How do I go about getting a master's in Counseling?
April 26, 2011 9:14 PM Subscribe
What is the best way to get into the counseling field?
I am about 1 year out of my undergrad and realized I am pretty dissatisfied with what type of work I am doing. It's not quite what I expected and I find myself feeling that I'm not living to my potential, not making a difference, or just not being productive in what I do as a profession. I also sometimes see this career path not really taking me anywhere and a deadend.
I majored in Recreation Management, essentially when I picked the major I was scarred from difficult business courses and felt that Recreation Management could be more working with people either on ropes courses, camps, etc. Upon graduation I decided to take internship which I thought was very rewarding. I was working with a city recreation department working to produce programming for youth primarily those from the inner city. It was a fabulous experience and I really enjoyed working under the government sector. They didn't have any opportunities concluding my internship which left me for a scramble to find adequate employment. I landed myself a position, which lacks financially, but is still along the lines of the work I am doing.
I guess through this job I have been reflecting a lot, which is great, I think I could have ended up very unhappy if things didn't turn out the way they have up until this point. I have just realized that I don't enjoy working in an office environment, alone, in front of my computer, with mere interactions with people on the phone and at the copy machine. I even can reflect back on my internship and remember times of feeling trapped in an office, in front of a computer, doing things that I just didn't find interesting. (I think I have a bad habit of making something seem great, even if it isn't.)
I know that maybe there are other jobs out there that might be more fulfilling without having to return for another degree of some sort, but at this point I think I have had enough with this recreation tangent I have been on and I am looking to find a profession that can fulfill my desire to wanting to work and help people.
I am thinking of entering the counseling field, which would require going back for a master's degree. I virtually have zero debt from my undergrad which makes this very feasible, but I do want to try and minimize cost as much as possible. I have a car loan, I'd like to stay in the city I am in now, and remain financially/physically independent (meaning not having to return to my parents).
As some additional background, I was an RA for one year, which I find myself reflecting on that year more and more. Even high school jobs, I worked in a ice cream shop. I guess I look back on those experiences and I find more enjoyment in the people I worked with, helped, and interacted with on a daily basis. I enjoy conversing with others to learn more about them and often try to help. I enjoy community service projects and ran a Alternative Spring Break program at my university. I guess I got confused with the business side of things, thinking that business was how I could work with people.
Now I am just looking to get some insight on how to make this possible. Are there any recommendations of where one should try to volunteer to get some more experience before pursuing a masters? Also, info on pre-reqs I might have to do since I have more of a management background?
A few ideas I've juggled around was thinking of becoming a residence hall director that way I could work with students and often times those programs will help financially with getting masters in such a field as counseling or social work. Eventually I think I would want to get more clinical or possibly work in a hospital setting for awhile. In the long run I think I would like to be able to have my own practice.
My tentative plan for now is to study for the GRE's and see how I place. From there and in the meantime I am hoping that I can begin to search schools and enter a program by fall of 2012.
Thanks in advance for your comments, insights, help.
I am about 1 year out of my undergrad and realized I am pretty dissatisfied with what type of work I am doing. It's not quite what I expected and I find myself feeling that I'm not living to my potential, not making a difference, or just not being productive in what I do as a profession. I also sometimes see this career path not really taking me anywhere and a deadend.
I majored in Recreation Management, essentially when I picked the major I was scarred from difficult business courses and felt that Recreation Management could be more working with people either on ropes courses, camps, etc. Upon graduation I decided to take internship which I thought was very rewarding. I was working with a city recreation department working to produce programming for youth primarily those from the inner city. It was a fabulous experience and I really enjoyed working under the government sector. They didn't have any opportunities concluding my internship which left me for a scramble to find adequate employment. I landed myself a position, which lacks financially, but is still along the lines of the work I am doing.
I guess through this job I have been reflecting a lot, which is great, I think I could have ended up very unhappy if things didn't turn out the way they have up until this point. I have just realized that I don't enjoy working in an office environment, alone, in front of my computer, with mere interactions with people on the phone and at the copy machine. I even can reflect back on my internship and remember times of feeling trapped in an office, in front of a computer, doing things that I just didn't find interesting. (I think I have a bad habit of making something seem great, even if it isn't.)
I know that maybe there are other jobs out there that might be more fulfilling without having to return for another degree of some sort, but at this point I think I have had enough with this recreation tangent I have been on and I am looking to find a profession that can fulfill my desire to wanting to work and help people.
I am thinking of entering the counseling field, which would require going back for a master's degree. I virtually have zero debt from my undergrad which makes this very feasible, but I do want to try and minimize cost as much as possible. I have a car loan, I'd like to stay in the city I am in now, and remain financially/physically independent (meaning not having to return to my parents).
As some additional background, I was an RA for one year, which I find myself reflecting on that year more and more. Even high school jobs, I worked in a ice cream shop. I guess I look back on those experiences and I find more enjoyment in the people I worked with, helped, and interacted with on a daily basis. I enjoy conversing with others to learn more about them and often try to help. I enjoy community service projects and ran a Alternative Spring Break program at my university. I guess I got confused with the business side of things, thinking that business was how I could work with people.
Now I am just looking to get some insight on how to make this possible. Are there any recommendations of where one should try to volunteer to get some more experience before pursuing a masters? Also, info on pre-reqs I might have to do since I have more of a management background?
A few ideas I've juggled around was thinking of becoming a residence hall director that way I could work with students and often times those programs will help financially with getting masters in such a field as counseling or social work. Eventually I think I would want to get more clinical or possibly work in a hospital setting for awhile. In the long run I think I would like to be able to have my own practice.
My tentative plan for now is to study for the GRE's and see how I place. From there and in the meantime I am hoping that I can begin to search schools and enter a program by fall of 2012.
Thanks in advance for your comments, insights, help.
Oh, I found the other questions. So now ask yourself if you are more interested in working with youth or seniors, women or men, mental health, addictions, families or the homeless. If you can narrow down what group you'd like to work with, you can then find yourself an organization where you can volunteer.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 6:25 AM on April 27, 2011
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 6:25 AM on April 27, 2011
Ditto ThatCanadianGirl. You could also ask some counselors for an informational interview and ask questions about the work, the education involved, etc. But you've already got a great plan.
Oh--don't be afraid to ask the school what the interview process is --miight be a group interview.
When I went for my Master's, a friend of a friend who'd been through that program told me about the group interview process--that really helped me survive it.
posted by vitabellosi at 7:29 AM on April 27, 2011
Oh--don't be afraid to ask the school what the interview process is --miight be a group interview.
When I went for my Master's, a friend of a friend who'd been through that program told me about the group interview process--that really helped me survive it.
posted by vitabellosi at 7:29 AM on April 27, 2011
« Older Visiting baseball team hotel in Denver. | Is there an office game being played here? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 6:19 AM on April 27, 2011