What is the job all about?
Counsellors guide individuals with personal, family, educational, mental health and career problems. Counsellors explore feelings and emotions of their clients and guide them towards a better understanding of their personal situation.They then can take a view on how best they should amend their methods of thinking and action. Counsellors are required to be Non Judgemental,discreet by maintaining strict confidentiality, and always give the counselee a lot of courage.
Can I go for it?
If you have good levels of patience , an understanding mind & compassion you could do very well in this area. Once you hear problems you could discuss alternatives they could choose from. The Individual must not feel hopeless on the contrary must feel that his/her problems are surmountable and that the solutions offered could be tried and tested. Counsellors do not give advice, but help clients to make their own choices within the framework of an agreed counselling base.
Counselling can be done in Group (Therapy) or on case by case basis.
To become a licensed counsellor one needs to have a Masters degree in psychology or social work and he/she should have registered himself or herself with RCI (Rehabilitation council of India).
Is there a future in this field?
The world to-day is working at a furious pace and invariably the stress levels go up, Many cannot cope with the rat race. So Counsellors are very much necessary and required. So if you have the patience and the expertise to help people by all means this is a very rewarding career.
Where do I start?
In Goa
St Xavier’s college Mapusa offers both an under-graduate Program in Psychology and post Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology. Carmel College also offers a course at the under-graduate level as well as at the Post Graduate level in Counselling. Nirmala Institute at Panaji also has Masters Program in Counselling. The rest of the colleges in Goa i.e. Dhempe College Panaji, Chowgule College Margao and MES College Vasco offer only undergraduate Programs in psychology.
Outside Goa
• Christ University,
• Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS),
• Ambedkar University, New Delhi
Employment Avenues
There are both Public & Private Clinics that offer Counselling Programs for diverse needs eg.Child Psychology, Marital problems, teenage Issues, etc
Monies
Monies at the start like in most careers are not very encouraging but one must persist and with experience things improve considerably.
Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.
Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.
For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/