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Who is a Counsellor?
Be an informed advocate and support ~ Asa Don Brown
If you are a good listener, have problem-solving capabilities, as well as a positive outlook towards life then becoming a counsellor can be a good career choice for you. There are several counsellor jobs in the field of counselling. Nowadays, students are very confused when it comes to choosing a career or often have issues in their academic life. Not only that a counsellor is also required in order to help a patient recover. Therefore, there is a lot of scope in the field of counselling. Several counsellor jobs are available in the market.
A counsellor is someone who is trained to listen to people and give them advice about their problems. Individuals who opt for a career as counsellor works with individuals and groups to improve their mental health and well-being, helps clients define goals, plan actions and gain insights, develops pathways to the goal with different alternatives, acts as a facilitator to reach goals, takes care of holistic (mind and body) health. In this article, we will discuss how to become a counsellor in India and how to become a counsellor after 12.
Counsellor in a Nutshell
Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors begin their career with a bachelor's degree in counselling or psychology. From there, you'll be required to receive a graduate degree, either a master's or doctorate, to play the role of a professional counsellor.
Quick Facts for Counsellor
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Industry
Healthcare
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Average Salary in India
₹23500
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Suitable for
Male, Female, Others
Individuals can take up a career as counsellors, it is not gender-specific. Males, women, and others can choose a career as a counsellor. Counselling is a gender-independent career and is apt for any gender type. Gender bias is non-existent in terms of education or salary as gender type is deemed insignificant for the career path.
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Any special needs
No
Everyone, including those with physical disabilities, is suitable for a career as a counsellor. A career as a counsellor is well suited to everyone, even those with special needs. If the disability is not impeding the efficiency of the counselling task then counselling could be an apt career choice for people with special needs as it does not involve any physical activities that require strength or stamina. In most scenarios, counsellors work from a static location and are often only required to communicate with clients through calls.
Table of Contents for Counsellor
What is the role of Counsellor?
Counsellors are trained to assist people in working through their personal and emotional issues. Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors provide a safe and confidential environment in which clients can learn to work through their issues and develop strategies to address and resolve problems on their own. Counsellor's jobs are to assist clients in coping with issues on a conscious level which is more easily resolved through short-term treatment.
Counsellor's job description includes assisting clients working through powerful emotional processes such as anger and grief, dealing with difficult life decisions, or working through conflicts in their relationships. Here in this article, we will be discussing what degree you need to become a counsellor, basic counselling skills, career counselling courses in India, and also what degree you need to be a therapist. Read the complete article to know more about how to become a Counsellor in India.
Work on mental health
The role of a professional counselor involves working with individuals, groups, families, and communities to improve mental health. They encourage their clients to share their feelings and emotions. Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors also address issues related to depression, anger, relationships, abuse, bullying, stress, and more. They sometimes refer the clients to psychiatrists if required.
Address issues
Counselors ask their clients to talk about their emotions, and how they exactly feel. Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors examine issues such as abuse, aging, bullying, anger management, careers, depression, relationships, self-image, LGBTQ issues, stress, and suicide. They also address people with problems such as conflicts or choices in their lives. Counselors also conduct therapy sessions for people. They gave directions to their clients about goals.
Types of a Counsellor
We have mentioned below the types of a Counsellor and Counsellor career options.
Educator: School counsellors or children's counsellors assist students at all levels, from elementary school to college. Listen to students' concerns about academic, emotional, or social problems. Student counsellor job description includes helping students process their problems and plan goals and actions. Mediate conflict between students and teachers. One could work in schools, colleges, and universities, helping to support students with study and personal issues.
Healthcare professional: Healthcare professional's jobs are to work in different hospital settings and are an important part of a patient's treatment team. Therefore the counsellor's primary role is case management, meaning to help the family find important resources the patient needs after they are discharged. They could find work in hospitals, GP surgeries, community, and occupational healthcare teams helping clients with a range of problems. The voluntary sector also provides an array of job options.
Social Worker: Another option is to use your knowledge and counselling skills to move into settings such as teaching and social work. In the role of counsellor, the social worker helps client systems articulate their needs, clarify their problems, explore resolution strategies, and apply intervention strategies to develop and expand the capacities of client systems to deal with their problems more effectively.
Clinical psychologist: A clinical psychologist or therapist would benefit from clinical supervision in order to monitor their work with clients and also to guarantee the best possible way forward in their professional and personal development. The key to great supervision is a collaborative and interactive process that monitors the quality of client care, improves clinical skills, and facilitates personal and professional growth.
What is the workplace/work environment of Counsellor like?
Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors work with designated personnel as a thinking partner, revealing mirrors, and a pacesetter among others. Help employees increase their self-awareness to make them more effective as an individual and in turn, effective in their job. The role of a counsellor is to manage behavioural problems brought about by organizational changes.
