Counseling Online Degree Programs
A counselor provides advice and guidance to people with temporary problems that seem overwhelming. These problems can be of a personal nature, but they may also concern family, education, mental health or career decisions. Counseling is often a shorter term solution than psychotherapy, and it emphasizes a nonjudgmental developmental or behavioral approach to solving specific problems of an acute (versus chronic) nature.
A counselor might be a social worker, spiritual adviser, psychologist, guidance counselor or some other person with specialized knowledge or training in a specific area.
Get your counseling degree online!
The careers in this field cover a wide range, so the degree and certification requirements vary. There are, however, certain universally accepted requirements. In virtually all states, for example, counselors must be licensed to practice, and a master's degree is required to obtain licensing. School counselors must also be certified.
Some counselors who hold a master's degree apply for national certification by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC), which grants the credential "National Certified Counselor." This voluntarily credential, however, is not a substitute for the mandatory state licensing. There are a number of additional counseling organizations which offer certification in specific counseling specialties.
Counselor Online Certificates
Counselor Associate Degrees
Counselor Bachelor's Degrees
Counselor Master's Degrees
Counseling Career Opportunities
If you think you have what it takes to help others get through tough times, earning an online degree in psychology can help advance your career goals, even if you currently work a full-time job.
Marriage and Family Counselors
Marriage and family counselors work with individuals, families, couples, or even entire organizations, applying various therapeutic techniques to resolve emotional and interpersonal conflicts.
School Counselor
Educational or school counselors deliver career and educational guidance to individuals and groups. High school counselors spend less time with development and more time helping students with personal and educational issues, assisting them in choosing, applying and preparing for college.
Substance Abuse Counselors
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors assist individuals who have addictive disorders, including alcohol, drug, or gambling addiction, or food-related disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. In addition, they frequently conduct prevention programs.
Vocational Counselor
Vocational counselors, also known as employment or career counselors, spend most of their time providing career and job guidance. They survey an individual's background and assists the client in making suitable career decisions.
Counseling Professional Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the field of counseling is expected to grow "faster than the average for all occupations" during this decade. Opportunities are expected to be very good, as the number of jobs is predicted to exceed the number of counseling program graduates. Rehabilitation counselors, substance abuse counselors, and behavioral disorder counselors, in particular, should experience prospects the Bureau of Labor Statistics regards as "excellent."
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that as of 2006, median annual salaries of educational, vocational and school counselors was $47,530. Elementary and high schools paid the highest salaries for these positions on average, and government employers usually paid the highest wages for substance abuse, mental health and rehabilitation counselors. Counselors with established private or independent group practices in general earned the highest wages.
