CollegeRank.net

Best College Rankings

The Role of Continuing Education in Your Counseling Career

Quick Highlights:

  • Continuing education is required in many states to renew counseling licenses, with specific credit hours needed.
  • Even if not mandatory, ongoing education enhances skills, knowledge, and can lead to promotions or raises.
  • Continuing education allows counselors to specialize in specific therapy areas and stay updated on industry trends.
  • Various learning options are available, including online courses, workshops, and formal degrees, to fit different schedules and needs.

Table of contents

Once you have completed your counseling degree, your education is still not over. Through continuing education for counselors, you can focus on your counseling career development. Some states have mandatory training for counselors, which may involve continuing education credits. 

Even if you aren’t required to get additional credits, it is still important to pursue lifelong learning in counseling. Your abilities will determine how well your clients do and how much progress they can make. Plus, additional coursework will increase the odds that you are promoted or receive a raise at work.  

Related:

The Role of Continuing Education in Counseling

Continuing education is important for a variety of different reasons. One of the most important reasons is that each state requires mandatory training for counselors. Here are a few examples of counseling license renewal requirements that are given by different states.    

Florida: To renew your license as a mental health counselor in Florida, you must complete 30 hours of continuing education classes. 

Minnesota: During the first four years of your license as a professional clinical counselor, you must complete 60 graduate-level credits or 40 credits of counseling continuing education credits. 

Texas: By the end of each renewal period, counselors must complete 24 hours of continuing education classes. 

Washington State: In Washington, mental health counselors must complete 36 hours of continuing education classes to renew their licenses. Six of these hours must be in law and ethics.

It is important to look up the requirements for counseling license renewal in your state. Since it takes time to complete these courses, you should begin working on them as early as possible. In order to renew your license, you will have to complete the mandatory continuing education credits.  

Benefits of Continuing Education for Counselors 

The most obvious benefit of continuing education for counselors is that it allows you to keep your license. If you don’t complete mandatory training, you won’t be allowed to keep doing your job. Plus, completing these credits will allow you to enjoy some great continuing education benefits.

Enhancement of Skills and Knowledge 

When you take online courses, you learn new skills. You also enhance the counseling skills you already have. These courses could count toward a certificate which could qualify you for a new job role. You already have counseling experience. So, you’ll find it easier to understand the course and to connect with how you work with clients. 

Specialization in Specific Therapy Areas 

Many people start their education by getting a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. Then, they get a master’s in counseling. While this degree prepares you to become a licensed counselor, it may not have the specializations you need. One of the continuing education benefits is that you can focus on a specific subject and therapy areas. 

Finally, counseling continuing education credits can help you stay up to date on the latest trends. As new research is published, you can immediately learn about it and change the way you work.  

Types of Continuing Education Opportunities

If you want to take the next step in your education, there are many options you can choose. For a career change, you may want to get a master’s degree or a certificate in the subject you want to pursue. You can also check with local colleges to see if you can take individual courses instead of taking part in a full degree program. 

Other than a formal degree, there are other ways to pursue lifelong learning in counseling. You can sign up for an online course or go to an in-person workshop. There are also conferences and seminars that you can attend as well. 

While there are many different places you can go for career development, the following providers are known for having some of the best options available. 

  • Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES): This organization offers bi-annual conferences in different cities in the United States. 
  • Capella University: Capella offers online certificates in counseling. You can study contemporary theory in mental health services, systemic couple and family therapy, play therapy, or contemporary theory in addictive behavior. 
  • PESI: PESI is known for providing counseling career development opportunities, like seminars, online courses for counselors, and workshops.
  • College Board: If you are a school counselor, you can check out workshops and seminars from the College Board for professional development. 

Overcoming Challenges in Pursuing Continuing Education

While enhancing your skills is important, it can be challenging for many counselors. Most people who are interested in lifelong learning in counseling already have a job in the field. They may have work and family responsibilities to manage while they take college credits. 

Because of these factors, many students struggle with time management. They may need to use weekend, evening, or online courses for counselors. If time management is an issue, you can also see if there are college programs that accept life experience for college credits.  

Financially, going back to school can be difficult. To complete your continuing education credits, you may need to apply for scholarships or grants. You should also try checking with your employer to see if they offer grants or reimbursements for your career development.     

While lifelong learning in counseling can be challenging, you can overcome any obstacles you face through careful planning. If you are unable to find a solution, you can reach out to a mentor for advice. Other counselors have gone through similar experiences. They can offer advice on how to reach your goals without feeling overwhelmed.

Impact of Continuing Education on Career Development

If you want to take the next step in your career, continuing education can help. Often, jobs require certain certificates, experiences, or specializations. If you can show that you have experience in the right field, you are more likely to get hired. 

Other than preparing you for a promotion, you should also take courses to fulfill mandatory training. Your state has specific course requirements you must fulfill if you want to renew your license. If you don’t take these courses, you will not be able to keep your current job. 

Learning opportunities can help you reach your career goals. But, they also matter for your clients.  When you learn new skills, it allows you to be a better counselor. 

By participating in professional development, you can meet other counselors. Over time, these networking opportunities and connections can help you learn about new jobs as soon as they are available. 

Discover Lifelong Learning Options and Achieve Your Career Goals 

Continuing education is vital if you want to achieve career success. Other than taking mandatory training, you should also take continuing education credits because they can prepare you for new roles. By specializing in specific topics, you can boost your resume and learn new skills for helping your clients.  

If you are passionate about your career development, it is important to attend seminars and workshops that can help you reach your career goals. Lifelong learning can enhance your counseling skills and help you achieve your dreams.