Types of Counselors: Types, Jobs, Scope, Salary

Counselors are trained professionals who guide or help people in coming to terms with any difficult situation that has caused a deep wound psychologically. Counselors are trained to be patient and empathetic enough to deal with patients suffering from psychological depression or disorders. Counselors conduct ‘Therapy Sessions’ for their clients and help them overcome their losses or any drawbacks through these sessions.

In order to become a Counselor, aspiring candidates can pursue various Undergraduate or Postgraduate Psychology Courses or Counselling Courses from any of the top Psychology Colleges across the country. Admission to these colleges is done both on the basis of merit as well as on the basis of Entrance Exams. Read More: How to Become a Psychologist

There are several types of Counselors based on their specializations and area of expertise. Some of the top most practiced Counselor types are Mental Health Counselors, Education Counselors, Career Counselors, Marriage Counselors, etc. The sections below will discuss them in detail. Read More: Certificates & Licensure for Counselling  

Types of Counselors

There are different counselors who have specializations in their respective genres.

Mental Health Counselor

Mental health counselors are the most common type of counselors who basically deal with anxiety, depression, negative behavioral traits, or bipolar disorders. Through respective sessions, they communicate with their patients and set a target for them to overcome their negative behaviors. These sessions mostly occur in clinics, but also are frequent in open environments like schools, parks, etc.

Marriage and Family Counselor

Marriage and family counselors are those who help a married couple to fix their conjugal life problems and smoothen their equation with each other. Couples, before taking major life decisions like marriage or child adoption, should definitely visit a marriage or couple counselor to discuss their insecurities and problems. There are also many other problems between family members relating to their equations with one another. Family counselors also sort these problems out.

So, interaction with a marriage and family counselor is beneficial to improve relationships within a family and strengthen their bond.

Substance Abuse Counselor

 The persons who specialize in substance abuse counseling are known as Substance Abuse Counselors. They basically deal with drugs, alcohol, or a certain addiction and help their patients to break free from these addictions completely. At first, they try to find out the exact reason for which their patients got into addictions and then chalk out strategies to be followed for complete recovery. Their treatment often leaves a positive impact on people towards maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle.

During their sessions, substance abuse counselors often make their patients aware of practical life skills. These skills push them towards individual growth. 

Rehabilitation Counselor

Rehabilitation Counselors help people who have emotional and physical disabilities. Such professionals help the patients to live life more independently. They help to balance their emotional instability and trauma and guide them to become financially stable in life. The counselors guide them through the right way to properly take care of themself and to receive job opportunities. Unfortunately, many people with disabilities go through depression throughout their life. So, it is the rehabilitation counselor who motivates and encourages such people to move forward in life. With their help, patients work on their strengths and rise from their limitations to achieve something better in life.

Child/Child Abuse Counselor

In recent times, child abuse is something that is catching up with the news headline. And the aftereffects of such abuses are dangerous. A child goes through enormous physical and mental pain after such incidents, be it sexual assault or parental abuse, pressure, and bullying. So, a Child Abuse Counselor interacts with a child and tries to release their inner pain through interactive, friendly discussions.

Mainly, the therapists work on their patient’s emotions and their ultimate motive is to unite them with the family as a unit. Many people think child abuse is physical abuse, but it may be because of verbal abuse and ill-treatment.

Educational Counselor

Educational Counselors specifically work with students for their overall development and growth. They mainly focus on individual or group sessions and through effective counseling concepts, so that the students could rise above their comfort zones, overcome difficulties in their student life and be successful. These kinds of counselors mainly work with either schools and colleges or Government organizations. Their ultimate aim is to motivate the students.

Career Counselor

Career Counselors are the ones who will guide you toward the right direction of your career. A career is one of the most decisive factors in somebody's life. There are various factors on which one’s career is dependent, i.e.background, personality, skills, abilities, and circumstances. So, by accessing these factors, career counselors help aspirants to inculcate their eventual goals in life. They help us find out the reason for our career choices and then guide us to take corresponding steps to achieve them. 

