A Career in Community Counseling

Community counseling is a rewarding field in which professionals can directly help students, families and others in need. Degrees in community counseling are offered both at the bachelor's and master's level at many schools, including both traditional and online universities. While a bachelor's degree in community counseling can prepare students for entry-level positions, master's programs can help current counselors advance to higher-level, higher salaried positions.

Coursework in Community Health and Counseling Services

Students pursuing degrees in community counseling take courses that give them a solid background in the theory, practice and assessment skills necessary for counseling patients in a variety of settings. Examples of specific courses are:
  • Child Development
  • Counseling Techniques
  • Diagnosis and Treatment Methods
  • Ethics and Standards of Practice
  • Mental Health and Assessments
  • Multicultural Approaches to Counseling
  • Research and Statistics
  • Theories of Counseling and Psychology.
Those pursuing a master's degree may also be required to choose a specialization (to bring further focus to their coursework) and to complete a certain number of onsite hours through an internship.
 
The skills learned in these classes help students to become professional, compassionate counselors able to help others get through life's many challenges. An effective counselor must possess both strong academic and interpersonal skills. Examples of the skills you will learn through this coursework include:
  • an understanding of mental health and related disorders
  • compassion and non-judgmental treatment
  • effective communication and interpersonal skills
  • evaluation techniques and treatment planning
  • listening skills
  • safety precautions for handling difficult or violent patients.

Employment Outlook

A variety of employment opportunities are opening up to those with degrees in community counseling. A few of the more common jobs include:
  • Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT): Even the happiest of families have to deal with challenges and struggles. Counselors can help families to identify the source of their troubles, learn how to communicate with each other and work through specific issues one-on-one. MFTs earn an average of $43,000 per year.
  • School Counselor: Middle schools, high schools and colleges employ onsite counselors for a number of reasons. They help students mediate conflict, plan for college and find internships to give them experience in their perspective fields. School counselors also guide students through general adolescence and young adulthood. This is a great option for people who enjoy mentoring others or simply working with youth. The average salary for school counselors is $53,000.
  • Substance Abuse Counselor: A substance abuse counselor can help people identify the triggers of their addiction, develop a plan to manage them and link the patient to support through groups and alternative activities. Addictions commonly treated include those resulting from drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping and eating. Substance abuse counselors often work in community counseling centers or private clinics. The average salary for substance abuse counselors is $34,000.
The jobs listed above only represent a small portion of the opportunities available to those in community counseling services. The demand for these jobs is expected to increase dramatically in the next few years. This may be due to a pattern of increasing school enrollment figures, a trend toward sending drug-related criminals to community counseling facilities instead of prison and a push in the social service community to focus on preventive counseling.
 
As a result, a degree in community counseling not only benefits your fellow community members, but it also can significantly improve your career.
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