Understanding The Relationship Between Career Counseling and Mental Health
Finding a fulfilling career that you enjoy can be challenging, especially when considering factors like work-life balance and money. Even if you appreciate your current job, you might seek advice on furthering your skills, finding out where your strengths lie, or changing jobs to improve mental or physical health. In these cases, taking a career test and seeking career counseling may offer advantages. Career counselors with their expertise in counseling techniques can guide clients through assessments, skill analysis, and goal-planning techniques. Learning how these professionals offer support can help you decide if career counseling is right for you.
What is career counseling?
These career counselors specialize in areas related to career development and human services, including education, mental health challenges, strengths, or areas for growth. Often, they are accredited by the American Counseling Association. Regardless of your career status, they possess expertise and knowledge to help people with various goals, such as:
- Making a career change
- Helping young adults find a career
- Helping college students chart a career path forward
- Finding a higher education institution that fits your career goals
- Discussing strengths and weaknesses
- Creating cover letters or resumes
- Developing strategies to increase productivity at a job
- Mock interviewing
- Mental health concerns related to work settings
- Finding local career information resources
- Providing support toward your own well-being
- Some career counselors work at programs in career centers or universities, offering aptitude testing and connecting individuals with job opportunities and alumni networks.
How can career counseling benefit you?
Career counseling can allow you to discuss your future with a counselor who can act as a sounding board for your decisions, taking into account factors such as family, money, and potential employers. Below are a few ways career counseling might benefit you as you determine your career path as a graduate or explore a new program.
Provide advice about potential career paths and other options
You can discuss the career path you're considering and any qualifications you might need to get a job in that field with a counselor. Education about options and resources can help you feel empowered, and your employment counseling expert can also support you in various aspects of career and mental health development.
Support with educational plans, training, or certifications
You can discuss your thoughts on education and whether you're considering returning to school, changing careers, leadership training, or changing your major. These counselors can help you work through your concerns to allow you to make the most effective career choices, whether you’re a student or a working professional.
Job evaluation or assessment
Career counselors can also objectively evaluate your interests, abilities, and values to help you decide which career paths most match up to them. They might achieve this through conversation, reviewing your past work, or offering a career aptitude test. You may be asked about your past jobs, skills, and interests in a test. Counselors may also ask questions to assess if you need a mental health intervention due to any factors associated with the stress of career development.
Career counseling and mental health resources
When you're ready to put your plans into action, career counseling can help you locate resources or information about potential careers and educational paths. Your counselor can help you develop a career plan and find local resources to achieve your goals and address career concerns. For example, if your goal is to gain a government job, your counselor might connect you with a government job search organization.
Offer guidance on what to do
Often, counselors do not tell you exactly what you "should" do or what career is "best" for you. Instead, they offer guidance and advice as you make decisions for yourself. If you aren't sure about your responses to specific questions, they can help you make choices by providing you with a list of options.
Who might benefit from career counseling?
Anyone may benefit from career counseling. This type of counseling is not limited to a diagnosis, specific symptoms, or severe mental health challenges and can be helpful for a wide range of mental health concerns, including those related to ageism in the workplace. Finding the right career can be a lifelong process. Therefore, it's not too early or too late to try career counseling to understand your professional goals.
People might start career counseling in high school when considering which schools to apply to. Others might start in university as they consider their future careers, and career counseling for college students is highly beneficial, as students begin to feel the academic pressure to get a job. Further, you can attend career counseling at any point in your professional life or age. Even if you enjoy your job, career counseling can help you further your skills or learn more about your profession.
Often, the goal of career counseling is to make career decisions or meet a goal. For example, some people might aim to be promoted, get hired for their dream job, or ace an interview. Whatever your career goals, your counselor can support you. If you make a career leap, having a counselor available can be beneficial if you meet any setbacks or uncertainty.
Finding the perfect career can be a lifelong process. The careers you desire during counseling may change over time. You can change career paths at any time, and your counselor can help you do so.
How to start career counseling
If you already have an idea of your interests, start there. You can work with your counselor to discuss how your interests and aptitudes align with a career plan for your future. If you're not yet sure what type of job you want, your counselor may use your interests to develop a list of potential career fits. You can select your favorites and discuss the educational requirements for each.
A career counselor can also offer support for those who have already made decisions and are seeking support with the execution phase to begin their new career or role. For example, they might help you develop a written plan for how to achieve career success. They can also link you with potential mock interviews or a resume support service.
Where can you find a career counselor or therapy for advice and support?
Many cities have career counseling centers where you can set up an appointment and meet with a counselor, often on a short-term basis. Some universities and high schools also offer career counseling for younger people. If you're looking for more intensive career counseling, you can look for someone who works in non-public practice. Ask your primary care physician for a referral or search online for career counselor options.
