Becoming a Mental Health Counselor is a guide for students on the path to becoming licensed mental health therapists, as well as those just starting their careers. Filled with practical advice and tips, this book guides the reader through early career milestones of psychotherapists, including professional identity development, applying for jobs, and obtaining licensure. Volungis also discusses the reality of the profession, emphasizing the importance of self-care, ethics, personal identity, and managing expectations. The book concludes with an exploration of private practice and the next steps in the career ladder. Ideally suited for professional development courses, this volume helps students prepare for life outside of school. It shows them how to transform the knowledge they've gained into a successful career.

This title covers the knowledge and skills essential for anyone in the helping professions and covers the critical skills of the helping relationship and current models of helping. The books in this series are conceptualized to address specific competencies identified by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).

The Professional Counselor: Challenges and Opportunities weaves a rich narrative for the inner counselor of self-discovery, mindfulness and self-care, emotional intelligence, counselor identity, ethical issues, career maturation, and future trends in counseling. Readers will be confronted with professional decision points regarding enrollment in the counselor profession, ethical issues, client treatment, accreditation, and occupational outlook. The text also posits counseling as an emerging global profession and addresses the ways technology will transform professional practice. Each chapter concludes with a Lessons Learned section in which the author uses his personal and professional experiences to address relevant professional issues in mindfulness-based treatment. The Professional Counselor is an excellent resource and guide for students in graduate counseling programs, those considering the field, and counselors new to the profession.

This book contains 156 heartwarming vignettes that touch on the many universal dimensions in becoming a helping professional, while demystifying and humanizing the process. Readers get a firsthand look at Dr. Gladding’s successes and setbacks from childhood to older adulthood in 17 sections covering topics such as family-of-origin influences; education; peer relationships; skill acquisition; professional growth, rejection, happenstance, and achievement; leadership; clinical challenges; multicultural competence; spirituality; and life and career transitions. Points to Ponder conclude each section to enhance self-reflection and classroom discussion. Published by the American Counseling Association Foundation. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website here *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]

Revised and expanded for the digital age, this trusted guidebook and text helps novice psychotherapists of any orientation bridge the gap between coursework and clinical practice. It offers a window into what works and what doesn't work in interactions with patients, the ins and outs of the therapeutic relationship, and how to manage common clinical dilemmas. Featuring rich case examples, the book speaks directly to the questions, concerns, and insecurities of novice clinicians. Reproducible forms to aid in treatment planning can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size. New to This Edition *Reflects two decades of technological changes--covers how to develop email and texting policies, navigate social media, use electronic medical records, and optimize teletherapy. *New chapters on professional development and on managing the impact of therapist life events (pregnancy and parental leave, vacations, medical issues). *Instructive discussion of systemic racism, cultural humility, and implicit bias. *Significantly revised chapter on substance use disorders, with a focus on motivational interviewing techniques. *Reproducible/downloadable Therapist Tools.

Written for undergraduate students and other prospective counselors, A Guide to Graduate Programs in Counseling is the first of its kind to create a comprehensive, reliable means of learning about the counseling profession, entry level preparation (i.e., master's degrees in counseling specializations), and what to consider when searching for, applying to, and ultimately selecting a graduate program in counseling that is the "perfect fit." The Guide offers vital information relative to accreditation and its importance in the counseling profession with regards to obtaining licensure, certification, and even employment opportunities after graduating. As a CACREP publication, this book is the official source of information about accredited counseling programs and includes information about what counseling programs seek in candidates, what programs can offer students in terms of professional development and job placement, and guidance on personal and practical considerations for entering the counseling profession. Authored by counseling experts and featuring insights from voices in the field, A Guide to Graduate Programs in Counseling is a must-have resource for anyone interested in becoming a professional counselor. This text is an official publication of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the counseling profession's recognized accreditation body. The book fulfills a need for individuals considering a career in the counseling profession. Counselors comprise 37% of all helping professions, the largest of all professions that include social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and marriage and family therapists (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2014). The counseling profession is projected to grow 29% between 2012-2022, faster than the average for all occupations according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Professional Behaviors and Dispositions teaches counselors in training (CITs) how to cultivate counselor competencies and critical thinking skills in support of lifelong professional development. CITs will first gain a detailed understanding of the professional behaviors and dispositions expected of all counselors. They will then learn how to evaluate themselves for these factors using a universal growth model that promotes holistic, ongoing assessment of oneself and one’s relationships. Next, CITs will be presented with concrete tools and activities that they can use to cultivate and retain counselor competencies. Finally, CITs are given a step-by-step guide for creating a professional growth plan they can use throughout their program and their clinical practice. Accompanying this text is a helpful online faculty guide for supervisors to use while working with CITs. Aligned with CACREP, ACA, and ACES standards, this textbook will be useful for all graduate students training to become counselors.

This practical book offers valuable information, suggestions, and guidelines designed to help readers learn how to work effectively in an agency setting. The unifying theme and framework is the value and importance of looking at personal and professional aspects of agency counseling. This text helps the reader look inside themselves as well as outside of themselves at their agency.

This award-winning, bestselling reference for professional counselors and graduate students is extensively updated and expanded to encompass critical developments that are immediately relevant to the counseling professions, including the 2014 American Counseling Association Code of Ethics, CACREP/CORE accreditation standards, DSM-5, the Affordable Care Act, and many other important changes. It reflects the ongoing consolidation of a strong identity for professional counselors and the need to address mental health and other counseling concerns amidst marked socio-cultural changes. The only resource of its kind, it is an extremely useful guide for counseling students working toward licensure and certification as well as experienced counselors, counselor educators, clinical supervisors, psychologists, and social workers. The second edition offers a unique interdisciplinary approach inclusive across all counseling disciplines and features contributions from over 110 highly regarded experts in counselor education, research, and practice. It is based on the core content and knowledge areas outlined by CACREP and CORE accreditation standards and disseminates, in 93 chapters, both contemporary insight and practical strategies for working with the complexity of real-life issues related to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of diverse clients. New chapters address military and veteran health issues; evidence-based practice for training; counseling transgender individuals, partners, and families; counseling caregivers;; social justice; and so much more. In addition to being a quick-access resource for all counseling professionals, the second edition serves as a concise, accessible reference for graduate students preparing for certification and licensure exams. It features an expanded, comprehensive self-exam of over 340 multiple-choice items based on the CORE/CACREP core content and knowledge areas for counselor education and training. New to the Second Edition: Updated and expanded discussion of the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics Affordable Care Act and its impact on delivery of mental health services Coverage of DSM-5 Promotes an interdisciplinary approach inclusive across all counseling disciplines Includes an expanded self-exam with over 340 study questions for NCE and CPCE prep New chapters on military and veteran mental health issues New chapter on evidence-based practices for counseling New chapter on behavioral health and health disparities in the U.S. New chapter on social justice and health equity issues New chapter on counseling caregivers New chapter on counseling children with psychiatric conditions New chapter on counseling for wellness New chapter on counseling survivors of natural disasters New information on complementary, alternative, and integrative approaches New information on counseling LGBTQ couples, partners and families Key Features: Covers all key foundational content for CACREP/CORE-accredited programs within one volume Provides quick access to a vast compendium of counseling information Edited and authored by leading counseling scholars, educators, and practitioners Relevant across all counseling specialties Updated to reflect 2014 ACA Code of Ethics, Affordable Care Act, DSM-5, and revisions to licensure requirements in many states