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People, who are interested in helping out people, while at the same time listening to them, are meant to be counselors.Graduates with a Master of Counseling have the opportunity to hold professional positions in many sectors. Counseling is described as “a calling, which people should respond to with a positive attitude” (National Rehabilitation Counseling Association, 2005). The United States Bureau of statistics believes that there are many opportunities for employment for graduate counseling students. By the year 2018, an 18% increase will be realized in the number of jobs available. There are many settings where Masters Degree counselors can work depending on their specialty.
They can work as school counselors whereby they help students at various schools. They ensure that students who have issues open up, in order to try and solve their problems. Furthermore, they provide services such as group and individual services, while working together with educators, teachers and parents. Work can be found in high school, middle school and elementary school. This means that the work of school counselors is becoming more demanding and thus the need for Masters counseling graduates (Nassar-McMillan, Spencer, and Spencer, 2009).
Graduates with a Masters degree in counseling can work as family and marriage counselors. It is mandatory that, before one attains the above professional qualification, they have a postgraduate degree. The graduates have to be accredited by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The graduates are responsible for ensuring that family members understand and communicate well with each other. Moreover, they ensure that family members have the required behaviors as well as perceptions concerning their relationships. The counselors also help prevent individual and family crisis. Another vital function they perform is carrying out research and ensuring psychiatric resources are referenced. In other settings, they teach others about interpersonal relationships and human development.
Other professional counselors are mental health counselors, and they need to have a Masters degree. They are involved in treating families and individuals with mental disorders. At the same time, they help those who suffer from grief, trauma, depression, as well as anxiety. In a way, they have similar functions as those of school and marriage counselors. It needs to be known that “Counselors have the ability to cater to different people, but through having a Masters degree, they become more competent.” (Herr, Heitzman and Rayman 2006). The latter is because they advise people in relationship problems, school and career concerns. It is vital that mental health counselors work with school counselors, psychiatric nurses and social workers.
Lastly, Masters Degree graduates in counseling can work as substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. This means that they treat people with disorders dealing in eating, gambling, alcohol, and drugs. They have to ensure that individuals with issues find the reasons behind their disorders. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors are trained specifically in recovery programs for individuals. They have to develop and assist in the making the programs become successful (Nassar-McMillan, Spencer, and Spencer, 2009). The programs are beneficial in coming up with coping strategies and improving healthy behaviors among individuals. Nasser-McMillan, Spencer and Spencer (2009) claim that “those treated by counselors should in turn be confident about the help they have received.” Often they have to work together with the people close to the ones affected by addiction. In most societies, these counselors often are in charge of community outreach programs. Moreover, they ensure that the public is informed about addiction and other disorders by educating them (Herr, Heitzman and Rayman 2006). The counselors try and come up with strategies, which prevent addiction. In conclusion, Masters Degree holders in counseling have various settings where they can work depending on what interests them. Counseling is an exciting, professional career and more students should be motivated to join it.
References
Herr, E. Heitzman, D and Rayman, J. (2006). The professional counselor as administrator: perspectives on leadership and management of counseling services across settings. New York: Routledge.
Nassar-McMillan, S. Spencer G. and Spencer N. ( 2009). Developing Your Identity as a Professional Counselor: Standards, Settings, and Specialties. New York: Cengage Learning.
National Rehabilitation Counseling Association. (2005). Journal of applied rehabilitation counseling, Volume 36. University of Virginia
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