Get Paid To Dole Out That Advice
Are your friends always coming to you with their problems? Maybe it's time you thought of a career in counseling. Counselors work in a variety of places including independent practices, hospitals, schools, and treatment centers. They help patients by assessing, diagnosing, and administering the correct therapy. Counselors possess the skills of compassion, a strong desire to help others, and the ability to inspire trust and confidence. Counselors can undergo training from counseling programs for many different specialties. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports counselors held about 601,000 jobs in 2004.
Employment was distributed among the counseling specialties as follows:
Educational, vocational, and school counselors 248,000
Rehabilitation counselors 131,000
Mental health counselors 96,000
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors 76,000
Marriage and family therapists 24,000
Counselors, all other 25,000
But a counselor must meet all training and degree requirements before being able to practice. According to American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), a licensed counselor has met or exceeded the following professional qualifications:
• Earned a master's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health program
• Completed a minimum of two years post master's clinical training under the supervision of a licensed or certified mental health professional
• Passed a state-developed or national licensure or certification examination.
BLS reports overall employment of counselors is expected to grow faster than the average through 2014 because many counselors retire or leave the profession. The annual median income for counselors in May 2005 was $39,540. See which program is right for you and earn your degree in counseling today.
