Mental Health Counselor, Mental Health Counseling Schools, Training, Jobs, and Careers

What is Mental Health Counselor?
A mental health counselor is one who helps people deal with emotional and mental health problems. A Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling, even a doctorate, in this day and age, a license as well as other requirements that vary from state to state along with specialty are all needed to become counselor of mental health.

If you are seeking to do mental health counseling for a career, you should have a deep desire to work with people who have different kinds of mental and emotional distress. Some of your duties would include the following:

1. Help provide solutions to help people deal with their problems

2. Work with patients individually or in group sessions

3. Records feedback in order to provide proper diagnosis and treatment

4. Practice latest therapeutic techniques in order to solves problems related to family issues, marital problems, depression, stress, grief, substance abuse, and suicide

5. Give psychological tests

The work also entails working with other professionals in the mental health field such as psychiatrists, school counselors, psychologists and clinical social workers.

How to Become a Mental Health Counselor:
The very first step to becoming a counselor of mental health should be to graduate from an accredited high school or at least have a GED. Next, you should take the SAT or ACT test in order to get into an accredited college or university where you will earn a Bachelor of Science degree in counseling. Here are some of the subjects you will be required to take:

a. English
b. Counseling
c. Anthropology
d. Psychology
e. Therapy
f. Sociology

It would be wise to shadow a licensed counselor in order for you to witness firsthand what this type of career entails.

After obtaining your Bachelor of Science degree, you must go on to get a Master of Science degree in the field of Mental Health Counseling. The graduate student will gain a greater insight into their specialty as they take more advanced courses. You must have a Master's degree if you want to work as a licensed practicing counselor.

You must have a license in order to practice. Many people interested in this career are even going on to obtain their PhD.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, requirements vary from state to state. American Mental Health Counselors Association reports that a Mental Health Counselor must have a Master of Science degree, at the post master's level, he must complete two years of clinical work and must also obtain a passing score on their state licensing examination in order to get their license.

The counselor of mental health in today's competitive society should probably consider it a worthwhile investment to earn his certification from the "National Board for Certified Counselors". This step is purely voluntary but it could bring additional job opportunities.

Mental Health Counselor Salary:
Counselors of mental health make good money. The national average pay is $50,000 per year. We have seen some that make as much as $61,000 per year. This depends on your location and years of experience. Also remember that your pay will continue to increase as you gain more experience and years of service.

Mental Health Counseling School:
There are good mental health counseling schools. You need to visit the Embanet website to find one. You should be able to locate online schools or campus schools in your area. You just need to click this link to visit and get their free information.

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