If you have the drive to help people, there probably isn’t a career path more relevant than becoming a counselor of some kind. There are many options to consider when setting sail on this journey, including the kinds of academic programs that are out there. Jobs with a master’s in counseling are vast, and there are many specializations to choose from. You can easily find a niche that is in line with your personal experiences and/ or passions. It is also good to think through the type of environment where you like to spend your days as a way to inform the kinds of masters in counseling jobs that might be right for you. Are you interested in working in a medical setting like a hospital, a school environment with young children, or even a private practice office of your own? The pertinent questions regarding masters of counseling jobs are boundless. Maybe you are approaching this field with a bachelor’s in psychology or another discipline? No problem.

You will notice when looking at master’s degree programs in counseling how many specialized avenues you can take to tailor your career. The majority of programs that exist have an array of core coursework that include classes on lifespan issues, trauma-informed discourse, addiction and recovery, grief, and family dynamics just to name a few. Again, if you have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you may have specialized in a niche that will be relevant for a master’s in counseling.

Jobs with Counseling Masters 

Clinical Therapist

Being trained as a clinical therapist is akin to being a renaissance counselor in the sense that you will be prepared to work with clients who have a myriad of concerns and issues to address in a therapeutic setting. You might not have one specialty, but be prepared to work with people from different populations and those who have different therapeutic needs. Clinical therapists often have additional training under their belts with different therapeutic modalities like Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Psycho Drama, among many others. Not all of these styles will come from the master’s program, however, as they will often be part of a professional development journey beyond graduate school. 

Addiction and Recovery Counselor

This is a very common field, as there is a huge need for counselors that work with addiction and chemical dependency. It’s hard to imagine ever being out of work if you choose a specialization in line with supporting clients who are battling with any form of addiction. Many people are required to be in counseling by the court of law if they are released from jail or prison for drug possession. There are many addiction and recovery sites that are community-based that are always searching for good counselors to be part of their team. 

Family and Marriage Counselor

This is also a popular specialization, as you will see many masters in counseling programs offer training in this in-demand niche. There are many styles of therapy that treat families and deliver relationship counseling. It’s good to get a sense of a method that inspires you and pick a program accordingly. Family therapy is an excellent option as far as jobs with counseling masters degrees go. 

A counselor that works with clients that have disabilities

This is a common field as well, and those who take on this specialization are trained to work with people who either have lifelong disabilities or clients who have experienced trauma. Sometimes the therapist is trained to work with clients to create a new normal when their lives have been physically altered based on an illness or life event. Oftentimes such counselors work in hospital settings or sites that support rehabilitation.

School Counselor

When looking at masters in counseling programs that are available, you will see that there are many options for people who are interested in going into the field of school counseling. There are specializations for grade school, secondary school, and also post-secondary. You will see that the training in this field is vast, and there are specialties within the specialization including many that are faith-based. 

Art Therapist

There is a selection of programs that are geared towards the discipline of art therapy. This too has its own specializations within the larger premise. Art therapists use expressive arts to help their clients move emotions. Oftentimes they focus on working with children. In many cases, you will see some art therapists that have a play therapy arm to their work. This is particularly supportive of young children who are working through complex emotions and don’t yet have the language base for extensive talk therapy.

When you begin to look at jobs you can get with a master’s in counseling, it is a good idea to check out degree programs that support your interests. There are many master’s degree options that are offered in flexible formats. You can even get a master’s in counseling fully online if that is something that interests you. It certainly opens more doors if moving for a program is not an option.

Related:

25 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Counseling Degree Programs

25 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Psychology Degree Programs

What Can I Do with a Bachelor’s in Psychology?