What is a Mental Health Counselor?

Some people are driven to help others, but there are many ways to accomplish this. Have you thought of becoming a mental health counselor?

What do Mental Health Counselors do, anyway? (From The American Mental Health Counselors Association)

• Assessment and diagnosis
• Psychotherapy
• Treatment planning and utilization review
• Brief and solution-focused therapy
• Alcoholism and substance abuse treatment
• Psychoeducational and prevention programs
• Crisis management

Where do Mental Health Counselors practice? (Again, from the AMHCA)

• Community agencies
• Managed behavioral health care organizations
• Integrated delivery systems
• Hospitals
• Employee assistance programs
• Substance abuse treatment centers.
• Independent practice

Difference Between Social Work and Mental Health Counseling (From AllPsychologySchools.com)

Social workers are often referred to as the liaison between the patient or client and the community. Social workers help people deal with their relationships with others; solve their personal, family, and community problems; and grow and develop as they learn to cope with or shape the social and environmental forces affecting daily life.

Mental health counselors can practice independently in some states, although most are employed in clinics and hospitals. They perform individual, couples/family, and group therapy, and may assist psychologists with testing and other forms of treatment.

While there is some overlap between the professions, social workers are more likely to be involved with case management, while mental health counselors often provide direct therapy.

Job Outlook (Also from AllPsychology Schools.com)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for counselors is expected to grow on average 21 percent—much faster than the national average for all occupations through 2016.

Marriage and family counselors and mental health counselors will see an average growth of 30 percent and rehabilitation counselors will average 23 percent job growth through 2016.

Mental Health Counseling at The College of Saint Rose

The College of Saint Rose offers a 60 credit graduate program in Mental Health Counseling in two distinct concentrations.

Mental Health Counseling: Community prepares licensed professional counselors to address the clinical needs of children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of mental health and community settings

Mental Health Counseling: College prepares licensed professional counselors to address the clinical needs of college and university students.

Find out more about these programs here. The fall application deadline for programs in Counseling is April 15. Are you ready to help others? Apply now. Change the world.