The essence of a counsellor’s job is to assist people in identifying and solving their problems, which requires helping clients to overcome the challenge of negative, harmful feelings and thoughts. If you have excellent and active listening skills, you are capable of being compassionate and nonjudgmental, and you enjoy problem-solving, counselling might be the right career for you. Counsellors are there for people who need guidance in difficult times, which makes this an excellent field for anyone who loves working with and helping people.
Professional counsellors are licensed mental health therapists who assess and diagnose people struggling with life challenges, stressors, and mental health problems. Counsellors build professional relationships with their clients and help them to resolve the issues that impact their health, wellbeing, and happiness.
A successful counsellor needs to have strong interpersonal skills, especially empathy, integrity, acceptance, and dedication to assisting others. Clients may need help with careers, relationships, or mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Because of the sensitive nature of some clients’ problems, they need a counsellor who values confidentiality and in whom they can trust.
While it is necessary to have the communication and interpersonal skills required in the counselling field, other qualities also make for an excellent counsellor. The following five reasons are another good gauge to determine if a career as a counsellor is a fit for you.
To be a counsellor, you need to have a strong desire to help people improve their lives. As a counsellor, you will have the opportunity to provide an emotional need and empower your clients to make positive life changes. Smart, capable, and practical approaches to addressing clients’ problems and suggesting appropriate solutions are a daily component of this career field. There are always new challenges arising in counselling, so you will have many opportunities to grow as a person, counsellor, and problem-solver.
If you are someone who wants to feel a sense of purpose at the end of each day, then counselling may be your calling. Helping people reach their full potential, aiding them in their progress each session, and watching them work toward their goals can give you a sense of accomplishment. Every day you will go to work knowing that you are helping others, changing lives, and making a difference.
Counselling careers can be flexible, with an average workload of 34 to 41 hours weekly. You can set your hours, which allows you to schedule your sessions around other commitments, activities, and responsibilities. This career field is an ideal choice if work-life balance is important to you.
Counselling offers many career advancements, especially as this field is expected to grow strongly. The Australian government predicts that 25,000 counsellors will be employed by 2020, up significantly from 15,000 in 2005. To become a counsellor, you study and complete courses at a diploma level. After achieving your diploma, you can further your education with a graduate degree and a masters degree in counselling.
As a counsellor, you will also enter a well-paying field. Full-time counsellors can expect an average yearly salary of $62,706, with plenty of room for further advancement and the chance to run your own business if you so choose.
Counsellors have the opportunity to meet and work with people from all walks of life. This fact means that you not only need to enjoy working with people, but you must also be open to working with different types of people. Knowledge and experience in multicultural competency and having a multicultural worldview are essential to being an effective counsellor. Consider counselling as a career field if you are someone who can honestly try to understand your clients no matter their race, religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
People who become counsellors often find that they had a natural ability and desire to empathise with other people even before they became a professional. Having the ability to listen carefully, without judgment, to people’s hopes and fears is a necessary skill a counsellor needs; however, your natural talent can be honed and trained through academic courses that will teach you what to say and when to say it.
Does the prospect of a career in counselling appeal to you? Don’t wait to get started on a career with purpose and meaning, as well as projected growth and security. Get your career on the fast track and enrol in the International Career Institute’s Counselling and Psychology courses today. Make a difference in your life and the lives of others in this rewarding career field.
Gladys Mae serves as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute. Gladys holds a degree in Mass Communication - Broadcast Media from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. She joined ICI in 2010 and has over the past 12 years been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to staff and students alike. Prior to joining ICI Gladys led a multifaceted career with key roles in the banking and business process outsourcing industries.
Join our mailing list today and stay updated with the latest news and offers curated for you
