A career as a PhD in Counseling can be both rewarding and gratifying. Counseling PhD Programs will allow you to work with a wide range of clients and have the professional clout for which you have worked so hard. Professional counselors are usually licensed with a Master’s degree. Some professionals choose to take their careers to an even higher level by studying for a doctorate. The (CACREP), Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (
http://www.cacrep.org/ ) contains a comprehensive list of the vast array of doctoral programs available. The 2016 CACREP Standards were written with the intention to simplify and clarify the accreditation requirements and to promote a unified counseling profession.
Counseling Programs with CACREP Accreditation
For many who want to be professional counselors at the highest level, the doctoral degree proves to be the logical continuation path of counseling studies that will propel them to the highest level of success. It is important to remember that most counseling PhD programs require that applicants possess at least a Master’s degree in counseling or other related fields before getting started.
The following paragraphs explain some of the effective routes one can pursue on the PhD in Counseling career path.
PhD Programs in Mental Health Counseling
The PhD in Mental Health Counseling allows you to specialize in a specific area of the field, giving you the chance to evolve into an expert within the clinical setting. Perhaps autism is the population that is your calling. You are able to choose a focus and develop your skills accordingly.
PhD Programs in Counselor Education and Supervision
Counselor education and supervision involves a PhD internship that includes time devoted to supervising Master’s level candidates while conducting teaching of many graduate level courses.
Standards for counselor supervisors can often be set higher than the standards for counselors. The PhD program in counselor education and supervision can provide a viable opportunity to attain the highest degree level, while leading and guiding other professionals in the counseling field.
An additional possible benefit is moving into a secure faculty position while maintaining the option of conducting research within the counselor education field.
Pastoral Counseling PhD and PhD’s in Related Fields
For those who feel the calling, a Master’s level practitioner can pursue a PhD degree in counseling and pastoral care, or pastoral counseling. This spiritual path toward counseling has proven satisfying to many who have chosen it; and there are clients who prefer to only see pastoral-based therapists.