In today’s era, when there are so many career choices, then without a doubt a person should definitely take the help of career counselors to eliminate all of their confusion and help them get clarity about their career choices.

Types of Counselors in India

There are many types of Counselors in India, whose areas of specialization vary depending on the subject of study. Some of the major types of Counselors found in India are tabulated below for your reference, 

Mental Health Counselling Marriage and Family Counselling
Child abuse Counselling Career counseling
Types of Counselor Jobs -

Counselor Jobs

The major responsibility of various types of Counselors are tabulated below for your reference,

Job Profiles Job Description
Mental Health Counselor Mental Health Counselors mainly deal with anxiety, depression, etc. They basically interact with their patients to relieve their stress by leveraging them toward a happy and healthy life
Marriage and Family Counselor Marriage and Family Counselors mainly deal with conjugal, and family relationships and work towards building better equations in each case. With their help, an individual’s family life becomes much more smooth.
Child Abuse Counselor Child abuse Counselors are the most common counselors that have proven to be effective tools to remove child depression and negative behavioral traits. Children can not always be aware of their problems. The Counselors help them find out the root cause of their problems and gradually remove it from their life.
Educational Counselor Educational Counselors are the ones who motivate students to achieve their goals, rising above all the difficulties they face in a student's life. Basically, they give meaning to student life.
Career Counselor Career counselors provide an individual with proper guidance for which career path he should choose and why. They also help the aspirants with adequate knowledge and information about the next steps to be taken for a particular career goal.

Average Salary

Tabulated below is the average salary of different types of Counselors for your reference, 

Job Profile Average Monthly Salary (INR)
Mental Health Counselor 26,000 
Marriage and Family Counselor 50,000
Substance Abuse Counselor 42,000
Rehabilitation counselor 39,000 
Child Abuse Counselor 17,000
Educational Counselor 22,000
Career Counselor 21,000

Types of Counselors: FAQs

Ques. What can I expect from my first session of Counselling?

Ans. In the first session, which is called the triage appointment, the counselor tries to have insight into the patient’s mind. The therapist would ask about the primary concern at the first session and will try to reach its root cause through the following sessions.

Ques. Is the information shared in my sessions kept confidential?

Ans. Yes, there are proper legal and ethical guidelines to keep all the information of a counseling session confidential. So, please be worry free and share your concerns with the therapist in the first session itself.

Ques. Do Counselors consider their patients insane?

Ans. Not all, therapists understand the fact that normal human beings go through depression, and anxiety issues and it is very much normal to take the help of a therapist. So, relax, the therapists only consider their patients as patients and nothing else.

Ques. How do I benefit most from my Counselling Sessions?

Ans. First, it would be suggested that don’t be nervous. Be honest with your Counselor and discuss your concerns with them. The cooperative efforts of you and your Counselor would definitely help in addressing your concerns.

Ques. How long will I be in counseling?

Ans. It varies from patient to patient. In some sessions, it takes 20-30 minutes and some can be as long as 2 to 3 hrs. So, it totally depends on the severity of the patient and their ability to interact with the therapist.

Ques. Will they refer me to an off-Campus Location?

Ans. Therapies are mostly done in clinics. However, in critical cases, outdoor locations might help the patients to express their hearts.

Ques. What if I want to switch counselors or therapists?

Ans. In most cases, the patients connect to a good therapist. But if you do not feel connected, feel free to discuss it with your counselor.

Bachelor of Science [B.Sc] (Psychology) : 6 answered questions

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Ques. What are the best DU colleges for Psychology?

