What It Means To Be A Professional Counselor
There are many different types of counselors out there. There are the ones who just listen to your problems, there are social workers who won’t charge you an arm and a leg for help, there are ones who can legally write prescriptions and at the end of the day, it can be a very confusing time for someone who just needs help. Not everybody needs the same kind of help, but chances are what you do need is a certified mental health counselor.
Just because you feel like your problem isn’t a big enough deal, it doesn’t mean you don’t need help. For example, you may be constantly anxious about work, but that does not mean you need less help than someone who is suicidal. Regardless of what that problem is, a certified counselor is there to help you with a broad range of problems – be it mental or emotional. Your counselor will help you develop a means to improve your mental and emotional well being which will in turn have an impact on not only your quality of life but also your physical health. There is a correlation between mental health and physical health which is why it is so important to seek help even if you think it’s unnecessary or not important. However, finding the right kind of help can be a daunting task, which often tends to be more overwhelming than telling someone you need help.
The problem however is that people tend to overlook counselors in favor of psychologists or other forms of practitioners. The main difference, aside from the monthly bill, is that psychologists train on a doctoral level, whereas counselors train on a master’s level. Both tend to have overlapping duties; however the difference is in their specific practice as well as their training. Certified counseling is relatively new in comparison to other fields such as psychology or social work which means that many don’t understand the benefits. Licensing also differs from state to state as well as within each discipline. This means that a certified counselor counsels differently to a certified mental health counselor. Each is taught according to a specific discipline, how best to aid their patients even if the core content is the same – different tasks are performed depending on the need of the people in question.
In terms of their training and practice, people believe that counselors have a limited working scope. That they only deal with ‘fluff’ issues instead of more serious issues or even familial issues. However, counselors are trained to deal with all issues using various methods and techniques to help the patient in question. Due to legislative requirements, some counselors are not allowed to diagnose patients, but can refer you to specialists who may also be able to help you.
It may be difficult to find the right counselor, not every person is the perfect fit. However, here at Wake Counseling & Meditation we want nothing more than to help you or your loved ones. We offer a variety of support groups as well as workshops. We also offer counseling for individuals or families. If you feel that you’d like to have a chat with us, please get in touch with us to schedule a consultation.