If you're unable to afford career counseling and mental health services in your area, you can also consider online counseling. With an online counseling platform, you can specify your mental health and career needs when you sign up to allow the matching algorithm to find you a personalized career counselor. In addition, you can attend counseling from home, allowing you to focus your energy on your career or educational pursuits.
In addition to the benefits of online counseling, research has found that it is as effective as in-person counseling options. For example, one study found that 71% of participants felt online counseling was highly preferable to and as effective as traditional treatment options. If you're interested in trying one of these platforms, you can sign up for a website like BetterHelp, which offers various specialties, including career counseling.
Takeaway
Career counseling allows clients to explore their educational and professional goals with a compassionate provider who supports well-being. If you're interested in trying career counseling, ensure you reach out to a professional with licensing to practice in your state. Many career "counselors" are coaches, which are non-licensed peer support professionals. A licensed career professional can offer mental health counseling alongside career guidance to help improve the quality of clients’ lives.
Is career counseling effective in helping you find a job?
A 2012 study found that career counseling is often effective. The study found that most participants implemented their career choice or changes within one year after ending their sessions with their career counselor. Research is constantly evolving, and researchers advancing counselors’ effectiveness continue to explore this topic further.
How can a career counselor help you explore careers?
Career counselors can help a person explore careers by discussing the available career opportunities that match the person's career goals, interests, and passions. They analyze the client's skills, education, and personality traits to find the most rewarding possibilities and discuss them with the client so that they can make an informed career choice.
They may provide a list of career options and advice on navigating the job search and preparing for those careers. They often have insight into industry statistics or tricks that the client may not have, making their advice valuable for any professional.
A career counselor can also work with you to address challenges related to the intersection of your career and mental health. Mental health counseling can help you navigate stress arising out of your job search or complex feelings related to your self-confidence and career success. A mental health counselor can also help you prepare for common issues in the workplace, such as interpersonal conflict or communication challenges.
How do guidance counselors help students?
A guidance counselor can help students with all the elements of career planning, including understanding the job search process, finding career options that match their interests, and deciding if higher education might be beneficial.
Students also seek help through professional school counseling for advice on career development, how to develop a particular skill set, and aptitude testing to understand their personality. Career counselors may also guide clients on crafting a solid resume and cover letter if they expect to apply for a job. They can also provide mental health counseling in some cases. Many students experience mental health challenges related to academic pressure, their social lives, or other concerns. A guidance counselor may also implement or help with other activities like wellness initiatives that may bring together the counselor, educators, staff, and students.
Why is career counseling and mental health development important for high school students?
Career counselors focus on all aspects of career development and planning for high school students. They help students understand their skills, abilities, passions, and personality type so that they can identify careers that might interest them. Once a student has identified potential careers, the counselor can provide them with resources and offer potential majors and education paths to pursue to land the job.
Furthermore, career counseling can help students land their first job by teaching them about the job search process and helping them craft resumes and cover letters to support post-secondary career development.
Though these are often the primary roles of career counselors, they may also be able to address a student's first job, grades, or school assignments. In essence, a career counselor's role is to help students prepare and succeed in the professional world in any way they can. Often, they are also mental health counselors, trained to help students understand the different ways their career and mental health are connected.
What is the impact of career counseling and therapy?
The impact of career counseling and therapy can vary by individual, but may help support a person’s career development, education choices, mental health, relationships, and more.
What is the relationship between career development and mental well-being?
Career development can have a large impact on mental well-being throughout a person’s life span, and some might even see these two areas as inextricably linked—mental health can significantly impact a person’s career, and a person’s career can greatly impact their mental health.
How important is my mental health to me in my career choice?
Determining how important your mental health is to you in your career choice is a personal decision, but for many, it can be a very significant consideration, and integrating career choices into overall quality of life considerations can be important. Figuring out your own needs and preferences may take reflection and self-awareness.
For instance, someone who derives a lot of satisfaction from teaching and using the newest technology tools may find that a career creating tech tips, short lessons, and instructions for navigating a complex site properly brings them joy and fulfillment. While for others, navigating technology may bring a lot of stress, and a career that requires other skills may be a better fit.
How does your career affect your mental health, stress, and overall well-being?
Your career can impact many aspects of your life, health, and well-being, including your stress levels, self-esteem, self-efficacy, finances, sleep, activity levels, and much more. If you are struggling to cope with stress, seeking mental health care can help.
Why choose mental health counseling as a career?
Someone may choose mental health counseling as a career if they are interested in psychology, working with people, and helping diverse clients. If this is a career path you’re considering, it may be helpful to learn more by connecting with others in the field; for possible references, American Counseling Association workplaces and members may offer a useful starting point. You may also want to research graduate school options, supervision features, broad career plans, and other considerations.
Does insurance cover a career coach?
Situations can vary, but health insurance often does not cover sessions with a career coach. To be sure, you can contact your health insurance provider to determine what they do and do not cover. To find independent practice practitioners with rates that align with your budget, you may try asking people you trust for references and researching coaches online.
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