Does Counsellor require travelling?
Likely
No, Employers often only require travel counsellor to have the equivalent of a high school diploma, though some prefer to hire travel agents who have more industry-specific training.
Employment Shifts
Full Time, Part Time
As far as the shift is concerned, most of the counsellors work on a regular shift from nine am to five pm. However, if someone has his or her own practice then working hours might increase or decrease according to the number of daily visitors.
Employment Nature
Permanent, Contractual
Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors work full-time, however, some of them work on a contractual basis as well. For example, a school counsellor usually works on a contractual basis, but over the past few years, the majority of schools, especially residential are opting for a full-time counsellor.
Work Place
Office
Employers often only require travel counselor applicants to have the equivalent of a high school diploma, though some prefer to hire travel agents who have more industry-specific training.
Presence in Geographical Area
Rural, Urban
Contrast that with the environment encountered by counsellors who work in rural areas, where the phrase 'everybody knows your name' is oftentimes a truism, not just a homey slogan. This life-in-a-fishbowl aspect of rural counselling offers unique challenges that encompass ethical decision-making, boundary issues and counsellor self-care.
Time Pressure
Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors work on weekends as well as in the evening hours. A lot of counsellors also do part-time work. Most counsellors operate approximately forty-five hours a week while counsellors who are self-employed work more than this per week. So the time pressure for counsellors is more when working independently.
Overtime Details
Counsellors work about eight to nine hours per day and up to twelve hours when required. While several counsellors work independently, some individuals work for reputed companies or medical institutions as part of a team.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 45 Hours
Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors generally work for around eight-nine hours a day and five days a week.
How to become a Counsellor?
Steps to become a Counsellor
If you are someone interested in giving advice to people and can solve their problems by guiding them to the right path, then a career as a Counsellor is the best career option for you. If you are looking for the details of how to become a Counsellor in India then we have mentioned below the steps for how to become a Counsellor in India or how to become a Counsellor after 12th.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Counsellor?
Here we have described the steps to know how to become a counsellor. Here we will be discussing all the basic counselling skills.
Listening: Effective listening ability in counselling increases trust, allows the clients in opening up and reveal their emotions, and encouraged them to share their feelings and thoughts. It also supports the collection of important patient information which helps the counselling process in the future. Attending is the art of being in someone else's company and being able to give them your full attention, with no distractions.
It makes clients feel supported and important and it's crucial for a counsellor to build a therapeutic relationship with the client, as is active listening. The client needs to feel that their problems and issues are recognised and understood by someone empathetic but impartial.
Unbiased: Being bias-free includes a real assessment of the policy objectives and practices in the organisation to guarantee employers are honest to applicants, staff, and shareholders. The main benefit is that workers feel that their working conditions are secure, free of poor treatment, and also free from any kind of harassment and discrimination.
Counsellor jobs are not to pass judgment or give advice on a client's actions or feelings, instead through talking therapy, they aim to help clients see things clearly, from a different, more optimistic viewpoint. Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors need to contain and manage their own reactions in a supportive and professional manner.
Professionalism: Professionalism embraces the behaviour and attitude, appearance, and ethical standards of a worker's place of work. Employees with high levels of integrity are often seen as more reliable and trustworthy than their peers. As a repercussion, professional employees are often seen as the representatives of their organisation. Counsellors ought to specifically consider confidential matters. Everything mentioned in client meetings should only be forwarded on to third parties in exceptional cases other than the clinical supervisor of the counsellor.
Patience: Patience is a vital component of organisational performance. Employees have to experience certain cases, several times that really need patience. That is because when urgency occurs, they, therefore, need to function for more hours than on regular days. The work of a counsellor can be very intense and demanding. You will support clients through emotional issues on a daily basis, which can lead to burnout if you let stress, performance pressure, and overwork build up.
Empathy: Compassion, understanding, and genuineness are critical in the career of counselling. It provides hope in the counselling session. Optimism could develop to bring effective changes in the client's personality so that they can bring positive change into their lifestyles. Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors need to remain curious and committed to improving their clients' emotional well-being for a lasting and gratifying career. Being able to demonstrate a real interest in clients' individual situations will promote a positive and trusting client-counsellor relationship.
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Counsellor?
We have mentioned below various certifications that counsellors can opt to upgrade their skills.
Internship Availability
Individuals who opt for a career as counsellors interact with students, parents, teachers, and other staff on a daily basis. The role of a counsellor is to solve new challenges and sometimes crises. As such, preparing to be an effective counsellor requires more than just classroom learning. Most accredited master’s degrees in counseling include a practicum, or internship, as part of the core curriculum. This usually involves up to 600 hours of supervised fieldwork in schools and other professional settings. Licensure or certification is often contingent on completing an internship or practicum.
