Mental health counselor

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Mental health counselor is a professional who utilizes a variety of therapeutic techniques to help individuals, families, and groups dealing with mental health issues and disorders. They are trained in psychotherapy and human development and provide services to help clients manage and overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with their family and relationships.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Mental health counselors work with individuals from a variety of age groups, from children to the elderly. They may work in a variety of settings, such as private practice, hospitals, community health centers, and schools. The goal of a mental health counselor is to promote and foster mental health and well-being.

Education and Training[edit | edit source]

To become a mental health counselor, one must first obtain a bachelor's degree, typically in psychology, social work, or a related field. Following this, they must complete a master's degree in counseling or mental health counseling. This is typically a two to three year program, which includes both coursework and supervised clinical experience.

Licensing and Certification[edit | edit source]

After completing their education, mental health counselors must be licensed by the state in which they plan to practice. This typically involves passing a state-recognized exam and completing a certain number of supervised clinical hours. Some states also require continuing education for renewal of the license.

Roles and Responsibilities[edit | edit source]

Mental health counselors perform a variety of roles, including assessing and diagnosing mental health conditions, developing and implementing treatment plans, and providing individual and group therapy. They may also provide crisis intervention and substance abuse treatment.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Mental health counselor Resources
Wikipedia
WikiMD
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD