Choosing to Return to College

3 Specialties To Consider When Going To Therapy School

23 June 2018 by Samuel Byrd

Getting your master's degree and perhaps eventually your Ph.D. in counseling is only one step in your new career. Getting additional training and licensure in a specialty will make you a more in-demand employee once you are finished with school. A counseling specialty also gives you the chance to learn as much as possible about an area of psychology you are especially interested in, so you can then find a job that is meaningful and fulfilling. Below are a few specialties to explore and keep in mind when deciding what to focus on.

Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy is an intense and often difficult area of therapy since you will be helping people process the most devastating life events they have experienced. When a client experiences symptoms of trauma caused by abuse, military conflict, a serious accident, or another source, you will help them process the traumatic events so they can begin to heal from their trauma.

Instead of continuing to replay the traumatic incidents in their brain on a loop, having nightmares, or experiencing debilitating mood swings, your clients will learn to accept their experiences and move on in healthy ways. 

Art Therapy

If you love art as much as you love helping people, art therapy is for you. Art therapy is a way to combine artistic expression with traditional counseling.

Encouraging your clients to draw, paint, create collages, or otherwise use art to express their emotions is a great way to make progress with clients who have a hard time verbalizing their feelings. Art therapy is especially popular with children but can be just as beneficial for adults in need of creative ways to make sense of their experiences and feelings.

Grief Counseling

Becoming a grief counselor allows you to be there for your clients during some of the most difficult times in their lives. Instead of stifling their sadness and grief when a loved one dies, which can have negative emotional ramifications down the road, you will help them process their loss.

Your role as a grief counselor will include helping clients honor their loved ones' memories, forgive themselves for any guilt regarding regrets they feel toward the deceased person, and help them move through their grief in healthier ways.

Whatever specialty you decide on, the important thing is that you are going to a specialized school for a career path that is interesting, meaningful, and will make a real difference in your clients' lives.

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