How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank
This question crossed my desk more times than I can count, so I figured it a good topic for a short post. You will likely have more questions, which you can ask, and you will have to do some of your own research as I can’t really tell you how YOU can become a counsellor, only tell you what I did.
Why can’t it be easier? Well because there are so many routes to working in the helping field and each of us has to find a path that works. But it doesn’t have to be a perfect path, just find one that works and ensure that your program is accredited and/or the route to doing the type of work you want to do.
Choosing a career is a complicated process, choosing a career that does not have a linear path is even more challenging. People who provide helping services, therapy, counselling, psychotherapy, are a varied group of professionals, with diverse education and experience. Since there are a number of routes it can be helpful to ask yourself these three questions:
- Where do I want to work? (Hospital, Children’s Services, shelter, College or University, health clinic, private practice)
- What type of Education and Experience do I have and how much time and money am I able to put into further training?
- Where do I live? (Are there rules governing the practice of counselling in my region?)
Most of my clients don’t have the answers to these questions yet, so the process of finding the right route into the profession of counselling can be quite daunting.
At this time counselling professionals all over Canada and the US are hard at work to help the government regulate the profession, so it is important to find out if your own Province or State has specific requirements and laws governing counsellors/counselors.
For example, in Ontario Canada, regulation is underway. For some information on how things are going in Canada see The National Symposium on Counsellor Regulation
http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/en/symposium2011/
For more specific information on my route…