Career Path Progression for Counsellor
Junior Counsellor: A Junior Counsellor is a professional who helps people to manage and overcomes mental, psychological and emotional issues. A Junior Counsellor assesses the patients, interacts, interviews and observes the health condition of the patients.
Senior Counsellor: A Senior Counsellor is an experienced professional who leads a team of junior counsellors and other members of the team. A Senior Counsellor works with individuals, families or groups by keeping confidential records.
Counsellor Jobs and Salaries
Junior Counsellor
- Average Salary 19000
Job Description
The Junior Counsellor job description includes diagnosing the patient's mental and emotional disorders and providing effective treatment plans. A Junior Counsellor counsels and works with the patient to improve their mental health.
Salary Description
An entry-level Junior Counsellor salary in India ranges between Rs 0.6 Lakhs to Rs 4.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 2.3 Lakhs per annum. Junior Counsellor in India may vary depending on the various job factors like the skills and experience of the candidates, job location, and others.
Salary Source: AmbitionBox
Senior Counsellor
- Average Salary 28000
Job Description
The Senior Counsellor job description includes educating and bringing awareness to the patients and their families and helping them to recover from their tough situations. A Senior Counsellor records the patient’s progress and makes treatment plans for them.
Salary Description
The estimated Senior Counsellor salary in India ranges from Rs 2.0 Lakhs to Rs 7.7 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 11.7 Lakhs per annum. Senior Counsellor salary may vary depending on the various job factors.
Salary Source: AmbitionBox
What is the job outlook for Counsellor?
India has the largest student population in the world, accounting for 350 million students. Counsellor jobs in India are a huge addressable market as currently, India needs a minimum of 1.4 million career counsellors to maintain a globally acceptable student-to-school counsellor ratio. While a few national boards have mandated schools to have counsellors, over 93 per cent of schools in India don’t have a professional counsellor on board. There is an urgent need for career counsellors at the school level in India.
The market size for a career as a counsellor is currently estimated at over Rs 5,000 crore in India and continuously growing. Developing economies are increasingly appreciating the impact of counsellor jobs in aligning students with the right options and thus contributing towards nation-building. India is a counselling-deficit education sector - and has just around one lakh career counsellors whereas it needs at least 15 lakh career counsellors to satisfy the student market (315 million students) today. In comparison, the US has about 2.6 million student counsellors for 56 million students. So there is huge scope for children's counsellors to grow in India.
Frequently Asked Questions for Counsellor
Que. Is being a counselor a good job?
Ans.A job with a low-stress level, good work-life balance, and solid prospects to improve, get promoted, and earn a higher salary would make many employees happy. Here's how Mental Health Counsellors’ job satisfaction is rated in terms of upward mobility, stress level and flexibility.
Que. How do I become a counselor without a degree?
Ans.If you want to know how you can be a counsellor without a college degree, you may want to look into addiction counselling. Some states allow people with a high school diploma and a combination of field experience or certification to become licensed to work as a counsellor with alcohol and drug abuse.
Que. Why is Counselling important?
Ans.The Importance of Counseling. Counselling provided by trained professionals can make a profound impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities. This service helps people navigate difficult life situations, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disasters, school stress and the loss of a job.
Que. Does Counselling really work?
Ans.Counselling really does work. Counselling can be tough and feel extremely distressing at times, especially at the beginning. It can be difficult to trust a stranger with your deepest, darkest feelings, emotions and experiences
Que. Describe hr counsellor job description.
Ans.The appointment process for qualified applicants is coordinated by a human resource counsellor. He or she negotiates work terms and conditions for workers. HR counsellor job description includes providing guidance and playing a major role in performance appraisal and processes of improvement, reviewing and managing data from the HR information system.
Que. How to become a counsellor without a psychology degree?
Ans.To become a counsellor without a psychology degree, you are required to complete a counselling certification program to gain the required knowledge and skills.
Que. How to become a counsellor without a psychology degree in India?
Ans.To become a counsellor without a psychology degree in India is that you must have strong skills and networking and you must also pursue a certification program to have the subject knowledge.
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Questions related to Counsellor
I am doing BBA ,will a certificate course of data analytics be helpful in finding better job? I am planning to do MBA in international business after a year of job . so should I go for data analytics certificate course will it be beneficial for future ?
Yes. No doubt it will be beneficial. It is only going to open doors for you when you move towards getting a job. The certificate of data analytics will make your resume more complete.
Combination of BBA and data analytics is always good and does help in the future. With the help of certificate in data analytics, you can get into business analytics if you have great analytical skills.
Answer laterI am pcm student with 72.2% in class 12th If I want to become a counsellor which should I choose Bsc psychology or Ba psychology or
Dear Sahar,
Hope you’re doing well.
