Do you dream of a career where you can make a difference in the lives of people within your community? Are you a thoughtful, honest, and careful listener? If so, a career as a counsellor could be the career for you. Counsellors work each day to create a positive change through valuable assistance to individuals in emotional need. Counselling is a flexible and fulfilling field that’s in demand, making this potential career one you should consider.
What’s involved in being a counsellor?
Counselling is a type of confidential therapy where a trained counsellor or therapist listens to a client and establishes methods to help the client work through emotional issues. A counsellor should have a strong desire to help people improve their mental and emotional health, and their overall quality of life. As a counsellor, you may assist people struggling in a variety of areas, including but not limited to:
- Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, or eating disorders
- Emotional health issues including low self-esteem, self-harm, aggression, and anger
- Physical conditions including weight issues, infertility, chronic and terminal illness
- Major life events such as bereavement and loss, family planning and childbirth, job change or loss, retirement, relationship breakdowns, separation, and divorce
- Struggles with sexuality or gender identity
- Sexual, physical or emotional abuse, or substance addictions.
As a counsellor, you’ll set appointments with clients where you’ll listen to their concerns and support them without judgment or criticism. You won’t necessarily give advice or tell clients what do, instead, you’ll guide them to find healthy solutions to their problems.
Why you might want to become a counsellor
Counselling is an opportunity to affect the life of another person in a positive and meaningful way. But that’s just one of the many reasons why you might want to consider counselling as a career. Here are the top six reasons to become a counsellor:
1. Counselling has many opportunities
As a counsellor, you may work in schools, universities, workplaces, hospitals, youth centres, or churches and religious organisations. Counselling allows for self-employment, freelance work, and volunteering to add to your experience and portfolio. Additionally, you can work with clients of all ages, such as children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
2. The industry allows for flexibility and work-life balance
A counselling career can be a flexible one that caters to your personal life and responsibilities. Counsellors average 34 hours a week, and the ability to determine your own schedule means you can schedule appointments with clients around your existing commitments.
3. You can experience a feeling of meaning in your career
Often people leave previously established careers to switch to counselling because they want a sense of meaning that their previous career was unable to offer. Counselling allows you to connect to others and help them through some of the most difficult and challenging moments of their lives. What could be more meaningful than that?
4. Job growth in the industry continues to rise
With job prospects for counsellors at a high, the time is right to enter this field. Employment in counselling has increased 57.1% over the last five years compared to the 10.9% growth shown in other career fields. Over the next five years, employment growth in counselling is expected to rise 3.2% per year.
5. You can make a real difference in someone’s life
A counsellor provides much-needed assistance to clients who are experiencing problems in their everyday lives. As a counsellor, you provide guidance, support, and direction, and you can see your contribution to your client’s betterment firsthand as together you work towards a positive solution to their problem.
6. Counselling allows for continual professional and personal growth
It’s not just your clients who’ll grow from your sessions with them; you’ll grow as a professional and a person too. From a personal perspective, helping other people through their struggles can help you address your own problems and approaches to resolutions. In addition, there are multiple study options available to counsellors for continued education. As this field develops rapidly, you can grow with it by continuing your education.
Becoming a counsellor
If you like the sound of helping people navigate the difficulties of life, then you should consider enrolling in a counselling course. Generally, within three years or less, you can complete your diploma and move onto more advanced level courses.
