If you have a strong desire to help others and feel that you have great insight, a career as a counselor might just be the right career for you. There are several types of counseling career options available. Whether you want to be an elementary school counselor, high school counselor, rehabilitation counselor, vocational counselor, mental health counselor, substance abuse or behavioral disorders counselor, or a marriage and family therapist there will be several years of education you will need to obtain as well as training that is required. The outlook for a career in counseling is pretty good at this point. Careers in counseling are expected to grow faster than the average of other career areas.
Most counseling positions require a Master’s degree in social work or psychology to obtain licensure. Specific requirements differ from state to state. When considering a career in counseling it would be prudent to check with local government and/or state requirements, potential employers, and national voluntary certification organization for the specific requirements to become licensed in the particular field of counseling you may be interested in. In fact, you may find that the educational and training requirements for an educational or vocational counselor will vary greatly from the educational and training requirements for a marriage and family therapist.
Beyond the educational and training requirements of a counselor, it is important to note that counselors have the proper physical and emotional strength to handle this career. Counselors are required to manage issues that can cause a great deal of stress on the counselor as they are working to alleviate or reduce the stress of their patients. Therefore, it is important to determine if you are the type of individual who can handle this type of stress on a daily basis before venturing into this new career.