The job of a school counselor is not an easy task. You should have the honest desire to help children and inspire confidence along with trust and respect. As a counselor you will work with a lot of diverse individuals and families. Children with handicaps or special needs, families with abuse, or children whose family has multiple needs are just a few examples of how you will help. You will provide students with life skills that will enable them to deal with problems before they get worse. You need to be physically and emotionally able to handle yourself.
Every state has different requirements for becoming a school counselor. However, you will need a master’s degree in order to gain employment in this field. Some states even require you to hold not only a counseling certificate but a teaching certificate as well. You will be required to get a license to practice. Individual schools may require you to have interned or had clinical experience before hiring you. And some schools may give ongoing training to a school counselor.
You can bet on having at least 60 course hours to gain a degree in counseling. And depending on what your field of study may be will determine what classes you need to take. Some will group the core subjects together. Examples of this would be elementary and secondary counseling, marriage and family counseling, and addictions counseling. Once you have received your master’s, you may be required to participate in ongoing studies to maintain your license.
