often used and the therapy
can be described as “holistic” or looking at person as a whole. The client’s creative instincts may be used
to explore and resolve personal issues.

Integrative Therapy

This is when several distinct models of counselling and psychotherapy are used together.

Jungian

Carl Jung was the originator of Analytical Psychology; a disciple of Sigmund Freud and a pioneer of
Psychoanalysis.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a specific way of intentionally paying attention. One negative thought can lead to a chain
reaction of negative thoughts.

This approach encourages people to be aware of each thought, enabling the first negative thought to be
‘caught’ so that is seen as

just a ‘thought’ and not a fact. This breaks the chain reaction of negative thoughts giving a mental
‘space’ in which the person can

re-centre themselves in the present. Mindfulness-based therapists can work with individuals and groups
and will usually integrate mindfulness into another modality, in which they are already trained.
Mindfulness is likely to appeal to therapists who have developed a long-term meditation practice.

Person-Centered Therapy

Devised by Carl Rogers and also called “Client-Centred” or “Rogerian” counselling, this is based on the
assumption that a client seeking help in the resolution of a problem they are experiencing, can enter
into a relationship with a counsellor who is sufficiently accepting and permissive to allow the client to
freely express any emotions and feelings. This will enable the client to come to terms with negative
feelings, which may have caused emotional problems, and develop inner resources. The objective is for
the client to become able to see himself as a person, with the power and freedom to change, rather
than as an object.

Primal Therapy

Primal Therapy is not generally seen as model of therapy that is used on its own. It is usually an
additional way of working within the more general therapeutic approach in which therapists are trained.
This is based on the theory that buried birth or infancy distress

can resurface as neuroses. The therapy takes the client back to the “primal scene” where trauma can be
re-experienced as an emotional cleansing.

Psychoanalysis

This is based on the work of Sigmund Freud, who believed that the unacceptable thoughts of early
childhood are banished to the unconscious mind but continue to influence thoughts, emotions and
behaviour. “Repressed” feelings can surface later as conflicts,

depression, etc or through dreams or creative activities. The analyst seeks to interpret and make
acceptable to the client’s conscious mind, troublesome feelings and relationships from the past.
“Transference” onto the analyst, of feelings about figures in the client’s life, is encouraged. This type of
therapy is often used by clients suffering high levels of distress and can be a lengthy and intensive
process.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy/Counselling

This approach stresses the importance of the unconscious and past experience in shaping current
behaviour. The client is encouraged

to talk about childhood relationships with parents and other significant people and the therapist focuses
on the client/therapist

relationship (the dynamics) and in particular on the transference. Transference is when the client
projects onto the therapist feelings

experienced in previous significant relationships. The Psychodynamic approach is derived from


Psychoanalysis but usually provides a quicker solution to emotional problems.

Psychosynthesis

Sometimes described as “psychology of the soul”.It is the name given to a series of actions that lead to a
change or development

which encourages personal growth by a bringing together of the whole person – the emotional, the
mental, the physical and spiritual within a safe environment. Psychosynthesis is useful for people
seeking a new, more spiritually oriented vision of themselves.

Re-Birthing

Re-Birthing is not generally seen as model of therapy that is used on its own. It is usually an additional
way of working within the more general therapeutic approach in which therapists are trained. In this
approach, emotional or physical traumas during birth are said to create feelings of separation or fear in
later life. Breathing techniques are used to release tension whilst the client re-experiences traumatic
emotions. A skilled practitioner is essential.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

This promotes positive change rather than dwelling on past problems. Clients are encouraged to focus
positively on what they do well and to set goals and work out how to achieve them. As little as 3 or 4
sessions may be beneficial.

Systemic Therapies

These are the therapies which have, as their aim, a change in the transactional pattern of members of a
system. It can be used as the generic term for family therapy and marital therapy.

Transpersonal Therapy

This describes any form of counselling or therapy which places emphasis on spirituality, human potential
or heightened consciousness. It includes psycho synthesis.

Top Places to Work as a Counselor

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counselor workA graduate with a degree in counseling gains extensive training, knowledge and
experience that allow him or her to help individuals in need of personal, emotional, behavioral and/or
professional guidance. The kind of treatment and advice a professional is qualified to provide depends
on what type of counseling they specialize in, which may include rehabilitation, mental health, career,
school, substance abuse, behavioral disorders, marriage, and/or family issues.

