Types of Licensed Counselors

Counselors and therapists work with patients across a variety of settings and environments in order to help people live more rewarding, healthy, and fulfilling lives. Within counseling, there are many specializations - such as counselors who focus on trauma related to loss, dependence on drugs or alcohol, or developmental issues affecting children. Pursuing a career in counseling can provide you the ability to combine your professional skillset with a passion for helping others and making a positive impact in their lives.

A commonality that most all counseling professions share is that they require at minimum a master's degree education, post degree supervised clinical experience, and passing of the National Counselor Examination or an equivalent exam recognized by the state in which you will be practicing. All states including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require licensure for licensed professional counselors or LPC's.

Generally speaking, counselors work with people that are suffering from mental health and behavioral or emotional issues. They are trained professionals that are there to help those individual and families in need. There are however, a multitude of other areas in which counselors are needed that don't focus specifically on mental health or emotional problems.

Listed below are different types of licensed counselors that provide help and guidance to individuals and families alike. Click on those counseling career specialties that interest you to learn more.

Types of Counselors

School Counselor: School and Guidance counselors typically work with students to address individual issues regarding their personal life and/or academic and career paths. School and Guidance counselors can work in a variety of environments across private and public schools, universities, or programs.

Rehabilitation Counselor: Working with patients to improve their physical and emotional well being across different types of disabilities, rehabilitation counselors work to ensure a good quality of life for their clients through the creation and implementation of treatment plans for home or professional work environments.

Marriage and Family Therapist: Often working with married couples or in a family setting, marriage and family therapists help people deal with issues such as interpersonal communication, family loss, divorce, and other issues that affect relationships. Marriage and Family Therapists help clients overcome interpersonal and relationship obstacles in order to live more fulfilling lives.

Mental Health Counselor: These counselors work with patients across a wide range of topics towards achieving emotional and psychological wellness. Mental Health Counselors can work with individuals through traumas, addiction, or depression, for example.

Substance Abuse Counselor: Substance Abuse counselors help patience overcome addictions and dependence on drugs an alcohol as well as destructive or negative behaviors. These counselors may work across a variety of environments such as inpatient rehabilitation centers or hospitals.

Spiritual Counselor: Providing communities and patients mental health services, spritual counselors ground there practice in faith and religion. Spiritual counselors can be found across Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and many other of the world’s major religions and spiritual organizations.

Domestic Violence Counselor: Working with victims of domestic assault, domestic violence counselors work to help patients overcome the negative effects of trauma. Community shelters, schools, or protective service organizations are just some of the environments where you can work as a domestic violence counselor.

Child Pediatric Counselor: Providing treatment to children and adolescents, child pediatric counselors treat mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders. Child Pediatric Counselors can work in schools or a variety of other environments assisting children dealing with trauma.

Grief Counselor: Most often assisting patients with the death of a loved one, grief counselors help individuals and families dealing with loss and the associated emotional trauma. These counselors work to guide clients through a healthy grieving process in order to move positively forward in their lives.

Behavior Analyst: Assisting individuals struggling with developmental or behavioral disabilities, Behavior Analysts assess client behavior in order to develop personalized programs in order to improve the lives of others.