It’s a new year, and you’re probably thinking about how to improve your life. You may be considering a new career or going back to school. Counseling is one of the most rewarding careers if you are interested in psychology or want to enter the medical field. While there are many reasons to consider counseling as a career, here are the top four:

You Can Work in a Variety of Settings

As a counselor, you can work in a variety of settings. Your career path will be determined by your interests and the type of setting that fits your personality best. In addition to private practice, counselors work in schools, hospitals, community centers, and other locations where people need help with their problems.

Some counselors specialize in one area of counseling, such as marriage and family therapy or substance abuse counseling, while others provide general services to clients regardless of their needs. Some examples:

• School Counselors: School counselors work with students at all levels from elementary school through college or university, advising them on academic and personal development issues such as self-esteem or eating disorders. They also assist teachers by guiding classroom management techniques when students have difficulty learning new material or behaving appropriately according to school rules.
• Marriage & Family Therapists: Marriage & Family Therapists are trained professionals who assess distressed couples (married or not), so they can resolve conflicts within their relationship(s). They also treat individuals for mental health issues that may affect their relationships.

This variety in work settings gives you options to choose a work-life based on your preferences. Besides your interest, this decision should also be driven based on whom you want to help. For example, drug addiction is a severe problem. According to WHO, over 180 thousand deaths in 2019 were directly linked to drug use disorders. Moreover, at least half a million deaths annually are attributed to illicit drug use. It is also concluded that over 35 million are suffering from some drug use disorders. Talking specifically about the USA, data from the CDC shows that over 90,000 Americans died in 2020 due to drug overdose. If you want to help these people, you can become a clinical social worker or a licensed professional clinical counselor.

You Can Make an Impact on Someone’s Life

The best part about being a counselor is that you can impact people’s lives. You can help them work through their problems and achieve their goals. Whether it’s someone struggling with anxiety, depression, or substance abuse issues, or someone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or been through the divorce process, counseling can offer them support and guidance as they work towards positive change in their life.

You’ll also gain valuable experience working with children, teens, and adults whose needs range from academic assistance to grief counseling after the death of a friend or family member. You may even get involved in helping families cope with mental illness by providing supportive services such as case management or education programs for caregivers and patients alike!

If you want to become someone who can impact someone else’s life for good, counseling is the job you need to take. If you are already doing a job or don’t have time to attend a school for counseling, you can enroll in online degrees. There are many offline and online schools for counseling degrees. You can enroll in one of these and complete your degree to get the license to practice counseling and start positively impacting someone’s life and overall society.

It’s a Growing Field, and It’s a Rewarding Job

As the world becomes more diverse and complicated, so do people’s lives and relationships. Counselors are needed to help people navigate these changes and to help them live better lives. It’s a growing field, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for counselors at all experience levels.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for school and career counselors will grow by 11%, and that for mental health (depression, anxiety, etc.), behavioral disorders, and addiction counselors is expected to grow by 23% by 2030.

Although counseling is challenging work, it can be very rewarding as well. You’ll be satisfied knowing that your job has helped someone make a positive change in their life. Moreover, even the pay is good. The average pay of school and career counselors is over $60,000 annually, and that for substance abuse, behavioral disorders, or mental health counselors is over $48,500 annually.

You Can Learn a Lot From Other’s Experiences

People are often hesitant to share their stories with others because they don’t want to seem vulnerable or worry about being judged by others. As a counselor, you hear these stories from people who need help and support with their struggles. You can get life knowledge from these stories, like what mistakes the person made to end up in trouble. This knowledge will help you grow as a person and as a counselor.

The best part of this job is that you’ll be there for them no matter what story they tell you! You’ll hear things that make you laugh loud, cry your eyes out, and feel sick in your stomach. But whatever it is – whether it’s something serious or not so serious – the fact remains that it took courage for this person to open up about themselves and share their story with another human being. This means that this person trusts whatever relationship between the two of you enough to let down their guard and be honest about what they’ve been through.

Final Thoughts

If you enjoy helping people and want a satisfying and rewarding job, this might be your career. There are many types of counseling services available, so you can find one that works best for your interests and skills. You’ll also have the chance to work in various settings with diverse populations ranging from children to adults or seniors who have been through trauma or loss but need someone to talk to.