Educational Requirements to Work as a Counselor

The educational pathway to working as a counselor begins with earning a bachelor's degree and is then
followed with a master's or doctorate level degree in counseling. A degree does not guarantee work but
can of course greatly increase one's chances of being hired in this field.

Counseling Educational Track

Education Requirements Education Length Available Programs

Undergraduate Work Earn a Bachelor's Degree in Counseling 4 Years Online or Campus

Graduate Work Earn a Master's Degree in Counseling 5-6 Years Online or Campus
PHD or Doctoral Work Earn a Doctorate in Counseling 7-8 Years Online or Campus

Where Can You Work with a Degree in Counseling?

The following places of employment offer work opportunities for someone with a counseling degree:

1. Hospitals

From assuming the role of a family grief counselor to providing mental health evaluations, counseling
professionals with a bachelor's or master's degree often find employment at a hospital. Some
counselors are hired to assist patients overcome various psychological and behavioral issues, while
others may specifically focus on the rehabilitation of a hospital patient. With a Ph.D., counselors can
assume the position of clinical supervisor at a hospital, as well as qualify for many other jobs in
administration.

2. Inpatient or Outpatient Detoxification Centers

According to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) released by the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2.5 million Americans aged 12 or older (or
10.8 percent of those in need) received treatment in a specialized treatment setting for an illicit drug or
alcohol problem. There are a reported more than 23 million Americans altogether who are in need of
treatment, and counselors are hired to assist their road to recovery.

Counselors are hired to work in:

Inpatient facilities hire counselors to assist with 24-hour care of high-risk patients battling substance
abuse.

Outpatient facilities hire counselors to provide treatment during the day, while patients are allowed to
return to their homes at night.

Substance abuse or addiction counselors may also serve as detox specialists or crisis workers within a
detoxification center.

3. Mental Health Facilities & Agencies

Providing one-on-one treatment or holding group therapy sessions, professionals with a graduate
degree in counseling are often employed at a mental health facility – oftentimes according to their
specialty. For example, community counselors are hired at localized mental health agencies to assist a
local population, interact with community leaders, and bridge the gap between support services found
in surrounding areas.

A master's degree in counseling can lead to employment as a social worker, mental health counselor, or
case manager at a mental health agency or facility. A doctorate in counseling qualifies a professional to
take a position as a coordinator or director of a mental health agency.

4. Residential Care Facilities


A residential care facility provides counseling services to people living in a temporary environment that
requires continuous supervision. This may include facilities that house troubled or at-risk youths, autistic
children, or people with mental or physical disabilities.

An associate's degree in counseling prepares graduates to work at a residential care facility as a


substance abuse or addictions counselor, where they may hold one-on-one counseling sessions or lead
group discussions with people suffering from a chemical dependency.

5. Halfway Houses

Halfway houses, also known as transitional housing facilities and recovery houses, hire rehabilitation and
substance abuse counselors to guide patients or residents in need of help transitioning back to a societal
environment, their family, their community, and/or entering the workforce.

Counselors may work in:

Voluntary substance abuse halfway houses, which allow recovering addicts to transition from
inpatient therapy to reentering society by living in a structured environment during outpatient therapy.

Court-mandated halfway houses, which provide structure and support under strict supervision to
formally incarcerated juveniles and adults reentering society.

Mental health-related halfway houses, where individuals receive mental health counseling in a
residential setting, such as patients that require medical supervision or victims of domestic violence.

Counseling degree programs at the associate's level typically focus on training professionals as
substance abuse or drug and alcohol counselors, but the majority of employers are looking to hire a
licensed professional or someone with at least a bachelor's degree.

6. Geriatric-Related Facilities

Counselors, especially geriatric counselors, are often employed by facilities, agencies and organizations
that serve the elderly population, such as hospitals, assisted living communities, senior community
centers, retirement homes, independent living communities, as well as long- and short-term care
facilities.

7. VA Medical Hospitals and Outpatient Clinics

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), there are more than 1,200 VA community-based
outpatient clinics, VA hospitals, and VA vet centers in the United States.

Counselors are hired to work with veterans, their spouses, and family to address issues, such as PTSD
(post-traumatic stress disorder) and anger management. Usually, a master's degree is required for the
majority of VA counseling positions.

