What is a Transformational Counselor?
Education for Transformational Counselors can be an exciting and fulfilling process. Transformational counseling involves recognizing the thoughts and beliefs that limit us and learning to transcend them, finding opportunities for real psychological growth. The transformational counselor often guides the client in realizing that his or her thoughts, and ideas, often directly influence their reality. Transformational counselors can guide their clients toward better expressions of creativity and the inherent goodness of pursuing one’s personal journey or path. Transformational counseling can be mystical and religious to the client; it can involve terms such as “expanding consciousness,” or “heightening awareness.” It involves significant personal growth.
Today, according to The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, general counselors make an median annual salary between $26,110 and $72,810.
Considerations:- Transformational counselors implement a focus on talk therapy.
- The therapist may implement other techniques such as mindfulness and body-oriented, or centered, therapies.
- Therapists who specialize in art and dance therapy often deftly demonstrate how the arts can be transformational.
- The arts can be a catalyst for releasing one’s self from debilitating traumas, and learning to embrace a new life, a more expanded and fulfilled life.
- Transformational counseling shares much in common with counseling that is spiritual in nature.
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Transformational Counseling Education and Certification
Transformational counselors can evolve from different schools of psychology practice. When you pursue schooling leading to work as a counselor, you are usually pursuing a Master’s or doctorate. Mental health professionals seeking to become transformational counselors may come from diverse backgrounds in counseling, or behavioral sciences. Some transformational counselors may choose to integrate elements of dance and/or art therapy. Some counselors will delve into social work. Individual states set individual guidelines for the counseling professions and each one decides the requirements for mental health professional titles. Check out your state’s mental health licensing board before selecting a graduate program.
Although most counseling programs offer the candidates specialties from which to choose, one would be hard-pressed to find a degree program with the title of “Transformational Counseling.” If you are interested in transformational counseling, you can research programs to find ones that are a good fit. What are the qualifications and interests of the faculty? What are some key therapies in which they excel? Are the philosophies closely aligned with the idea of real transformation? Working as a transformational counselor often means coming from a more traditional counseling background and then rising to the new challenge of “transformational status.” It’s an orientation more than a specific degree program.
Counselors are always growing and always learning. Counselors are encouraged to pursue continual credits required for renewal of license in the form of interesting conferences or classes leading to special certificates. A buzzword that has become popular within the domain of transformational counseling is mindfulness training.
Those with Bachelor’s degrees can look into the possibility of evolving into life coaches that specialize in transformation. Look into the organization for which you want to work and find out their qualifications.
Transformational Counseling Licensure
State licensing requirements should be considered for any degree program that you pursue. States usually have several levels for licensing of professional counselors. As you gain higher and higher licenses, you will usually take on additional responsibilities for treating serious problems. A specialist in transformational counseling can treat individuals with somewhat normal mental health and deal with individuals that fall into the realm of abnormal psychology.
For those with less than a Master’s degree, there is the option of seeking voluntary certification to work as a transformational life coach. The Center for Credentialing Education provides a Board Certified Coach credential that counseling professionals can earn.