Career Advice for a Mental Health Counsellor

Working as a Mental Health Councellor, you will help people achieve a better standard of mental wellness, conducting assessment, providing coping mechanisms, and administering therapeutic techniques.

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How to Become a Mental Health Counsellor

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Mental Health Counsellor

Should you wish to work as a Mental Health Counsellor you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Mental Health Counsellor

  • Five GCSEs.
  • Three A Levels.
  • A Mental Health, Psychology, or Social Work Degree.

Key Responsibilities for a Mental Health Counsellor

  • Assessing and diagnosing patients.
  • Developing treatment plans to tackle mental health issues.
  • Recommending coping techniques.
  • Helping patients find help and services outside of counselling.
  • Meeting patients on a regular basis.
  • Monitoring an individual's progression and altering therapeutic approaches accordingly.

What to expect as a Mental Health Counsellor

When you become a Mental Health Councellor, you will meet clients in their homes, at an NHS or private hospital, healthcare practice, or a prison. You may need to wear a uniform and the work can be emotionally demanding. The best Mental Health Councellors are patient, calm, empathetic, and good listeners, with excellent knowledge of psychology and medicine.

Recommended Mental Health Counsellor Jobs

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How to get Mental Health Counsellor Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Mental Health Counsellor job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Mental Health Counsellor application. If you have not held a Mental Health Counsellor position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Mental Health Counsellor role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Mental Health Counsellor CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Mental Health Counsellor application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Mental Health Counsellor in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Mental Health Counsellor 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Mental Health Counsellor and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Mental Health Counsellor experience.

How to get Mental Health Counsellor Experience

What does it take to be a Mental Health Counsellor? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Mental Health Counsellor jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Mental Health Counsellor through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Mental Health Counsellor Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Mental Health Counsellor part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Mental Health Counsellor or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Mental Health Counsellor freelance work

If you have impressive Mental Health Counsellor qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.