Counselling as Your Career
Most of us would have heard of counselling, and would probably have the notion that counselling is about solving personal problems. However, how is counselling done? How is it beneficial? Who should take it up as a career?
What is Counselling?
According to the Singapore Association of Counselling, “Counselling is a generic term used to cover processes of interviewing, assessment, testing, guiding, and helping individuals to cope, manage or solve problems and plan.”
Human beings are endowed with a unique capability of thinking and feeling. Our thought processes are evolved, and help us understand the happenings around us. Often the way we think creates problems for us. The human brain is a complex machine, and interprets things in different ways. If this hampers your well-being, causes you to be unable to function, or make proper decisions at the right time, you should seek help.
Counselling involves providing advice or guidance to help us in our decision-making, often in emotional situations. As the field of counseling and psychology has made advancements, counselling has evolved as a great means to help people understand their problems, and solve them in the best possible way. Counsellors help people to explore their own worlds and find better ways to deal with it.
The Scope of Counselling
Counselling is essentially talk therapy. It allows people to share their feelings and problems in a safe and confidential environment. Usually, counselling involves discussing thoughts and feelings to change certain things in life, or to understand the inner world through exploration.
Counselling can happen in different formats:
· Face-to-face counselling is most common in which the counsellor meets their client in person, and discusses their challenges.
· Group counselling sessions are conducted for people with similar problems. These sessions are common for clients with traumatic experiences wherein sharing in a group helps them to come to terms with their own feelings. In rehabilitation centers, group counselling sessions are also held to aid people in giving up their problematic behavior.
· Telephone counselling has become popular with people who want to seek help but from the comfort of their homes. These sessions are flexible, and reduce waiting list time to a great extent.
· Online counselling is gaining popularity with the advent of the internet. Some people may choose to remain anonymous, and discuss particular problems with the counsellor at length.
How is Counselling Beneficial?
Counselling helps individuals in many ways. It can help one to understand oneself and gain a better clarity. Through counselling, one’s belief system can be altered to help one be more positive and confident.
Counselling often increases our emotional intelligence, and helps us to appreciate and accept ourselves. Through counselling, individuals can gain a better control over their thoughts, feelings, and urges.
People who face problems in relationships benefit from counselling as it helps them to understand others better, and improve their interactions.
Counselling is found to be beneficial for people suffering from addiction, bullying, bereavement, and illnesses.
Why Choose Counselling as a Career?
If assisting people interests you, counselling might be the right field for you. People who love the challenge of meeting new people, and supporting them in solving their problems can become successful counsellors.
You can have an active role in connecting with people, and being a force for good in their lives for a long time. Counsellors make others live better and more fully, and this motivates counsellors to give their best.
How to Become a Counsellor?
Anyone with a bachelor’s degree can pursue counselling as a career. There are multiple courses available and you can choose the one that matches your profile. You can even pursue specialised courses and get into fields like child counselling, or family counseling.
When it comes to counselling, there are plenty of opportunities to learn, upskill, and upgrade. If you have an interest in the counselling field, you can easily make your own mark.
Arium School of Arts and Sciences offers several certificate and diploma programs with specialisation in Psychology. We offer Counselling as a Professional Certificate, and also as a module towards our Specialist Diploma in Counselling Psychology and Graduate Diploma in Clinical and Counselling Psychology While our Specialist Diplomas is suitable for those without degrees, our Graduate Diplomas is for those who already posses a degree in any discipline.
Check out the complete list of the numerous certificate and diploma programs which ASAS offers here!
