Counseling Psychology Programs

Counseling psychology programs focus on training students to help clients with personal and interpersonal behavioral difficulties. Although they are similar, counseling psychology should not be confused with clinical psychology, which focuses on patients who have been assessed and found to have behavioral disorders/dysfunction. Counseling psychology programs will deal with the emotional, educational, social and vocational aspects of a patient, and a counseling psychologist will aim to promote the well-being of their patient in each of these areas.

Becoming a counseling psychologist

Concerning counseling psychology programs, in order to become a counseling psychologist you will need to complete a 4-year undergraduate degree in psychology and either a Master’s and/or a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology. It is important that you consider the career path that you wish to take because it will determine the type of study that you need to complete. For example, if you want to be a guidance counselor in a school you will need to have training that focuses on operating within the education system. There is a Special Education Counseling program that will allow you to obtain the necessary qualification for counseling in schools and universities.

It is best to make sure that the university where you complete your studies is accredited by the CPA (Canadian Psychological Association) or the APA (American Psychological Association). This way you can be sure that the university is recognized as providing the counseling qualification at the standard that is stipulated by the relevant professional body. The CPA and APA websites will have an updated list of accrediting psychology programs.

What type of person need a counseling psychologist?

Issues about mental health have always been taboo, and in most cases anyone who sought help for mental issues were automatically labeled as ‘crazy’. Fortunately, with recent research into the workings of the human mind are not as black and white as being insane and sane. Due to this new understanding and tolerance, the type of being who require the help of a counseling psychologist could be of any age and from any background.

In your role as a counseling psychologist it is your duty to help your patient to function optimally. You will first need to assess the problem in order to determine the scope of the treatment that is needed. It should be noted that a counseling psychologist could be needed at an individual, group or organizational level, and should continue for as long as needed. Your help, as a counseling psychologist, will be problem-specific and goal-focused. This makes treatment and success measurable.

Think about the future

Before you register and start your course you need to determine what it is that you actually want to do at the end of your studies. When it comes to psychology the end definitely determines the means, or you can end up wasting a lot of time and money. Completing counseling psychology programs will open many career paths including research, teaching and actual counseling, but if this is not your intended career path then you will need to look at other options that include psychology but perhaps not counseling psychology programs.

The learning style is an important thing when looking for good counseling psychology programs. The distance of the learning center from your home is also an important thing. That is why most experts suggest enrolling for counseling psychology programs online. This is the most ideal for many students today, as you are able to learn at your own pace without any disruption to your schedules.

A good thing with online counseling psychology programs is that they include case studies. The case studies expose you to clinics where you attend to actual patients, giving you the opportunity to hone in on your interpersonal skills and practice many therapeutic techniques. Therefore, it is necessary to look for the counseling psychology programs which help students in reaching their goals.