There are a few key ingredients that matter for counselors. It is an extremely rewarding profession. It’s also a profession prone to burnout because of the emotional toll it takes. Creating a successful brand and style will come with practice and reputation. I believe there are some fundamental ingredients that can accelerate a young professional counselor’s career. Below is a list of six of those accelerators:
- Make your client believe in you. Your client is most likely struggling with behaviors, decisions or any combination of things. Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills will matter in how you set expectations.
- Build and develop your quantitative skills. Whichever way you turn your career, there will most likely be decisions made by numbers on spread sheets. For private practice owners and organizational administrators the better facile you are with numbers, the better you will serve others.
- Express your interest in counseling and therapy. Read for ten minutes and write for five minutes per day on the topic. Psychology today or Very Well Mind are two resources that are filled with valuable information and trends. Do this every day about a particular topic and you will amaze yourself with how much you can pick up within 15 minutes per day. Do this for a year and you are now one of the world’s leading experts on your chosen topic.
- Practice discretion. Counselors live in a world of confidentiality. Whether we are working on a client’s divorce agreement, anxiety treatment plan or an organizational corporate wellness initiative we need to protect this information. This person or people involved are giving a lot of energy resources to a decision they need your help with. In many cases your counsel is related to a pivotal decision that will have consequences for years to come in this person’s life. Privacy will reign supreme for your future reputation.
- Be fine with confrontation. At some point your client will disagree with your counsel, assessment, diagnosis or plan. Or you might have to advocate for a client in a custody hearing or legal matter. The helping professions are not always the feel good business. Remember, nothing anyone says or does is about you.
- Put the client first and make them your first priority, no matter what. This might mean advising them against your own interests. This transparency increases your professional credibility and often leads to a more fulfilled and rewarding relationship in the long term.
Interest payment:
- Although you are a counselor, be a great student.
- Find a mentor with vast experience. Learn from the best you can find.
- Have a system for what you practice.
Dr. Vince