According to a study by the APA, 46% of mental health professionals face burnout with the rising need for mental health facilitation. As an emerging counselor in a highly demanding field, you may face similar challenges like self-doubt, stress, and performance anxiety. You can even get taken advantage of if you’re not well-equipped for future hurdles in your professional life.

Your course outline may not always prepare you for practical work problems that force you to perform beyond your capabilities. So, use these tips for a smooth transition from the classroom into the field. 

Build a counseling network 

It’s important to network as a student to get a head start in meeting people that can help provide future opportunities. When you network with your peers, you can learn new skills, exchange ideas, and quicken your growth as a student and professional counselor. 

Your connections will bring the most clients when you start working as a counselor. You can get client referrals from people in your network when they’re too busy for new clients. The more contacts you establish, the faster you can build your reputation as a counselor. 

You can start building a professional network by putting yourself out there. Get active, join associations, participate on campus, and create an online presence. Be confident, presentable, and helpful to maintain a good network. 

Get a master’s in counseling 

Enrolling in a master’s program will open doors to higher-paying opportunities. As a new counselor, having multiple career paths will be helpful. A master’s degree will give you the credentials you’ll require to build up your career options.

Expand your horizons by applying for a master’s in counseling with different counseling specializations. If you have doubts such as what can I do with a masters in counseling, some examples of counseling specializations you can choose to do are:

  • Addiction counseling
  • Rehabilitation counseling
  • Community mental health counseling

You can find many more specializations and diversify your counseling practices according to your interests. 

Acknowledge yourself as a professional

Establishing boundaries when you first start as a professional can be difficult. It is important to start building your value as a student to know your value as a professional. People will take advantage of you, so it is important to realize you’re not a civil servant. Set your prices, negotiate salaries, and don’t do counseling sessions for free when you can be paid. 

You should work on your assertiveness and be able to say no. Clients may want you to be available 24/7, so communicating effectively is important. You want your clients to know you’ll be there but not always available unless it’s an emergency. 

It is also important to know that as a counselor, you have legal responsibilities to your clients, including their privacy and confidentiality. As a counseling student, you should already consider yourself a counselor and take your role seriously to establish professionalism. 

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes 

One bad session doesn’t make you a terrible counselor. It is important to develop your self-esteem as you learn to ensure you don’t suffer as a professional. Instead of wallowing in what you did wrong, you should think about what you learned from the experience. 

Once you start learning from your mistakes, you can develop new strategies and enhance your counseling skills. To effectively learn from mistakes, you need to let them go. Once you accept that you can’t be successful with every client, you can give yourself more room to grow. 

Master the core conditions

The core conditions of counseling are an attitude rather than a skillset, so it’s important to start developing them as soon as possible. According to the founder of the Person-Centered Approach, Carl Rogers, the core components of a counselor are: 

  • Unconditional positive regard

As a counselor, it is important to let go of negativity. Your client may do things you may not agree with, but you still have to approve of the person, even if you disapprove of their actions. The unconditional acceptance and care you give the client are necessary for them to improve. 

You can start practicing unconditional positive regard by accepting that every person is different, acknowledging different beliefs, and developing a nonjudgmental attitude. 

  • Congruence/Genuineness 

Congruence means being authentic. As a counselor, it is important to match what you say with your actions. If you tell your client you’re listening, then you must give them your undivided attention. You can be more trustworthy without a façade between you and your client. Your genuineness can also encourage your client to be honest about their thoughts and feelings. 

You can practice congruence by paying attention to your thoughts and feelings. You should be real and own up to your shortcomings. If you don’t have an answer for your client, be honest about it. If you don’t understand something, ask again. Your actions should match your feelings. 

  • Empathy 

Empathy refers to the ability to understand your client’s emotions, which should not be confused with sympathy. Counselors should be able to put themselves in their client’s shoes, but also be able to get themselves out. If you start sympathizing with your client, your emotions will prevent an objective point of view. Once you understand your client’s emotions accurately, you can establish rapport and work towards achieving set goals.  

The best way to enhance empathy is to pay attention to other people, try to understand them, pay attention to them, and, most importantly, listen to them. You can develop your listening skills by reading books like Just Listen by Mark Goulston to become more empathetic. 

Always stay curious 

Once you start thinking you know everything about your client, that is when you stop listening. Curiosity opens the doors for your client’s self-improvement. Asking questions like ‘how are you feeling today?’ and ‘what do you want to change in your behavior?’ can encourage introspection from your client’s side. When your client starts getting curious about themselves, it can help them recognize their thoughts and feelings better. 

You can practice curiosity by asking open-ended questions and listening for the sake of acceptance, not judgment. 

Conclusion 

In your early counseling career, you will face many challenges and hurdles. You need to have a realistic approach toward the future and give yourself time to grow. Don’t let your unrealistic expectations keep you from learning, don’t sell yourself short, and keep striving. Your success in your field depends on how much effort you invest in it. 

Remember these tips whenever you feel stuck, practice them thoroughly, and practically apply them as much as possible.