Career in Counselling

What: A counsellor is a teacher, confidant, and advisor to his/her clients. Counsellors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health (depression), drug and alcohol addiction and career decisions and problems. Their duties depend on the individuals they serve and the settings in which they work.

Counsellors work in different kinds of settings – schools, colleges, clinics, De-addiction, NGOS, AIDS counselling centres, welfare departments as well as in private practice. There are counselling services that target specific groups, e.g. young people, the elderly, or specific problems such as drug addiction, AIDS etc.

How: Counselling in Schools & Educational Institutes: The counsellors who work at the elementary, middle, secondary, and post-secondary school levels provide support to the child’s development at school. School counsellor’s help students understand and deal with their social, behavioural, and personal problems. They help students develop the life skills needed to deal with problems before they occur, and so enhance personal, social, and academic growth.

Counsellors in Rehabilitation Centres: Counsellors help people deal with the personal, social, and vocational effects of disabilities resulting from birth defects, illness or disease and accidents.

Behavioural counsellors work with individuals who have problems which they find difficult to face alone. Counsellors help individuals deal with addictions and substance abuse, suicide, stress management, problems with self-esteem, issues associated with ageing, job and career concerns, educational decisions, issues of mental and emotional health, and family, parenting, and marital problems.

Marriage counsellors help to sort out the marital problems of their clients. They talk to their clients and make them voice their grievances. They essentially help couples enrich their married life.

Career counsellors help students evaluate their abilities, interests, talents, and personality characteristics so that students can develop realistic academic and career goals. Counsellors use interviews, counselling sessions, tests, or other methods when evaluating and advising students.

Where: More than academic qualifications, counsellors must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems they address. They must also have the emotional stability and maturity to handle other people’s problems without becoming emotionally involved. They should have a strong interest in helping others, be sensitive and perceptive in assessing people and be able to inspire respect, trust, and confidence. They should be able to work independently or as part of a team.

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