Clinical Mental Health Counseling: The Profession

Mental health counselors provide and coordinate services for people with a range of behavioral health issues. Providing treatment and support to individuals and families, services are provided in both individual and group contexts. Assisting clients in developing strategies to cope with and recover from the symptoms of behavioral disorders, emphasis is placed on returning to optimal emotional functioning. Many mental health counselors work in facilities that involve interprofessional relationships with other healthcare providers. This is done through a range of activities, including: appraisal, individual and group counseling, treatment planning, referral and coordination with other service providers and assiting clients to cope effectively with their environment and function as independently as possible.

The field of mental health counseling is growing rapidly. Increased access to health insurance has created a shortage of qualified mental health counselors. There is a large demand for counselors to work in prevention and treatment service delivery systems.