Mental Health Counselor

What is a Mental Health Counselor?

The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in mental health counselor roles:

• Meet with clients who are struggling with mental problems and disorders, and listen to patients’ thoughts and concerns
• Create a safe environment where patients feel they can be open in discussion without feeling judged, guilted, or shamed
• Provide patients with strategies for changing thought processes or behaviors to overcome negativity and other mental problems
• Refer patients to psychiatrists or other services when counseling is unable to resolve issues
• Perform administrative responsibilities like billing patients and insurance companies, and marketing services to attract more patients

A Day in the Life

Mental health counselors work with patients who are struggling with mental disorders and other mental issues like depression, low self-esteem, grief, anger, anxiety, and suicidal impulses. They commonly work in private practices and accept patients of all types, or they may work for an organization like a school, college, or nursing home, specializing in treating certain types of patients like children, young adults, or seniors. Those who specialize deal with specific issues common to certain age groups or life stages.

Mental health counselors spend the majority of their time listening and talking to patients. They work initially to get patients to open up and express their thoughts and concerns freely, creating a safe environment that’s free from judgement, guilt, or shame. In doing so, they’re better able to understand the causes of a patient’s mental issues. In some cases, the problem may be a chemical imbalance, and in other cases, the problem is a result of a patient’s tendency to apply negative thoughts to life events.

When a mental health counselor determines that a patient’s mental state is the result of a chemical imbalance, he/she often refers the patient to a psychiatrist who can prescribe medications to resolve the imbalance. When the issue is a result of the way a patient thinks about things, the counselor works with the patient to develop strategies for altering their thought processes. The counselor teaches the patient how to avoid negative thoughts, improving their overall outlook on life and eliminating issues.

Typical Work Schedule

Most mental health counselors have a full-time working schedule of about 40-50 hours per week. Their working schedule mostly follow standard business hours from 8-9 am to 4-5 pm. However, they sometimes need to work on evenings and weekends to accommodate the needs of the clients. The job can sometimes get stressful when you are helping someone or a family facing a devastating crisis. This is more common when you have a large network of clients who trust your services.

Projected Job Growth

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently around 140,000 mental health counselors working in the country. The number is expected to grow by at least 25 % from 2019 to 2029. This is much faster than the expected growth for other jobs. The criminal justice system is recognizing more and more the importance of mental health treatment in treating first offenders. In addition, some research suggests that the cost of the mental health treatment is less than the cost of incarceration. Another important field will be the increasing need for counselors to work with military veterans to provide them the appropriate mental health counseling care to help transitioning into civilian life. Many educational and work institutes currently provide mental health counseling as a service to the employees. You should consider finishing a professional bachelor’s or master’s degree to find better opportunities in the job market.

Mental Health Counselor Specializations

Some mental health counselors are generalists who deal with people of all ages suffering from a variety of mental health conditions and issues. Others specialize in treating certain issues and age groups.

• Marriage counselors specialize in working with couples and families, and work to improve the home life and relationships of patients who seek counseling and care.
• Grief counselors specialize in helping people who’ve lost loved ones overcome their grief and develop strategies for moving on with their lives.
• School counselors specialize in treating children, adolescents, teenagers, and/or young adults and provide their services on-site at schools and colleges.
• Anger management therapists work with people who struggle with high emotions and are prone to anger, teaching them how to deal with their emotions in a production—rather than destructive—manner.

Typical Employers

Mental health counselors can work for outpatient mental health centers that provide individual as well as family therapy, substance abuse and other mental health services. Other employers include working in specialized offices of other medical organizations and outpatient care centers. The list of employers also includes governmental organizations and public agencies, which include prisons, probation and parole agencies. In addition, some may be employed by hospitals and residential mental health and substance abuse facilities.