# Counselors!



## IAmMe2010 (Oct 8, 2011)

Anybody out there in the field of counseling? I'm thinking on making this my major at one point and would like to hear from people who have been or who are currently in this field of work...

(I apologize if this is the wrong place for this sort of post I just figured that since counseling is in the same field as psychology it might be a good place to post this question :wink: )


----------



## IAmMe2010 (Oct 8, 2011)

Hmmmm, should I maybe move this to a different section?


----------



## Soul Eater (Jun 6, 2010)

I would move it to the education/career section.


----------



## NekoNinja (Apr 18, 2010)

Moved to Education & Career.


----------



## funcoolname (Sep 17, 2011)

Yes, sortof, at the bottom of a huge academic mountain that will hopefully culminate in a doctorate one day. You didn't really ask any questions, so I don't know how to help you.


----------



## Hekate (Nov 20, 2011)

IAmMe2010 said:


> Anybody out there in the field of counseling? I'm thinking on making this my major at one point and would like to hear from people who have been or who are currently in this field of work...


What is it that you would like to know about the counseling field? Where are / Who are you interested in/with working once you have your degree (i.e., hospital, school, private practice, psychiatric ward, rehabilitation, Human Resources)?

Have you considered interviewing different counseling professionals nearby to see pros/cons and what inspired them to enter the field? What interests you about the field?

How can we help you?


----------



## IAmMe2010 (Oct 8, 2011)

Well, I'd like to know what it's like to work as a counselor. What are the pro's and the con's, the positive and the negative. Would I be able to keep myself and any prospective family members fed and housed with a career in counseling and how would I go about becoming one (degrees, schooling).

I think I'd be most interested in working any where there would be people who needed me. A hospital or a school would be wonderful in all honesty.

Actually it hadn't yet crossed my mind...what do you think would be a good approach for getting in contact with them? I always feel a little uneasy about contacting professionals on their own time...hmmm, I'll probably just send an e-mail to introduce myself and see if they wouldn't mind be interviewed...

I think what most interests me is the idea getting to meet different people, hear their stories, and help them with their problems/encourage them. Also my mom seems to think I'd fit right into the job and she's not the first to insist I enter into some sort of field of medicine or therapy. (apparently I just seem to have the personality for it )

Well, you could maybe give me your opinion on counseling and counselors, why you choose to inter the field, and if you ever regretted the decision etc...

(Hey, sorry for making my first post so vague, there was just this big wall of interest in my head that wasn't offering any specific questions, I just wanted to learn more about it but I wasn't sure what direction to go in first as far as questions go)


----------



## Hekate (Nov 20, 2011)

Well, I'd like to know what it's like to work as a counselor. What are the pro's and the con's, the positive and the negative. Would I be able to keep myself and any prospective family members fed and housed with a career in counseling and how would I go about becoming one (degrees, schooling).

This would be easier to answer with more specifics.

I think I'd be most interested in working any where there would be people who needed me. A hospital or a school would be wonderful in all honesty.

I asked about location and population because it will partially determine which degree program you enter at the graduate level, where you want to start directing your focus in undergrad. It also affects your work schedule and income. Would you like to be a medical social worker in a hospital? or work in the emergency department? what about transplant or hospice? Perhaps you want to work with children - would you work with autism and ABA training? AD/HD? Private practice or on a school campus? Would you work for a corporation that receives funding from the state and be a contract therapist in various schools in a district? Would you want to work in a psychiatric hospital or unit? Would you want to dispense medication? Work in geriatric psychology?

Actually it hadn't yet crossed my mind...what do you think would be a good approach for getting in contact with them? I always feel a little uneasy about contacting professionals on their own time...hmmm, I'll probably just send an e-mail to introduce myself and see if they wouldn't mind be interviewed...

You could speak with the school psychologist at your school; you could call up a local therapist or email someone who sounds like they are doing what you are interested in (i.e., PsychologyToday). Email them, say you want to learn more about the field and what it is like. Have about 10-15 questions that you could ask. Most have some dead blocks of time like 1pm when no one's in session with them.

I think what most interests me is the idea getting to meet different people, hear their stories, and help them with their problems/encourage them. 

You will definitely have the opportunity to meet different people: superiors, supervisors, colleagues, your clients, and if you choose to work with children - their parents as well.

Well, you could maybe give me your opinion on counseling and counselors, why you choose to inter the field, and if you ever regretted the decision etc...

The only thing I regret is not researching more about different schools and the perspectives that they pass onto their students. I came out of a Social Work program that taught a lot of Solution-focused and brief interventions. However, in the field now, I have a lot of long-term clients. SFT just doesn't cut it. Read into Satire, Rogers, Minuchin, Jung, Gestalt, etc. See which ones you like or would enjoy working with and look at schools that offer those kinds of programs for graduate work. Psychology field practically necessitates graduate studies (Masters, PhD, PsyD, PhD/MD).

I chose to enter the field because I interacted with a lot of school psychologists and counselors when I was a teenager. Helping my friends literally survive school was thrust upon me. Later, I learned that I enjoy the observation, symbolism, and what ifs of psychology appealed to me as well.


