- You Can Help People Change Their Lives for the Better
- There are Many Job Options
- This is a Challenging Career
- You Can Work With Different Types of People
- Your Skills Will Always Be in Demand
- The Opportunities to Learn are Endless
- You Might Have a Favourable Work Schedule
Like other helping professions, counselling psychology offers you the opportunity to help people in great need. Of course, with great need comes the potential for long workdays and stress.
But this is the balance one must strike when working in this field – managing the needs of your clients with your needs to decompress.
When considering an occupation, many factors should be considered. Included in that are the pros and cons of becoming a counselling psychologist.
Use the following list of benefits to help you decide if counselling psychology is right for you.
1. You Can Help People Change Their Lives for the Better
As a counselling psychologist, you have the tools and resources to help others drastically improve their lives.
For example, you might work with a client that has anxiety. By processing the root of their anxiety, teaching them relaxation exercises, and exploring self-care techniques, you can assist your client in effectively managing their anxiety.
As another example, you might work with a couple with marital problems. By exploring each person’s feelings, opening up the lines of communication, and aligning expectations, you may help the couple save their marriage.
Helping bring forth positive change in someone else’s life is extremely powerful. Sharing in the happiness, joy, and relief a client experiences when a problem is solved is one of the best parts of this job.
2 .There are Many Job Options
Counselling psychologists work in many settings. You can pursue your own business, work in a psychiatric ward in hospital, or conduct research. Some counselling psychologists work in public schools, universities, and rehabilitation clinics as well.
Each of these locations offers a different working experience. For example, if you have a private practice, you’re more inclined to work with patients of your choice. It’s also more likely that you’ll have a predictable work schedule.
In contrast, working in the psychiatric ward in hospital means your clients will be a much narrower segment of the population. This work can be very exciting, but also very stressful. You might have to work nights, weekends, or holidays, too.
The point is that you can apply your counselling psychology skills in many areas. Once you’ve identified your passion and the population with whom you wish to work, you can tailor your work experience.
3. This is a Challenging Career
Counselling psychologists certainly don’t have it easy. This is a career that will challenge you in ways you never thought possible. That’s a good thing.
As much as your skills and talents as a counsellor will help your clients, the experience of helping others will reveal things about yourself that you never knew. The journey of self-growth and discovery (which begins at university) can lead to a more fulfilling life.
The challenges you’ll face as a counselling psychologist will keep you on your toes, too. No two days in your office will be alike. No two clients will have the same difficulties. It’s a career that allows you to flex your psychological muscles day in and day out.
4. You Can Work With Different Types of People
People from all walks of life encounter difficulties and need help from time to time. As a counselling psychologist, it’s your job to provide assistance no matter the client’s background.
You’ll work with the young and the old, the married and the divorced, the mentally ill and those that are simply having a rough go of life at the moment.
Some of your clients will be easy to work with. Others will pose a challenge. You’ll see some clients for just a few sessions and others for years. This wide variability makes counselling psychology an interesting and vibrant career.
5. Your Skills Will Always Be in Demand
The unfortunate situation is that people will always struggle with mental health. Problems will arise that seem insurmountable. The ability to care for oneself will wane. Detachments from reality will occur.
The benefit for you is that your skills will always be in demand. Not many jobs offer the long-term stability that counselling does. You can study psychology and join the workforce as a counselling psychologist knowing that your skills can be used now and far in the future to assist others in living a better life.
6. The Opportunities to Learn are Endless
In the grand scheme of things, psychology is a relatively new field of study and practice. While we’ve learned much about the human condition, there is still much to be learned.
As a counselling psychologist, you’ll benefit from endless opportunities to gain additional knowledge and skills that make you an even better asset for people in need. You can pursue a formal degree or get a certification. You might attend a conference and learn a new counselling technique. Your colleagues will be excellent resources for your growth as well.
7. You Might Have a Favourable Work Schedule
As noted earlier, some counselling psychologists – like those in private practice – have favourable work schedules. You might find yourself in a situation in which you only work three or four days a week or only in the mornings. You might have nights, weekends, and holidays free to enjoy with friends and family.
Of course, some counselling psychology jobs have better schedules than others. In some instances, you might work a night shift in hospital. If you work in a mental health clinic, you might have to be on call and meet clients at all hours of the night.
By and large, though, counselling psychologists enjoy a reliable schedule that allows them to plan activities with loved ones and take plenty of time off to rest and recharge.
Is Counselling Psychology for You?
If the benefits of this field of work are agreeable, this might be the career for you. It’s important to consider other factors, though, before making a career choice.
You’ll need to consider the educational requirements and whether you can meet them. Think about the salary you might earn, and if it’s enough for the lifestyle you wish to have. Consider the location you’d like to work as a counselling psychologist and the types of clients you prefer to see as well.
By evaluating these and other factors, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about becoming a counselling psychologist.
If you are seeking a counselling psychologist job, you are welcome to check our counselling jobs page to see if we have any positions available. Don’t forget to register your interest and we will contact you about future job opportunities.