● Top Answer By Arshita Goyal on 07 Oct 22

Ans. Delhi University provides a wide range of courses in all disciplines, as well as top-tier faculty and infrastructure. B.A. (Honors) in Psychology ranked highly on the list of best Art courses at Delhi University. The programme includes in-depth study in Psychology with Research, as well as practical papers and workshops. The following is a list of the top ten DU Colleges for Psychology (Honors) Lady Shri Ram College For Women- Lady Shri Ram College for Women provides courses in all disciplines. LSR is the best art college in the country, and it is consistently ranked first for its faculty and educational excellence. Jesus And Mary College- JMC is a prestigious educational institute affiliated with the University of Delhi. For a long time, the college has been ranked as a top college for Art courses. Mata Sundari College For Women- It is a supreme institute for girls to obtain degrees in graduate and postgraduate studies. This college provides the most assistance in Psychology (Hons). Indraprastha College For Women - Indraprastha College for Women is a women's college that is ranked among the top colleges in the country for Psychology (Hons) and has the best faculty in the field. Kamla Nehru College- Kamla Nehru College is located on the south campus. This is the best college for courses in Arts, Commerce, and Science, and it is ranked first in the country for Art courses. Gargi College- This is an all-girls college in New Delhi's south. The college is best known for its outstanding faculty and departments. Zakir Husain College - This is a well-known Delhi University institution. The college has been ranked first in the nation for providing excellence in Psychology. Keshav Mahavidyalaya- It is an off-campus college that ranks first on the University's list of best colleges. The college has also received numerous awards for its educational and research programmes. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College- The college is ranked ninth on the list of best colleges for Psychology (Hons). It has also received numerous awards for its excellence in education and faculty. Daulat Ram College For Women - DRC is a women's college that offers courses in science, commerce, and the arts. This college is one of the best in the country for Psychology (honors). For the PG courses, there are North and South campuses. North Campus offers an MA in Psychology, while South Campus offers an MA in Applied Psychology.  Every year, entrance exams for these courses are held, and the competition is fierce. The exam is of the objective variety. They call you for an interview if you pass the entrance exam, i.e. score the minimum qualifying marks (75% this time). Following the interview, a merit list is created. Because Psychology is the most sought-after course at DU, the bar is set fairly high.Read more
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Ques. Is NIMS University good for a B.Sc in Psychology?

● Top Answer By Sarita Varshney, on 01 Nov 21

Ans. No, it is not a good university for B.Sc. in Psychology. For this course, you should apply to a central or state university which will be better than a private university.  The university is very expensive, you will know this after you get admission because there are many recurring charges which are later revealed.  Go for a government university in Jaipur or in your area where you will get proper exposure which is important for your growth and future prospects. They will also have good faculties and your education cost will be minimal.Read more
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Ques. Which one is a better college for psychology, a B.Sc in Loreto or Bethune?

● Top Answer By Aditi Ghose on 30 Nov 21

Ans. Loreto is a better option for doing a B.Sc degree in Psychology. Loreto offers great academics. The faculties are well-qualified and helpful. They will help you with your doubts even after class. However, you should know that Loreto is quite strict regarding its rules and regulations. If you don’t have any issues with their rules, you can easily fit in. Read more
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Ques. How is the B.Sc. psychology department of Bethune College? Can I get admission if my rank is 40 and there are 13 seats?

● Top Answer By Reeti Chakraborty, on 18 Nov 21

Ans. Yes, you can get admission in B.Sc Psychology at Bethune College as a number of students leave their seats for better colleges. You can then try to get a seat during the second, third or fourth cut-off list. Bethune College has highly qualified faculty members but the classes are not conducted regularly. Sometimes they even fail to complete the syllabus. But if we ignore these flaws, they are quite brilliant as educators. If you're joining this college, make sure you can study by yourself because you will not get constant attention from teachers. Bethune College will provide you with a better experience. In Bethune, you will develop both academically and holistically. Overall it is a great institution to be a part of.Read more
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Ques. Which college or university is better for a bachelor's in psychology: DU or MSU Baroda?

● Top Answer By Jayant Thakur on 31 Dec 22

Ans. What truly distinguishes universities such as DU, JNU, and BHU is their brand value and large alumni base. It's as if they've created a brand, particularly for social science courses. A degree from it is valuable in and of itself. Second, while faculty may be similar in some ways, exposure at DU is unparalleled. You will learn a lot. MSU Baroda is a great university with a vibrant past and a strong alumni base, but in the current scenario, good colleges of DU stand out. But, yes, you must work hard and take the initiative to learn and gain knowledge wherever you study because, in the end, it is the knowledge you acquire that counts.Read more
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