8. Correctional Facilities and/or Prisons


From mental health counseling to substance abuse counseling, the prison system employs counselors to
provide individual and group therapy for individuals who are jailed, or living in a correctional facility.
Correctional counselors also help develop a plan of action to assist inmates achieve rehabilitation goals,
and prepare them for transitioning back into society after being released from prison.

9. Retail Businesses

Assuming positions in the human resources or public relations departments of large retail organizations,
counselors with as little as a bachelor's degree are hired in the retail sector. Job duties typically include
improving company-customer relationships, as well as designing and conducting training programs.

10. The Educational System

Primarily helping students to better navigate the stresses of growing up and successfully completing
their studies, counselors play an important role at all levels of the school system, such as providing crisis
intervention following traumatic or violent occurrences – like the death of a teacher, a gun violence
incident, or peer suicide. Although a master's degree is often preferred, some counselors with a
bachelor's degree are able to assume positions at a school.

Typically, the higher the degree a counselor possesses, the more job opportunities an individual will
encounter regarding the following institutions within the school system:

Elementary and Middle Schools

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), elementary and secondary schools employed 47% of all
educational, vocational and schools counselors working in 2012 on the state, local, and private level. In
an elementary school, a counselor often works with teachers and parents to evaluate a student's
strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify any special needs.

High Schools

A graduate with experience in vocational or career counseling may find a fit at a high school, where they
can advise students making future decisions regarding higher education and/or making career plans.
Often called guidance counselors, they also assist students with various issues commonly associated
with teenagers, which range from self-esteem to behavioral issues to college and/or career planning. In
high schools, a degree in counseling can also lead to job positions as academic adviser, career counselor,
career services director, and guidance counselor.

Colleges and Universities

The BLS reports 31 percent of school and career counselors are employed at junior colleges, colleges,
universities, and professional schools on the state, local, and private level.
Those with a doctoral degree in counseling can teach undergraduate or graduate level studies at a public
or private college/university. A director of career counseling with a college or university often holds a
Ph.D. related to the field.

Additional work opportunities for counselors with an interest in higher education include:

Developing curricula for various certificate and degree programs

Evaluating counseling programs

Mentoring aspiring counselors

Writing textbooks

Pursuing original research

11. Career Centers

The majority of graduates with a vocational or career counseling degree work in career centers
associated with high schools, colleges, as well as state government agencies. A bachelor's degree in
vocational counseling is acceptable for some places of employment, but a master's degree is typically
preferred, especially for counselors applying for a position at a college and university career center.

Outside of a career center, some counselors work as consultants that match candidates to
corresponding employment opportunities.

12. Rehabilitation Centers & Agencies

Graduates with a bachelor's or master's degree in counseling may assume a position with a
rehabilitation agency on the state, private, and nonprofit level. A professional with a doctorate in
counseling qualifies to become a director of a rehab facility.

Counselors also find work in other job settings that involve rehabilitation, such as colleges, elementary
and secondary schools, prisons, and independent-living facilities.

13. Nonprofit or Social Service Agencies

Providing an array of counseling services centered on mental health, rehabilitation, substance abuse,
and other areas of social work, counselors with undergraduate and graduate degrees find work at
nonprofit or social service agencies. Job candidates with a Ph.D. are qualified to oversee family
counseling services for such agencies, including the governmental division of Child and Family Services.

14. Religious Institutions


Counselors who specialize in combining traditional mental health counseling with the Christian faith
often work in private practice and/or religious work environments, such as a church. Professionals must
obtain a certificate in Christian counseling before they are able to use the Bible and religious teachings
to treat clients. This type of professional is also not limited to strictly working in a religious setting, and
may assist anyone in need of counseling.

15. Public or Private Practice

Those with a Ph.D. in counseling can become a licensed professional counselor that works in a public or
private practice. Most often, this type of counselor concentrates on a particular area of specialization,
such as mental health counseling, family and marriage counseling, or substance abuse counseling. A
bachelor's degree in counseling allows a graduate to assume the position of an administrative assistant
or researcher that works under the direct supervision of a certified psychologist with his or her own
practice or business.

In conclusion, the number of places that a graduate with a counseling degree can work is wide-ranging,
and the above-mentioned employment opportunities are non-exhaustive. Depending on a professional's
level of education, counselors are also hired at insurance companies, private government agencies,
summer camps, law offices, and Fortune 500 corporations

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