For myriad reasons, millions of people struggle with mental and emotional health. But after thoughtful consideration, many of these people pursue professional help from skilled counselors in hopes of increasing their overall well-being.
Counseling jobs are diverse: a counselor might work in schools or hospitals, with children or adults, with marriages and families, or with those grieving or recovering from substance abuse. No matter what area a counselor decides to work in, their job requires deep compassion and a mission-driven mindset that seeks to care for others.
Clinical rehabilitation and mental health counselors help those struggling with and recovering from physical disabilities, substance abuse, and mental illness. These counselors aid people in finding the mental strength and confidence to live healthy, fulfilling lives.
In short, counselors dedicate their work to changing other people’s lives for the better.
Do you have a passion for serving the mental and emotional needs of others? Do you want to make a positive difference in people’s daily lives? Clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling might be a well-suited career for you.
What is Clinical Rehabilitation? What is Mental Health Counseling?
Clinical rehabilitation and mental health counselors change the lives of others every day.
These counselors work with people of all ages in all stages of life to heal and grow both physically and mentally. Through clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling, people are able to overcome obstacles in their lives and confidently pursue the life they want to live.
A clinical rehabilitation counselor works with individuals dealing with physical, mental, or social struggles and disabilities that prevent them from living healthily on their own.
What is Clinical Rehabilitation?
A counselor in this field assists patients with anything from finding medical treatment to learning job skills that will help them find employment. These counselors aim to give their patients the healing necessary for the patient to live a full, independent life.
What is Mental Health Counseling?
A mental health counselor aids people wrestling with various issues related to mental health and substance abuse. Mental health counselors help recognize and address specific areas where mental health negatively impacts the cognitive, behavioral, or emotional wellbeing in the life of an individual.
Counselors treat patients by helping them understand their emotions and finding healthy coping mechanisms and outlets on their road to recovery. A mental health counselor works with their patients to rebuild and foster mental health.
Where do Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counselors Work?
Clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling is needed across demographics. Counselors in these fields work with all people in all locations and often work in overlapping areas. But where, specifically, do these counselors work day-to-day?
As a clinical rehabilitation counselor, you could find yourself working in places such as:
- Community rehabilitation centers
- Senior citizen centers
- Youth guidance organizations
The work for a clinical rehabilitation counselor varies depending on the environment and demographic where they work. They might work for the government in mental health facilities, with community agencies that counsel those convicted of crimes, or with family centers helping couples rebuild marriages or family dynamics. No matter where they go, clinical rehabilitation counselors help others regain independence.
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors might find work in:
- Mental health centers
- Community health centers
- Private practices
Mental health counselors serve a broad range of people and locations. They might help children in school learn how to regulate their emotions or aid adults in recovering from different addictions. In any place a mental health counselor works, they evaluate individual patients’ mental needs, set goals with them that will meet their needs, and help them facilitate a healthier life.
An Inside Look at WVU's Online MS in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling
At West Virginia University, you can take the next step towards a career dedicated to selfless compassion for others.
WVU’s online Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program is one of only 23 such programs in the country. This uniquely-designed program prepares students to work in mental health centers and practices, physical and vocational rehabilitation agencies, and companies and hospitals in the field of addiction counseling and wellness programming.
Through courses such as Disability Across the Lifespan, Cultural Issues, and Crisis Trauma Grief Counseling, graduates are equipped with a comprehensive knowledge to counsel those in recovery from traumatic injuries, neurological disorders, mental health disorders, and chronic health conditions, including addictions.
Want to pursue your master’s in counseling, but are unsure if you can pack it into your busy life? West Virginia’s program has some distinctive benefits that make pursuing your dream career accessible in various stages of life:
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The program is available for both full and part-time students as an online/low residency program. The program’s hybrid modality combines asynchronous online courses with only two required campus visits to complete your counseling degree.
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Students may work with a faculty advisor to substitute on-campus counseling courses for those offered online as part of their plan of study, on a case by case basis.
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The program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) for the specializations of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling until 2023 and is a WVU Program of Excellence.
As a combination program, WVU’s online master’s in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program uniquely develops skills needed in a range of counseling positions. Graduates will be well-rounded counselors ready to work in a variety of fields, finding careers wherever their passions and talents can best be used.
Take the Next Step in Your Counseling Career –– Connect with Us
Every day, counselors make a huge impact on individual lives and society at large.
It takes a rare, mission-driven mind to be a counselor. The selfless desire to help others is a passion the world needs that can be hard to find. If you want to serve others, you might consider the field of counseling as a fulfilling career choice. As a rehabilitation or mental health counselor, you can care for people and facilitate positive change in the lives of countless others.
If you think a master’s in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling is your next step in advancing your career, consider why West Virginia University’s program is the right choice for you.
Click here to request more information, attend an info session, or apply today.
If you’re wondering what it might look like to obtain a graduate degree online, check out our Online Toolkit for helpful information.