It is necessary to start by looking at your school's undergraduate catalogue to identify the distinctions between the two degrees because each university may have its own requirements. After noting the core classes needed for each degree, examine the required electives and subject-matter courses.
Bachelor of Science versus Bachelor of Arts -
A Bachelor of Arts degree typically emphasises more general education courses in the liberal arts.
Students who select this degree option might also need to finish a foreign language requirement. The B.A. option typically entails taking fewer psychology courses and more classes in subjects unrelated to the major field of study. More scientific and math courses will be the focus of a bachelor's degree in science. It's possible that students pursuing a B.S. in psychology will need to take more general education lab and statistics courses. In comparison to those pursuing a B.A., B.S. students take more psychology courses and place a greater emphasis on their major area of study. The degree's subject matter area might also put more of an emphasis on courses in applied psychology and research methodologies.
What Academic Degree Is Better?
Although one degree may not always be superior to another, some academic experts contend that holders of a B.S. in psychology have more options and flexibility. But it's crucial to concentrate on picking a degree that best matches your own needs, abilities, interests, and career objectives.
For students who are really interested in psychology but also want to learn more about other academic fields, the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology is a fantastic choice. For instance, you might choose to major in psychology while taking numerous courses in a subject like nutrition and health. Students who are interested in specialised psychology subjects like health psychology or forensic psychology may find this preparation to be ideal. Students that select this degree option later on may choose to pursue additional study in business, journalism, political science, social work, counselling, education, or law.
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology provides excellent preparation for doctoral study in psychology or related fields, as well as for professions in the sciences. Students with a keen interest in science can also gain from the broad study of biological science and research methodology offered by this degree choice. The Bachelor of Science programme should undoubtedly be taken into consideration if you intend to pursue graduate study in psychology.
Review the prerequisites for each degree at your university and see a psychology department adviser for more guidance before determining which path is best for you.
So what's the final word?
Considering a psychology degree if you:
- are you intending to pursue a career after completing your undergraduate studies?
- You want to pursue a graduate degree in a subject other than psychology, such business, law, counselling, social work, or management.
Consider a BS in Psychology if you:
- a more science-focused curriculum interests you
- You want to pursue a psychology graduate degree.
- You want to study medicine.
So. As you said you want to be counsellor BA degree of psychology will be best for you. here’s a list of few colleges which offers the same in India -
https://university.careers360.com/colleges/list-of-ba-in-psychology-degree-colleges-in-india
All the best.
how i can become a professional counsellor ,?
Hello!
First of all, a counsellor is a person who helps and guides someone in need or on personal, career, lifestyle and relationship issues.
In order to become a professional counsellor, please follow these steps:
1. It is advisable to opt for any Psychology stream after Class 12.
2. Pursue BA or B.Sc in Psychology or applied Psychology for 3 years duration in good colleges like Delhi University, New Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, Ambedkar University, New Delhi, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Fergusson College, Pune and Christ University, Bangalore.
3. Pursue MA or MSc in Counselling Psychology or Psychology or Applied Psychology for a duration of 2 years in good colleges like Delhi University, New Delhi, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Ambedkar University, New Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, Christ University, Bengaluru, Ashoka University, Sonepat, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh and Fergusson College, Pune.
4. You may pursue a PG Diploma in Guidance and Counselling for 1 year.
5. You should gain a lot of practical exposure to career counselling with the help of good internships.
6. Learn certification courses in career counselling to enhance skills such as the International Certified Career Coach(ICCC) program by Mindler and Career Development Alliance (CDA).
Hope this helps.
Best wishes
can u give my career360 counsellor phone no.?
Hello Manisha, see we cannot share our personal contact details but yes whatever doubt you have you can ask here on QnA platform of Careers360. Our expert team of counsellors will always be there to resolve your doubts or you can also post your doubt in the comment section below, We would be there to help you out.
I hope you understand.
Good Luck!!
can I have any counsellor contact number so that I can get guidance through call
Hello there,
I think you have posted an incomplete query due to that I am not getting any proper meaning . Since the question is not giving any proper meaning so I am unable to provide you an appropriate answer to this query.
After trying to reframe it several times I am not getting any appropriate meaning. So I request you to kindly post another query for the same or you can ask in the comment box. I hope you will find your answer soon.
Thank you and good luck:)
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Did you know?
Fact 1
India is perceived as a counselling- deficit sector where over 93 per cent schools do not have a professional counsellor on board.
Fact 2
20% of Indians need counselling at some point of their lives. While one per cent of the population suffers from serious mental health disorders.
Fact 3
The government estimates that about 1 in 5 people in the country need counselling, either psychological or psychiatric.
Fact 4
In 1990, 416 million people suffered from depression or anxiety worldwide - these numbers rose to 615 million in 2013 (World Health Organisation, 2016).
