How to Become a Counselor

If you like to help people with practical solutions to problems in their lives, learning how to become a counselor may appeal to you. Counselors do some of the same type of work as psychologists and social workers, but go through separate and distinctive education and training for their field.
How to Become a Counselor Tips
1. Check state licensing laws in the state where you plan to get your license
2. Take as many psychology and counseling courses as you can when you are getting your bachelor's degree
3. A bachelor's degree in psychology is helpful, but not always required
4. Get a CACREP-accredited Master's degree in counseling
5. CACREP is a voluntary organization that certifies counseling education and can reduce or remove some work experience requirements
6. Consider a counseling specialty

Introduction
- Counselors receive specialized educational training to help people deal with specific problems and find solutions. Counselors can work with patients in hospitals, students in schools, or clients in private practices. Although there are several counseling specialties, and requirements vary from state to state, the basics on how to become a counselor are fairly simple.BLS: Counselor
Step 1: Do Your Research
- Each state is in charge of licensing the counselors for that state. There is no uniform national standard for counselor licensing. As a result, rules and requirements can differ sharply from state to state. Check the National Board of Counseling Certification (NBCC) Web site for a comprehensive overview of each state's licensing and education requirements.NBCC: State Licensure Directory
1. Research the state: Look into the licensing requirements of the state where you complete your education and the state you plan to live in once you graduate. NBCC: State Licensure Allpsychologyschools.com: Counseling licensing requirements by state
2. Research the school: Make sure your preferred school meets the licensing requirement for the state you plan to be licensed in.CACREP: Home page NBCC: State Licensure
3. Research the specialty: Certain counseling specialties, such as school counselor, may require more education and training than a basic counseling license. NBCCExams
Bachelor's Degree
- A bachelor's degree is required as a foundation for your counseling education. All further study in counseling requires a bachelor's degree.
1. Get undergrad experience in psychology: Make sure to take as many psychology and counseling courses as you can when you are completing your bachelor's degree.
2. Work with school advisers: School advisers can help you decide which courses to take.
3. Consider getting a degree in psychology: Most schools do not have a bachelor's degree in counseling. A bachelor's degree in psychology, therefore, most closely prepares you for the work you'll do as a counselor and will be particularly helpful once you've moved on to graduate school.
Master's Degree
- If you want to be a counselor, you must get a master's degree in counseling. Although social work and psychology are similar to counseling, master's degrees in those areas will not allow you to be a counselor.Ball State University: Counseling Admissions Requirements Marquette University: Counseling Admissions
1. Take the GRE: Most schools require Graduate Record Examination scores as part of their admissions process to a graduate program in counseling.Ball State University: Counseling Admissions Requirements Marquette University: Counseling Admissions
2. Apply to several schools: Don't just apply to one school and assume you will get in. Although the demand for counselors is expected to increase by 20 percent from 2008-2026, getting into graduate programs is a competitive process. Select a few schools that you would like to attend and apply to all of them.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors
3. Find a certified program: The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) sets voluntary standards for counseling programs. A CACREP program can reduce the amount of work experience needed for a counselor to get licensed and is accepted in nearly all states.CACREP: Home page
Step 3: Examination and Work Experience
- Most states require you to take a counseling exam to become fully licensed. Most exams are administered by computer. NBCCExams Depending on the state and the counseling specialty, you could be required to take one of several exams and complete post-graduate work before you can start working independently as a counselor.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors
1. NCE: The National Counselor Exam, administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors, is the most common counseling exam used across the United States. It is generally, though not always, used for basic counseling licensees. NBCCExams
2. CRCC: Rehabilitation counselors in many states are required to take the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Education exam. These types of counselors focus on helping people with disabilities or injuries recover and live active lives. NBCCExams
3. NCMHCE: The NBCC also gives a special exam for mental health counselors, called the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE). NBCCExams
4. Supervised work experience: Many states require supervised work experience after graduation before a counselor can become fully licensed. This can take anywhere from one to two years on average.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors
Step 4: Apply for License
- Once you meet the requirements to be licensed, you must apply to obtain a license. All states except California require you to have a license before you can practice counseling. NBCC: State Licensure
1. Send application and fee into the state. Each state has its own set of forms to fill out and turn in. In most states, you cannot practice counseling until you get your license. Read the application thoroughly and follow the instructions.Allpsychologyschools.com: Counseling licensing requirements by state BLS: Counselor
2. Send exam scores and transcripts: Most states require these but do not accept student copies or photocopies of these documents.
3. Send work experience: Post-graduate work experience is a licensing requirement for many states. Generally between one and three years of work experience is needed. Some states waive or reduce work experience if you have a degree that is CACREP-certified.CACREP: Home page
4. Specialties: Some states require additional exams, education and work experience for counseling specialties. Some specialties include:
  1. School guidance counselor
  2. Rehabilitation counselor
  3. Substance abuse counselor
  4. Mental health counselor NBCCExams
5. Once your license is issued, you can begin work.
Step 5: Find a Job
- According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there are many job opportunities for new counselors. The counseling profession will have about 130,000 new jobs come available between 2006 and 2016. Many counselors work in health care settings, school settings and private practice. BLS: Counselor
1. Think about work environment: Counseling jobs can be found that cater to a number of different types of work environments. Do you want to be off summers? Do you prefer a 9 to 5 desk job? Do you like working for yourself? This will help you focus your job search.
2. Government jobs: Many counselors are employed at the federal, state, and local levels of government. Check your state's jobs site as well as local city websites for job postings.BLS: Counselor
3. Alumni resources: Most colleges have career centers that can help individuals find jobs. Recent alumni are usually free to use these centers, which offer books, computers and face-time with career counselors at a reduced rate.
4. Networking: Asking family, friends and former professors for their knowledge about jobs in your field can be a useful way to find leads and to learn about job opportunities.
Conclusion

Counseling is a field with a promising future, as jobs continue to open up as the need for services increases and those who have been working in the profession retire. If you are looking to help people from all walks of life cope with life's obstacles, counseling may prove to be an exciting and challenging career choice.