If you've always wanted to help others, counselor education can be just what you need to make it a reality. Case in point: When the government threatened to cut off survivor's benefits before about a dozen students could attain their college degrees, a high school counselor in a working class school came up with a plan so that all of the students could continue to receive benefits from their deceased parent's social security while continuing their education. That school counselor became a central role model in those students' lives and was the main catalyst in the majority of them earning college degrees.

If you're a person who understands people, sociology, and issues surrounding professional, educational, or personal problems, all you need is counselor education to provide you with the foundation for a career in counseling.

Counselors work in a variety of fields and work environments. If you're interested in a career in counseling, you are interested in helping people deal with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Your duties and work environment will vary greatly depending on your specialty.

Counselor education can take you in many career directions
Educational, career, and vocational counselors provide students with personal as well as career counseling. School counselors at all levels interact with students, as well as parents and teachers, to help students with personal, educational, and career advice. Elementary school counselors generally observe students in the classroom setting and report their findings back to teachers and parents to help develop an educational plan for the student. High school counselors can assist students with personal problems, as well as helping students choose a career path that is right for them. Vocational counselors work mainly outside of the school setting to provide career and vocational advice. Once you pursue counseling education, you'll be able to choose the specialized area of counseling that you want to focus on.

Other types of counseling include rehabilitation counselors who assist people with disabilities; mental health counselors who assist individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health; substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors who help patients dealing with specific addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, or even eating disorders; marriage and family therapists who help couples resolve issues within relationships; gerontological counselors who help patients and their families deal with specific issues related to aging; genetic counselors who provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions.

Learn how to help people through counselor education
Requirements for counselor education and training programs vary depending on the area of specialty as well as state licensure and certification requirements. Generally, a person seeking a career in counseling must have at least a bachelor's degree in a related field of study, such as education, as well as a master's degree in psychology or counseling, which is required to become a licensed counselor.

There are a number of schools within the United States that provide bachelor's as well as master's degree programs in counseling. State licensure and certification requirements also vary greatly, and it is advisable to check with your school and the state in which you wish to practice to find the exact requirements for the field of counseling study in which you want to specialize.

Counseling can also be a financially rewarding career, with some counselors earning in excess of $50,000 per year. Job growth expectations are expected to be higher than most occupations, but those growth expectations also depend on the region and specialty in counseling that you choose.