Why become counselor

If you enjoy helping people from all walks of life and are fascinated by the inner workings of the mind, a career as a counselor might be the right path for you. Professional counselors are master's or doctoral-level clinicians who provide counseling and support to individuals, couples, families and groups. They often work in private practice, but may also work in clinics, schools or nonprofit agencies. In these settings, hiring professionals may ask why you decided to become a counselor, so it's a good idea to formulate your own list of reasons in advance.

One of the most common reasons people decide to enter the field of counseling is because they have a strong desire to help others and to assist people with the challenges of daily living. You may have been told that you are a good listener, and others may often seem to feel comfortable confiding in you.

Maybe you think it's rewarding to help others find solutions to their problems. Simply fill out the form below and receive our course brochure instantly. Now enrolling January Applications closing 22 January Ten reasons why you may consider Counselling as a profession If you decide you like the sound of helping others and want to consider training to become a counsellor the next step is to review the available courses in your area.

You want to create positive change. You seek meaningful work; you want to make a difference. You seek flexibility in your career. There are strong job prospects for the industry. They are people who challenge me and know my inner world.

I would not be able to do the work I do without having these people — and others like them — in my life, caring for and loving on me, in my goodness but also in my messiness. Honesty with my consult group turns into honesty in my counseling office, all the while keeping me grounded in remembrance of how hard it is to be vulnerable. She worked with children and families in community mental health for three years, prior to opening a private practice in When I reflect on lessons learned to sustain my counseling career, two thoughts come to mind.

The first is accepting who I am and who I am not. The second is the importance of a peer group whom I can be completely vulnerable with.

We often talk to our clients about being true to themselves. Previously, I was comparing myself to other counselors, which is not mentally healthy. I saw other counselors were receiving the most up-to-date training in their niche areas, and I wondered if I was doing enough. However, in checking in with myself, I was setting myself up for burnout.

Comparing myself or going for training because I see others doing so, not because it is my area of specialization, is not what is going to sustain me for the long haul. However, I also know the importance of avoiding stagnation.

It is then that I realized I need to attend my own training to keep my clinical skills sharp, while focusing on pursing additional training in my own area of focus. One cannot be an expert in everything.

I had to be true to myself, just as we ask of our clients. The second realization I had is how invaluable a group of peers is who will listen and not judge. This could range from personal problems to countertransference. While I am an advocate of counselors attending their own counseling as needed, I have also found my group of peers — whom I know I can have honest discussions with about myself, or them with me — to be the primary source of keeping me fresh and available, day in, day out, to my clients.

Having peers who are available and nonjudgmental is fundamental. Having a solid identity as a clinician and knowing who my people are, are major factors in not only sustaining my career but maintaining my inspiration and motivation.

When I think about [career] sustainability, I think about feeling appreciated and respected by my immediate supervisor and included by my colleagues with whom I have a trusting and supportive environment. And, of course, I need to feel compensated for my work and feel that I am valued by the institution in terms of my pay. This is how I would define workplace sustainability and job satisfaction. These are my most critical factors in remaining in a career for the long haul.

This has been especially true for people of color and members of other marginalized groups. Research findings have suggested that we are far too often not supported by our peers nor by our supervisors and, as a result, we become targets of workplace bullying and implicit bias. This has led to the exodus of many talented counselors [and] counselor educators who are pushed out of promising careers.

What keeps me passionate about the work are, by far, my mentoring experiences. It has been a tremendous pleasure to see my former students acquire jobs and begin mentoring others. I feel content knowing that there is another generation of counselor educators and practitioners who have embraced the ideals that I have shared and wish to pass on these ways of being to others. I am thrilled to see how they have owned and advanced my research and teaching philosophy.

And I am constantly challenged by new ideas and beliefs that they hold. My most important lesson learned is that I am only a cog in a wheel. I have contributed to the profession to the best of my ability, but my ultimate goal is to be replaced by more energetic and passionate early career scholars and practitioners.

Generativity is a good thing. There are many things that I have worked on in order to prevent burning out. One of the main factors in preventing burnout has been maintaining strong boundaries when it comes to my family. It is necessary for me to put my family first and not allow my work to overshadow them. The first thing I did after establishing my LLC [limited liability company counseling practice] was to purchase a separate phone so that I could shut it off when necessary.

What has kept me passionate? There have been times in my career when I was not seeing clients due to school or pregnancy. When I stepped back into the counseling space, I was renewed and reminded of what I love about being a counselor.

I have also found that working with students and young professionals has been rejuvenating. I can recall being in their shoes.

Assisting them on their journey to become a counselor is immensely rewarding. A valuable lesson that I have learned is to live each moment of your process rather than completing things simply to check boxes.

I did that, to a degree, early on in my training and career. I have since learned the importance of growing with each experience and not for a moment thinking that I have it all figured out.

Continuing to learn from my peers, my clients and my mentors is a process I will never outgrow. Education and learning have always been central in my life. Staying interested in what is new or on the horizon helps me to avoid stagnation as a clinician and supervisor.

I can always try something new — or even something old in a new way. Working with populations that I love and feeling that I am helping others in some small way allow me to continue without feeling my work is mundane. Clients and supervisees will never cease to amaze me with their stories, their strength and their resilience.

I feel honored to be able to be a small part of their story. The challenge to remain fresh depends greatly on my ability to effectively manage my time. Revelations surrounding my career — sex therapy — are an everyday occurrence, with issues ranging from sex education [and] advocacy [to] societal influences and legislation.

My task is to discern how much time and energy are placed on the given subject. One day, a legislative bill threatens the rights of sexual minorities; the next day, multicultural interventions for the trans community are explored. Human sexuality is so fluid, any staleness on my part would deem me an ineffective counselor.

I often choose topics [to explore] that I am unfamiliar with or that are highly controversial. The opportunities to stay fresh on things relevant to sexuality are ubiquitous. It is just a matter of allocating the appropriate time to the appropriate issue. I truly believe that I embarked on my counseling career decades ago, although I have been seeing clients for [only] two years. A long-term counseling career is synonymous with a long-term parenting career or long-term partner career.

Counseling, similar to parenting and partnering, is innately what I do and have done for years. The particulars — CEUs, licensure, certifications, etc. For me, building a long-term counseling career comes as natural as breathing. The less organic aspect is establishing a business based on my counseling career.

Fortunately, my awesome support system and deep respect for entrepreneurship allow me to feel optimistic and excited about building a business around my career as a sex therapist. Sustaining my motivation or passion for sex therapy is relatively easy. A career in therapy can be an incredibly rewarding job for someone who likes to interact with and help people.

Time spent helping people to lead more productive, functional and happier lives can be deeply satisfying. Still, many people become therapists without knowing or understanding the true requirements of the profession. These months will teach about the myriad ways that people respond to therapy. Take advantage of this opportunity. Soak up the experience by immersing yourself in study and learning as much as you can about each population.

However, you will have growing experiences; many, many growing experiences. Beating yourself up over these experiences can only damage your confidence and make you less sure of your methods. Follow your instincts with each patient. Patients who are motivated to be in therapy will guide themselves through much of their own trouble. Think of yourself as a facilitator instead of a leader. Trust is the foundation of a good relationship between a therapist and a patient, but real trust can take months or even years to build.

Therapists in a private practice will take years to develop a strong, steady client base. This can make for some tough years at the beginning. Networking, introducing yourself to others and encouraging referrals can help you build up your client base more quickly.