Counselors help people with their personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Their jobs vary widely depending upon their specialty, where they work and the types of people that they serve. For example, educational, vocational and school counselors use interviews, counseling sessions, and other methods to evaluate and advise students.

They also operate career information centers and career education programs. Mental Health Counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to treat mental and emotional disorders as well as to promote good mental health. Other counseling specialties include gerontological, multicultural, and genetic counseling.

A gerontological counselor services elderly people as well as their families, both of whom are coping with changing lifestyles. Genetic counselors provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. The wide variety of counseling positions leads to varying educational requirements as well as varying salaries.

Education requirements for counselors vary a lot depending on the person’s specialty and State licensure and certification requirements. A Master’s degree is usually required to be licensed as a counselor. Some states require counselors to have a Master’s degree; others accept a Bachelor’s degree with appropriate counseling courses.

Counselor education programs in colleges and universities are often found in departments of education or psychology. Fields of study include college student affairs, elementary or secondary school counseling, education, gerontological counseling, marriage and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, rehabilitation counseling, agency or community counseling, clinical mental health counseling, career counseling, and related fields. Courses are often grouped into eight core areas: human growth and development,

• social and cultural diversity
• relationships
• group work
• career development
• assessment
• research
• program evaluation
• professional identity

Accredited graduate programs require 48 to 60 semester hours of graduate study including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling.

Counselors help people with their personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Their jobs vary widely depending upon their specialty, where and work and the types of people that they serve.

They also operate career information centers and career education programs. Job growth prospects for counseling professionals is expected to be excellent through 2014.

Salaries for counselors vary considerably depending on what type of specialty the counselor has. Average salaries for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors as well as for mental health counselors was about $34,000 in 2006. For rehabilitation counselors, salaries were about $29,000, and average annual salaries for marriage and family therapists were about $43,000.