Becoming A Professional Counselor

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.

If you are planning to become a nationally certified counselor or preparing to take comprehensive exams in doctoral, specialist, or master′s degree programs, Becoming a Professional Counselor, Second Edition is the ideal resource for you. A best-seller in its first edition, the second edition has been updated and expanded to offer you the guidance you need to become nationally certified by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Clear and concise, the authors discuss, step by step, topics such as human growth and development; social and cultural foundations; the helping relationship; group dynamics, process, and counseling; appraisal of the individual; research and evaluation; and professional orientation. Each chapter provides an outline, summary, list of important terms and names (which are keyed to the glossary at the end of the book), and practice tests. This precise, insightful manual is an invaluable tool, with its success-proven formula of summarization, testing, and review. It facilitates the foundation building and preparation necessary for involvement in counseling and in the helping professions. Retaining the same easy-to-follow format as the first edition, this new edition updates the names of key organizations while adding new information relevant to changes in the counselor certification exam. Becoming a Professional Counselor, Second Edition facilitates the foundation building and preparation necessary for involvement in counseling and the helping professions.

Helps counselors-in-training develop their sense of identity as advocates and seekers of social justice Distinguished by a potent social justice and multicultural perspective, this comprehensive introductory text for counselors-in-training delivers foundational concepts through the lens of advocacy and intersectionality. This book emphasizes exploration of the individual and collective effect of local, national, and global social issues on clients and their communities, and imparts real world experiences from authors and clinical experts who provide personal accounts of challenges and successes in their practices. The text examines key evidence-based counseling theories with an in-depth focus on trauma-informed counseling and prompts reflection and dialogue about critical issues in counselor development. It introduces specific counseling micro-skills, techniques, and modalities and describes the varied settings in which counselors can practice. Engaging activities that foster self-analysis and self-actualization illuminate the path to becoming a professional counselor. Chapters encompass several features that promote high-level thinking and reinforce understanding of content. These include reflection exercises that relate chapter content to individual counselor identity, learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, Voices from the Field to bring counseling to life, Call to Action features to help students put learning into action, case studies, Group Process activities, and additional resources. Abundant instructor activities include Instructor’s Manual, Test Bank, PowerPoints, and recorded video podcasts. Key Features: Addresses the foundations of counseling through the perspective of multiculturalism, advocacy, social justice, and intersectionality Emphasizes understanding of the individual and collective effect of social issues on clients and their communities Includes recorded interviews with clinical experts and Voices from the Field Weaves the concept of trauma-informed counseling throughout Covers such trending topics as telemental health, the influence of climate change, psychedelic assisted therapies, and the effect of social media on counseling, and neuroscience Offers engaging self-actualization and reflection activities to enhance counselor training Each chapter includes learning objectives, Call to Action features, Think About This reflection exercises, Group Process activities, case studies, and more Offers an abundant ancillaries package including Instructor’s Manual, Test Bank, chapter PowerPoints, and video podcasts

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.

The core text for counselor skill development, Becoming a Skilled Counselor prepares students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to be effective helpers. Authors Richard D. Parsons and Naijian Zhang explain the essentials of the counseling relationship, the dynamic and intentional nature of the helping process, the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate change and the theories and research guiding the selection and application of interventions.Uniquely focused on the process of counseling, the authors' approach invites students to conceptualize clients using a fluid and dynamic model rather than a linear, step-by-step process. Each chapter is structured to reinforce concepts by first introducing the key constructs and empirical support, then providing application opportunities through detailed case illustrations with dialogue transcripts and guided practice exercises. The text emphasizes mindfulness, intentionality, ethics, and reflection to aid counselors in their journey of self-discovery and professional identity development.Becoming a Skilled Counselor is the first book in Counseling and Professional Identity, a series that targets the development of specific competencies identified by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs).

Ideal for use in introductory counseling courses, Orientation to Professional Counseling is fully aligned with the 2016 CACREP Standards and contains historical perspectives on the foundations of the profession, an overview of counseling specialties and contemporary issues in the field, and a discussion of anticipated future trends. Throughout the book, Nassar, Niles, and other counseling leaders emphasize the core content and expertise common within a unified counseling identity. To deepen practical application, chapters include learning objectives and activities, review questions, illustrative text sidebars, and “Voices From the Field.” Complimentary instructor’s materials, including chapter outlines, tests, and PowerPoint slides, are available by request to ACA. *Requests for digital versions from the ACA can be found on wiley.com. *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website here. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]

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.