10 Top Counseling Certifications To Consider!
In today’s world, addiction, divorce, and depression are all all too common. Frequently, the victims of these disorders find it challenging to cope with the circumstances that led to their struggles and seek the advice of a counselor.
Unfortunately, some sites lack a counselor. There are around 665,500 counselors employed in the United States, which has 328,2 million inhabitants. The role of a professional counselor is to assist these victims in overcoming bad patterns, rehabilitating them, and enhancing their quality of life.
Graduates and counselors enroll in counseling certification courses in order to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfill this role. Similarly, to be a professional counselor, you must possess a counseling license or counseling skills certification.
Why Become Certified in Counseling?
Professionally, counseling certification provides registered counselors and those seeking licensure with numerous opportunities to develop their counseling professions. Similarly, they acquire specialized expertise in counseling and certification to practice in a certain sector of the field.
Counseling certification enables you to not only enhance counseling abilities and knowledge, but also obtain recognition in the particular field of work.
Counselors with a master’s degree or who are actively pursuing one frequently enroll in counseling certificate programs in order to reap the benefits described above. Yet, this is primarily to learn specialized skills for their chosen careers and to pursue their passion in counseling.
What Kinds Of Counseling Certifications Are There?
A trained counselor has a wide range of expertise, from marital and family counseling to child psychology. He might choose based on his professional interests.
Counseling certifications vary by expertise, as stated in the types of counseling certificates listed below.
1. Diploma in Mental Health Counseling
This counseling skills certificate focuses on psychosocial evaluation and treatment of mental and emotional illnesses in individual and group settings.
Clinical mental health therapy and professional counseling are included.
State licensure often requires a master’s degree in mental health counseling in a number of jurisdictions. Candidates with a graduate degree who do not meet licensure standards or licensed counselors interested in specializing in a specific field, such as child and youth mental health, co-occurring disorders, or mental health and aging, can benefit from certificate courses.
2. Certification in Marital and Family Counseling
This field of expertise encompasses couples therapy, family therapy, child and adolescent development, and systems theories. In addition, certificates leading to license are available in marriage and family therapy.
In this program, certified counselors and licensed marital and family therapists (LMFTs) have the chance to become dually licensed to provide MFT services, or they can bridge the gap if their master’s degree in MFT does not match licensure requirements.
As a standard requirement for licensure, a certificate in marriage and family counseling may require students to perform supervised work experience.
3. Accreditation in School Counseling
This is a phrase that everyone knows. All grade levels are served by school counselors who give advise and support for personal, academic, and behavioral difficulties.
In the majority of circumstances, a master’s degree is required for full licensing, however those with a master’s degree in a topic other than school counseling may finish a school counseling certificate to meet license criteria.
Before being eligible for school counselor responsibilities, some institutions may require school counselors to finish educator preparation programs and get teaching experience.
4. Certification in Drug Abuse Counseling
Certified counselors have particular knowledge of substance misuse, addiction, chemical dependency, and recovery concerns, an expanding field of counseling specialization.
Substance abuse counselors, often known as addiction counselors, assist clients and their loved ones in overcoming these obstacles.
Certifications in substance abuse counseling, substance abuse studies, addiction counseling, addiction studies, and chemical dependence counseling may be available. Certificate programs can assist substance abuse counselors in acquiring in-depth knowledge and training. Typically, a high school diploma and relevant work experience are sufficient for obtaining a license, and certificate programs can help substance abuse counselors acquire in-depth knowledge and training.
It may potentially increase work possibilities. A certificate may be one option for aspiring substance abuse counselors to fulfill these criteria.
5. Obtaining a Certification in Rehabilitation Counseling
This branch of counseling focuses on diagnosing and assisting clients with disabilities in adapting to daily life and developing functional skills.
In order to obtain a license as a rehabilitation counselor, candidates must evaluate if a certain certificate program satisfies the rules.
Rehabilitation counseling and allied subjects such as rehabilitation studies and disability studies, among others, offer certificates in this field.
A certificate in rehabilitation counseling may help improve work prospects and pay potential.
List of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider
The following is a list of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider:
1. Lamar University’s Counseling Program for Mental Health
As one of the Top Counseling Certifications, this program is available to students holding a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, or a related field.
The program focuses on the professional responsibilities of counselors, their client relationships, and their impact on the behavioral healthcare system as a whole.
It assists students in identifying etiologies, diagnoses, and treatment plans by applying the most recent research and adhering to ethical and legal requirements.It is one of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider.
Summary
- Price: $5,400 per program
- Duration: 12 months
- Requirements: Online Application, Master’s in Counselling, Psychology or related disciplines, 3.0 Graduate GPA, Transcripts
2. Graduate Studies in Marriage, Couple and Family Counselling in Regent University
This is also one of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider. This post-program master’s is offered by Regent University to counselors seeking a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling.
It is a licensing exam for professional counselors who demonstrate eligibility for licensure and seek to improve their counseling professions.
It examines the stages of marital and family formation, as well as numerous addiction therapies, couples’ therapy, and sexual dysfunction therapy.
