No matter what type of counseling degree you pursue, there are multiple concentrations you can choose in order to become a specific type of counselor.
Some counselors deal with a certain type of patient. Others deal with a specific situation. Let’s take a look at the job options you have in the counseling field so you can figure out which is right for you.
Types of Counseling
Working with a five-year-old autistic child is much different from working with a 50-year-old dealing with a meth addiction! Your education can help you prepare for specific situations surrounding these patients if you choose a specialty. Some of your options include:
- Mental Health: Working with patients who deal with mental diseases and health problems, such as paranoia, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety
- Marriage: Helping married couples work through relationship problems or amicably facilitate a divorce
- School/Guidance: In an elementary or secondary school, helping students get the most out of their education
- Addiction: Working with addicts of drugs, alcohol, gambling, and other vices
- Grief: Teaching people to deal with major losses
- Career: Helping people understand their career options and make career decisions
- Rehabilitation: Working with patients dealing with physical disabilities or injury
- Family: Often in combination with marriage counseling, dealing with entire families (parents and kids) to help with difficult situations
- Religious: Guiding patients according to religious teachings (most common in Christianity)
In addition, you can serve simply as an individual life guidance counselor, working with people who need to talk about problems they face or deal with situations in the past.