A South Asian Counseling Professional is a relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness and education goals. A counselor works with clients to help them find effective coping mechanisms and achieve long-term lifestyle changes. Counselors can work in a variety of settings, including schools, mental health agencies, career centers and private practice.
Although counseling is a broad field with many specializations, most states require an advanced degree to become a licensed counselor. The most common route to licensure is a master’s degree in counseling or a related field. During graduate school, students will take coursework in areas such as human development, individual counseling techniques, group therapy and clinical supervision. Some graduate programs also offer specialty concentrations in addiction counseling, marriage and family counseling and school counseling. Students must then complete a minimum of 2,000 supervised field hours to become licensed by their state.
Licensed counselors can work with clients of all ages and backgrounds. However, the majority of counseling professionals work with a specific population, such as individuals with depression and anxiety, those who are struggling with substance abuse or mood disorders, or those dealing with grief and loss. Counselors are trained to recognize symptoms that indicate mental illness and know when a client may need medication management or higher levels of care.
Some people seek professional counseling when they are experiencing life difficulties, such as stress from job or relationships, or the challenge of adjusting to a major change in their lives. Others are diagnosed with a mental or behavioral health condition, such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, or other conditions, and receive treatment for those conditions while working with their counselors to overcome obstacles to recovery.
In addition to treating individuals with mental or behavioral health issues, a licensed counselor can help people who have not been diagnosed with any specific condition but want to improve their overall well-being. Many people find that seeking the support of a counselor can help them deal with challenges like financial worries, stress from unemployment/underemployment, social media pressures, or even the overexposure to negative news in the media.
Counselors typically use a strengths-based approach to treatment and focus on helping their clients identify and reach goals in the areas of mental health, emotional stability, and personal growth. This can be accomplished through various therapeutic methods, such as verbalizing problems and talking them out, setting attainable short-term goals or using goal-oriented therapies.
In order to stay up-to-date on the latest advances in their profession, counselors can join professional organizations. These organizations provide a way for counselors to interact with one another, share ideas and best practices with other professionals in their field, and learn about new research that can be applied to their work with clients. Professional organizations often serve as a voice for the counseling community on regulatory and legislative issues, too. Many local and regional chapters of counseling organizations exist, which can make it easier for counselors to connect with one another without significant travel or expense.