Summary
- Price: $710 per credit hour
- Duration: Self-paced
- Requirements: Complete online application with $50 non-refundable application fee, Unofficial college transcripts and Complete admissions questionnaire
3. Certificate Program for Counselling Professionals in Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University expands its curriculum for counseling professionals seeking to apply their Master of Arts in School Counseling training.
The goal of the counseling certificate is to provide further education that assists those seeking standard certification.
This certificate program focuses on essential aspects of school counseling, including counselor accountability, crisis prevention, and intervention techniques. It is also open to persons without a teaching qualification.It is also regarded as one of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider.
Summary
- Price: $299
- Duration: 12-credit hour
- Requirements: Complete online application, Official transcript, 2.75 overall GPA, Master’s degree, Copy of teaching certificate and One-page rationale essay
4. Client-Directed Counselling for Nutritional Professionals in Cornell University
Being an institution of higher education, Cornell University provides nutritional professionals a certificate program in client-directed counseling.
Being among one of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider. The program is designed for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) who seek to enhance their counseling skills in order to facilitate effective client behavior change via the application of established approaches.
It emphasizes Knowing the Individual, Understanding the Issue, Inspiring New Behaviors, and Integrating the Art of Counseling with the Science of Nutrition.
Summary
- Price: Varies per credit unit
- Duration: Two months
- Requirements: Complete online application form and enrol online
5. Clinical Mental Health Counselling in Johns Hopkins University
This is a Post-Certificate Master’s Program in Clinical Mental Health Counselling that assists students in completing the necessary academic requirements for licensure as clinical counselors.
It is designed for students who hold a master’s degree and wish to pursue counseling specialization.
Summary
- Price: $833 per credit hour
- Duration: 1 -3 years
- Requirements: Official transcripts from previous colleges/universities, Evaluated academic records and Official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for non-native speakers
6. Introduction to Psychology by University of Toronto (Coursera)
This comprehensive introductory psychology course is offered on Coursera by the University of Toronto.
You can enroll in this introductory course to learn about human nature, thoughts, feelings, and their effects on behavior.
This course covers the history and evolution of psychology as well as its scientific approaches.
It provides many courses on topics such as history, scientific methodologies, brain structure and its processes, social psychology, mental disease and its treatments, and similar topics.This is also among the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider
Summary
- Price: Free
- Duration: Self-paced
- Requirements: None
7. Counselling Children & Adolescents on Udemy (Accredited Certificate)
This is a recognized Udemy certification course that will allow you to practice child and adolescent counseling.
Little children and adolescents are difficult to relate to and comprehend, and counseling them differs from counseling adults.
The certificate program focuses on giving skills to counselors who frequently manage the psychological difficulties of adolescents.
You will learn the appropriate terminology and procedures to use when counseling them.It is also on our list of Top Counseling Certifications To Consider.
Summary
- Price: $94.99
- Duration: Self-paced
- Requirements: None
8. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) on Udemy (Practitioner Certificate)
This online class aims to impart the skill set necessary to assist individuals in addressing negative thinking chains and providing alternative growth possibilities.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Certification is a counseling course for beginners on Udemy that focuses on CBT theories and practices and understanding human needs and behavior.This is also one of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider.
Summary
- Price: $94.99
- Duration: Self-paced
- Requirements: None
9. Fully Accredited Professional Counselling on Udemy (Diploma Course)
This is a thorough training program for anyone interested in starting a counseling profession from scratch. This certified course teaches students the essential counseling skills needed to assist others.
Students are able to comprehend the tasks and responsibilities of a counselor, develop the essential abilities, and get a certificate certification in professional counseling. It gives useful and pertinent learning resources.This is also regraded as one of the Top Counseling Certifications To Consider.
Summary
- Price: $94.99
- Duration: Self-paced
- Requirements: None
10. Counselling Skills Certificate Course on Udemy
This is an introductory certification course meant for those who seek to better understand themselves or establish themselves as counselors.
Also, it helps you build self-awareness and enhances your interpersonal skills as you aid those in need.
This course is an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of counseling.
- Summary
- Price: $94.99
- Independently-paced
- Requirements: None
FAQs On Top Counseling Certifications
What is the highest degree in counseling?
A master's in counseling is typically considered the terminal degree for this field, or the highest level of education required for most jobs. A master's is the highest level of education required for licensure as a counselor in all 50 states and Washington DC.
What’s higher than a counselor?
Psychologists possess the highest level of education and only see specific cases in their field of expertise. These professionals may also adopt a specific theoretical orientation such as cognitive behavioral therapy or psychoanalysis to treat their patients.
How do I become a genuine counselor?
Some of the qualities which go to make up genuineness are: Professional role: Relating to others and helping others are part of the life of a counsellor. Thus, at best, counsellors should be “role free”, which means that a counsellor should not use a facade to protect himself/herself or in any way “fool” a client.
Are Counsellors in high demand?
Job prospects within counselling alone are looking to grow from 31,200 (2019) to 38,900 (2024). Furthermore, demand for counsellors exists all across Australia, with the majority of work lying in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
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