Welcome to April! New month and new blog here about Counseling Awareness Month. We will go over the importance of counselors, benefits of counseling, and how to support counselors.
Why are counselors important? Without counselors we wouldn’t have qualified people who have learned about the brain like they have to help aid many people in many mental situations. It’s a way of empowering diversity, wellness, and goals that people have. Mental health is important and provides ups and downs in our lives in varying situations. However, we can’t always take it on and handle all the problems on our own, which is where counselors come in.
Counselors provide all sorts of services such as individual, family , and group counseling. Sometimes counselor even use art therapy or expressive interventions that align with their theory of choice. Which can be beneficial because it provides a variety of therapy modalities to fit different people because not everyone needs the same thing.
We can support counselors by shouting out counselor you know or going to see one near you that you feel helps with your needs. Spread awareness on social media and acknowledge what counselors do for people.
Facts about counselors that you may not have known:
They have a doctorate or master’s degree
Can diagnose and treat mental disorders (similar other mental health professionals like a social worker or psychologist)
They are all around you in schools , colleges, hospitals, clinics, private practices etc.
Vary in many different counseling specialties such as trauma responders, family affairs, child welfare, sex therapists, etc
Counseling profession grew out of workforce career development and school guidance professions
Our very our Dr. Marybeth Heather is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor or LCPC in Maryland. Other states have other names for counselors such as Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). No matter the acronym the counseling profession continues to grow by fostering their identity and expertise in the mental health professional arena.
References:
- “National Counseling Awareness Month - Meet Our Counselors.” Veterans Affairs, https://www.va.gov/marion-health-care/stories/national-counseling-awareness-month-meet-our-counselors/#:~:text=April%20is%20National%20Counseling%20Awareness,promoting%20mental%20health%20and%20wellness. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.
- “Celebrating Counseling Awareness Month.” Www.Counseling.Org, https://www.counseling.org/mental-health-counseling/counseling-awareness-month. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.
- Staff. “Counseling Awareness Month.” NU-MAC, 24 Apr. 2015, https://counseling.northwestern.edu/blog/counseling-awareness-month/.
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