Becoming a Mental Health Counselor is a guide for students on the path to becoming licensed mental health therapists, as well as those just starting their careers. Filled with practical advice and tips, this book guides the reader through early career milestones of psychotherapists, including professional identity development, applying for jobs, and obtaining licensure. Volungis also discusses the reality of the profession, emphasizing the importance of self-care, ethics, personal identity, and managing expectations. The book concludes with an exploration of private practice and the next steps in the career ladder. Ideally suited for professional development courses, this volume helps students prepare for life outside of school. It shows them how to transform the knowledge they’ve gained into a successful career.

"Essentials of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Profession" is published by American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). "Essentials" defines this unique profession, explains its distinctive characteristics, assembles a number of the profession's fundamental documents, and provides career development guidance.

Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling presents a broad overview of the field of clinical mental health and provides students with the knowledge and skills to successfully put theory into practice in real-world settings. Drawing from their experience as clinicians, authors Joshua C. Watson and Michael K. Schmit cover the foundations of clinical mental health counseling along with current issues, trends, and population-specific considerations. The text introduces students to emerging paradigms in the field such as mindfulness, behavioral medicine, neuroscience, recovery-oriented care, provider care, person-centered treatment planning, and holistic wellness, while emphasizing the importance of selecting evidence-based practices appropriate for specific clients, issues, and settings. Aligned with 2016 CACREP Standards and offering practical activities and case examples, the text will prepare future counselors for the realities of clinical practice.

Praise for Becoming a Therapist "This resource is filled with practical and personal advice, relevant stories, and examples, and reads more like help from a friend than a typical textbook." Roberta L. Nutt, PhD, ABPP, Visiting Professor and Training Director, Counseling Psychology Program, University of Houston "Ah, now this is the book I wish had been available when I entered the field. Tom Skovholt has defined the initial experiences and followed the process through to the culmination of the therapeutic experience in a truly great book. Becoming a Therapist is a major contribution to our field." Arthur (Andy) M. Horne, Dean and Distinguished Research Professor, College of Education, The University of Georgia; President-Elect, Society of Counseling Psychology "Becoming a Therapist's informal style is accessible and engaging and yet soundly grounded in evidence and in the wisdom Skovholt has developed through his career-long research on psychotherapists and their development." Rodney K. Goodyear, PhD, Professor, School of Education, University of Redlands; Emeritus Professor of Education (Counseling Psychology), University of Southern California Essential guidance for mental health professionals navigating the start of their helping careers Written for those entering a career in the helping professions, Becoming a Therapist: On the Path to Mastery explores the therapeutic career path for new practitioners, painting a vivid portrait of the novice therapist's journey. This practical book guides you in using the helping relationship to improve the lives of others, whether your chosen profession is in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, school counseling, addictions counseling, family therapy, medicine, community counseling, pastoral counseling, or academic advising. Destined to become the resource every new practitioner turns to again and again, Becoming a Therapist prepares you for the reality of what it means to be a beginning therapist, with relevant discussion of: The fifteen indispensable qualities of every mental health professional The unfolding practitioner self Self-care for burnout prevention and resiliency development The importance of culturally competent practice to practitioner expertise Practice, research/theory, and personal life: the practitioner's learning triangle The significance of peer relationships in the novice experience Steeped in author Thomas Skovholt's years of experience, Becoming a Therapist thoroughly and clearly illustrates the excitement, intensity, anxiety and, ultimately, the satisfaction you can expect as a helping professional.

This introductory textbook, written specifically for graduate students in clinical mental health counseling programs, is distinguished by a unique integrated system-of-care approach, reflecting current trends in mental health treatment. Designed to address the 2016 CACREP standards, the book delivers an in-depth examination of the professional knowledge, skills, and current issues in professional counseling that are essential to clinical practice. The textbook emphasizes the elements of practice, while providing students with ample case studies that enable them to integrate theoretical concepts with real-world examples. By distilling a wealth of knowledge from experts in the field, the textbook looks at the history and contemporary issues of mental health counseling through the lens of a bioecological approach. Engaging chapters focus on issues critical to mental health counseling, including strength-based approaches, varied clinical practice settings, professional issues, self-care, and more. Additionally, the text presents dilemmas and pitfalls intrinsic to mental health practice. Learning objectives, case illustrations, and abundant resources in each chapter reinforce the practical, real-world information upon which students can build throughout their education. A robust Instructor’s Manual and key PowerPoint slides also are provided. Purchase includes access to the e-book for use on most mobile devices or computers. Key Features: Offers unique, integrated system-of-care and community-based approaches integral to current trends Provides emphases on strength-based and ecological perspectives of CMHC practice Includes real-life examples and insights that facilitate the integration of theory and practice Describes dilemmas and pitfalls intrinsic to a variety of mental health practice topics Includes tips from the field and real-world case illustrations to enhance clinical application Includes learning objectives in each chapter Reflects 2016 and 2009 CACREP standards that are highlighted in each chapter

Individuals seeking career counseling often present with a complex array of issues, and thus it is often difficult for counselors to separate career satisfaction and development from other mental health issues. Career, Work, and Mental Health examines this tightly woven connection between mental health issues and career development and offers practical ways for counselors to blend career and personal counseling. Taking this integrative approach, author Vernon Zunker offers step-by-step procedures for delivering effective intervention strategies – tactics that are meaningful and relevant to career choice, career development, and the interconnectedness of personal problems.

The core text for counselor skill development, Becoming a Skilled Counselor prepares students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to be effective helpers. Authors Richard D. Parsons and Naijian Zhang explain the essentials of the counseling relationship, the dynamic and intentional nature of the helping process, the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate change and the theories and research guiding the selection and application of interventions.Uniquely focused on the process of counseling, the authors' approach invites students to conceptualize clients using a fluid and dynamic model rather than a linear, step-by-step process. Each chapter is structured to reinforce concepts by first introducing the key constructs and empirical support, then providing application opportunities through detailed case illustrations with dialogue transcripts and guided practice exercises. The text emphasizes mindfulness, intentionality, ethics, and reflection to aid counselors in their journey of self-discovery and professional identity development.Becoming a Skilled Counselor is the first book in Counseling and Professional Identity, a series that targets the development of specific competencies identified by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs).