Differences Between Counselor, Msw, Pschologist, Psychiatrist, Therapist, Meditation Teacher

ETHICAL FRAMEWORK, LIMITS OF PROFICIENCY AND THE LIMITATIONS ON COUNSELLORS COMPARED TO OTHER PROFESSIONS THAT USE COUNSELLING SKILLS.

Becoming a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor is not as easy as people may think. Every state has a different process to become a licenses counselor. This paper discusses the difference between prices, hours to even credits. I will be comparing the state of Florida and New York. There are certain process that are the same yet many different. As a student going to school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling you would think every state would be the same.

A mental health counselor is a counseling professional, whose duties involves helping individuals cope with difficult life events, managing mental illnesses, and referring patients to additional resources that can help them. Before they can start counseling, they need to follow their states specific requires. For instance, in Louisiana, one has to obtain a master’s degree from an accredited program, have the required hours of supervised practice and coursework, and pass the National Counselor Examination to be licensed and certified. In addition to receiving a license in this field, an individual has to complete an addition 40 hours of continuing education every year to renew their license. The Mental Health Counseling program, offered at Capella, would satisfy most, if not all, of the licensure requirements in Louisiana.

Many people in our world today struggle with mental health issues. Licensed Professional Counselors are there to help. “One of the largest categories of professional helpers is counselors” (Woodside and McClam, 2015. p.182). Let’s take a close look at what Licensed Professional Counselors do, their educational requirements, certification or licensure levels or requirements, and last, we will take a look at salary and evaluate the future of this profession.

A Paramedic is a professional who works within the healthcare industry; they work alongside Ambulance Technicians, other Paramedics, Doctors’ and Nurses. They work on the frontline and are called out to any emergencies, where they can work with the Fire Brigade and Police depending on the emergency. Paramedics are usually first on the scene and give emergency treatment until handed over to the relevant department. (Health Careers, 2017) A Mental Health Nurse also works within the healthcare industry, however they are mostly based in a hospital setting or out within the community. They can work in a psychiatric ward or visit patients at home. A Mental Health Nurse can work alongside, Psychologists, Social workers and other therapists. Unlike a Paramedic, a Mental Health Nurse has more one to one time with patients. This can help build relationships with their patients and family,

As nurses, it extremely important for us to have an understanding of mental health so we can decrease the stigma in the healthcare profession. There shouldn’t be a difference between a “psychiatric nurse” and a “general nurse”. Since over 50% of the population suffers from a mental illness, both professions should be equally educated and sensitive towards health care issues.

Becoming a mental health nurse would be a good choice because it pays very well. Students are recommended to go to college and get their Bachelors and Masters’ degree. It will take a lot of studies but it will be worth it.

Up to two to three years of work experience, internships and professional counselor outlook is a must. Internships are said to be the most important part on the path to becoming any sort of counselor. During these internships students are required to participate in assigned community group sessions, private-tutor individual sessions, present and organize group lessons, participate in student achievement activities and excel in mock/exit level interviews. By doing all this you will hopefully gain confidence in real a real life setting with a mentor constantly guiding you to the point that you no longer need them. Moreover it gives you a real life perspective of whether this career is for you or not while opening your eyes to your own abilities. And lastly after partaking in about two to three years under supervision, this gets you ready for the licensing exam (The National Counselor Examination or the “NCE”) which is a 200 question application based test that includes the entire curriculum and is timed for 4 hours exactly. The curriculum will test as following counseling issues, processes, assessments and diagnostics, professional development and consultation, professional practice, human growth and development, relationship work, group work, social and cultural diversity, research and evaluation, and ethics.

Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors requires anyone who want a counselor’s license have a master’s degree between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of supervised clinical experience and pass the state exam as well a complete continuing education each year (DSHS, 2014).

When an individual chooses to pursue a life in the role of a counselor, there are a few items that must be established before one can move forward. These items include the field of counseling to practice, the location to practice in, and a college that offers the desired degree. Once this process has been completed, the next step would be for the individual to adhere to the states' requirements and began the application process to become certified or a licensed counselor. The process to become a counselor is technical as it requires practice and scope, a formal credentialing process, and training to ensure it is effective for clients, counselors, and service providers which will be outlined in these paragraphs.

Required coursework for certification includes 60 hours of providing supervised counseling of direct services to individuals and groups outside of the candidate's official internship/field experience working with individuals and groups (60 clock hours) (State certification requirements, 2012, American School Counselor).

There are many jobs with in the human service profession. The Human Service field is wide open with opportunities and various areas of employment. Our text, An Introduction to Human Services, Woodside & McClam explain, the helper is an individual who assists others. This very broad definition includes professional helpers with extensive training, such as psychiatrists and psychologists, as well as those who have little or no training, such as volunteers and other nonprofessional helpers (2015). Many people come into this field simply because they want to help others, they are passionate about serving others and value human services as rewarding

To become a professional licensed counselor (LPC) in West Virginia, one must complete the specific requirements from the state. You must graduate from an accredited master’s program. The coursework requirement is a 60-hour master’s degree in counseling or another related field. Within the 60 hours there are 14 content areas in which you need 3 graduate semester hours of coursework in each (includes a practicum and internship), the remaining hours will be clinically related electives. After receiving your master’s degree, you may apply for licensure. After applying for licensure, the credentialing committee will review your application materials. They will determine if you have met the coursework requirements. Once you are approved for licensure, you are eligible to receive approval to take the National Counselor Exam.

Marriage and Family Therapy is a particularly interesting area of Psychological study. This field offers adults and children resources to help cope with potentially damaging psychological issues within the family unit. Marriage and Family therapist offer an opportunity for spouse to reconcile their differences, while helping children understand the family hardships and issues. Marriage and Family therapist help couples, families and groups that deal with issues that have affected their mental health. This is to help redeem such problems as alcohol and drug abuse or marital stress. Treatment for marital stress normally last over duration of time of 12-50 weeks and combines individual and couples counseling. Most Marriage and family therapists need a license in their state of residents. This profession does typically require a master’s degree in a field related to marriage and family therapy. According to ONET MFT requires a therapist t

Rungapadiachy and Gough (2004) in a study that explores mental health nursing students’ perception of the nursing role in psychiatry, identifies several themes in which student nurses identify five psychiatric nursing roles. The roles include nurse administrator, agent of physical interventions, medication administrator, and educator. These authors conclude that role identification is highly complex and not always easy to define. However, they contend that the role of the psychiatric nurse should be expanded in order to develop the therapeutic interactions between the nurse and the patient.