----------



## funcoolname (Sep 17, 2011)

Hekate did a good job, but I'll see what I can add



IAmMe2010 said:


> Well, I'd like to know what it's like to work as a counselor. What are the pro's and the con's, the positive and the negative. Would I be able to keep myself and any prospective family members fed and housed with a career in counseling and how would I go about becoming one (degrees, schooling).
> I think I'd be most interested in working any where there would be people who needed me. A hospital or a school would be wonderful in all honesty.


The pros and cons probably really depend on what sort of practice you go into. And in the psychology field, as in pretty much any other field, if you're being hired or there are people coming to see you - you're needed  There's private practice, hospital work, school counselors, social workers, government jobs, child psychology, forensic, etc. Maybe do some research online or at a library for specifics on each. Social workers usually get a masters (2 years on top of college) to make ~50k a year, with less schooling they make ~30k. Psychologists have to go through a lot more school (6-8 years) but usually make ~60, those with a lot of experience in clinical can make ~100K, and depending on what sort of branch they go into. It's also possible to get a Masters (as long as it's not a Terminal Masters - check with the programs that interest you to make sure it isn't if you want to go on to get a Doctorate) and then go for a Doctorate. 



> Actually it hadn't yet crossed my mind...what do you think would be a good approach for getting in contact with them? I always feel a little uneasy about contacting professionals on their own time...hmmm, I'll probably just send an e-mail to introduce myself and see if they wouldn't mind be interviewed...


Yes, this will help. Most counseling psychologists are people-people, it's what their job revolves around, so don't be shy. 



> Well, you could maybe give me your opinion on counseling and counselors, why you choose to inter the field, and if you ever regretted the decision etc...


At this point, I'm working on beefing up my resume for grad school. I don't think I'll regret it. Psychology interests me, I really like being able to read and understand myself and other people, helping others, and I like the flexibility and variety the field offers.


----------



## sleepyhead (Nov 14, 2011)

IAmMe2010 said:


> Well, I'd like to know what it's like to work as a counselor. What are the pro's and the con's, the positive and the negative. Would I be able to keep myself and any prospective family members fed and housed with a career in counseling and how would I go about becoming one (degrees, schooling).


 I can tell you about my personal experience. I came in to counselling in a bit of a round about way. I was a university student majoring in a faculty that provided grants to local agencies to hire a student. So, a local Centre ended up hiring me as front desk support on a very part time basis. When my term ended, I was asked to stay on. I took on a 2nd position of coordinating a program, then a couple of years later a 3rd position of coordinating another program. Finally about 3 years ago a Counsellor opening came up and I let it be known I was interested and I've been doing this ever since.

First, the kind of counselling we do does not require any specific type of educational background. I have various counselling backgrounds through my jobs, but I also did a 3 month training program and 3 months of practicum work through another well respected agency. This just happened to coincide with when the counselling position became available, so because I had that background and I have other more experienced staff to debrief with and go to when I'm having issues, and because it can be incredibly hard to keep good staff at not-for-profits, I was offered the job. 

Second, the kind of counselling we do is ongoing and we work up to 12 months with one client, and then they can go back on our waitlist (our programming is all free of charge). I have about 18 ongoing clients and I also run support groups (1-2) a year. We deal with a lot of very serious domestic violence, mental health, family or origin, trauma and abuse related issues. We also deal with folks who just need to come in and get some things cleared off their chest. The kind of work I do is definitely not for everyone. I really really really love what I do and I don't have a big issue with taking things home with me, but other people I know have a very difficult time hearing some of the traumatic things that you end up hearing. 

Anyway, all of that is to say there are definitely some unconventional ways of getting into the field. I also have a friend doing her PhD in psych but she's found the experience to be...mixed. She enjoys it but finds that there's a big gap between clinical work and working with individuals from a harm reduction, empowerment model.

I'm also thinking of getting my Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy but at this point, it wouldn't be for another 10 years or so.

At my job, we have a weekly scheduled debriefing time to talk about any issues, troubles, triggers, etc that we're having and it is a very supportive environment. This, from what I've heard, isn't super common. It's extremely important to have a good understanding of self care, vicarious trauma and burnout if you're going to be doing any kind of helping work.



> Actually it hadn't yet crossed my mind...what do you think would be a good approach for getting in contact with them? I always feel a little uneasy about contacting professionals on their own time...hmmm, I'll probably just send an e-mail to introduce myself and see if they wouldn't mind be interviewed...


Every so often we hear from a random student who is interested in hearing how to get into the kind of work we do at the Centre I work at. I don't think people mind and the worst they can really do is just ignore you. Sending a quick email sounds like a good route to go.




> Well, you could maybe give me your opinion on counseling and counselors, why you choose to inter the field, and if you ever regretted the decision etc...


I always kind of knew I wanted to do something in the not-for-profit, helping sector. I used to think counselling wouldn't be a good fit for me but now I can't imagine doing anything else. I really love my work and so far I haven't regretted the decision. I'm only 3 years in, but I plan to be doing the same job I'm doing now for a very long time.


----------



## IAmMe2010 (Oct 8, 2011)

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the awesome answers, I'm already looking into a few local counselers I could contact(there are a lot more than I first imagined XD ) Anyway, I'd write more but I've got a killer headache right now >.<

Thanks again,

-IAmMe2010


----------

