Mental Health Counselor Paper
Sandy Gross
COUN 5223
Introduction to Mental Health Counseling
Abstract
The primary objectives of clinical mental health counselors is to diagnose and treat individuals suffering from mental and emotional disorders by utilizing effective techniques aimed at prevention. The various roles, approaches and responsibilities performed by clinical mental health counselors are important components in regards to strengthening an individual’s ability to regain control of their lives to independently manage their disorder. This paper will (1) discuss the roles and approaches used by clinical mental health counselors across a range of mental health delivery systems, (2) discuss the role of the CMHC in both providing and seeking professional …show more content…
consultation, (3) discuss the impact that public policies have on the roles and responsibilities of clinical mental health counselors,(4) discuss how the policies of professional, governmental, and accrediting organizations impact the practice of clinical mental health counseling and (5) how local, state, and national public policies potentially affect the quality and accessibility of clinical mental health services.
Roles of a Clinical Mental Health Counselor
To address the needs of vulnerable populations, counselors are urged to engage in advocacy, outreach, and social actions (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p. 207), therefore, counselors have become known as consultants and advocators. To provide the client with effective services, counselors use the concept of consultations to link clients with external resources to ensure the needs and concerns of a client can be addressed. Advocacy in counseling is characterized by the support and recommendations proposed by counselors regarding social situations experienced by a client.
Counselors advocate for clients or students to improve the quality of services and treatment provided to clients and students. According to Moe et. al, (2010), “scholars propose that integrating a social justice advocacy role into the core identity of professional counselors will help redress past and current societal oppression of marginalized populations,” (p.106). Counselors use advocacy to implement changes in social regulations for clients and students in the school systems and out in the community. Counselors advocate on behalf of clients and students to address social ills including the principles of equity, access, participation, and harmony to support to change procedures on an individual basis as well as within the community and sociocultural levels (Crethar, Nash, and Torres-Rivera, 2008).
Clinical mental health counselors advocate and consult with other agencies and programs within the community to address societal oppression and the mental health concerns of clients and students. Advocacy and consultation ensures that clients and students are provided with the most effective treatment to address his or her needs and concerns. Advocacy and consultation helps decrease institutional and social barriers individuals experience; overall promoting improvement in mental health within communities.
Counseling Approaches and Responsibilities
In order for counselors to provide effective services, various approaches and responsibilities must be performed to address the many at risk behaviors associated with many of the disorders. Frequently in clinical settings, the initial session is used primary to gather information about the client for the purpose of assessment and diagnosis (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p. 143). Also in the initial session, counselors should quickly assess whether they are capable of working with the client’s issues through being honest, open and appropriately confrontational (Okun & Kantrowitz, 2008). Once each party feels comfortable with one another, counselors have to find what triggers a client’s willingness to open up in order to start the process of self-discovery. Since most people are not willing to divulge personal information to a total stranger until they are more comfortable or assured they can trust them, building a therapeutic relationship becomes an important approach in the counseling process. As the therapeutic relationship evolves, Counselors incorporate cognitive, behavioral and psychoanalytic approaches to aid clients in strengthening their ability to regain control of their lives to independently manage their disorder.
Overall, responsibilities Clinical Mental Health Counselors perform include: evaluating the mental health of clients, assisting clients in making positive changes, helping clients develop specific skills to tackle problems, maintain medical history/ records of clients, develop treatment plans and evaluate effectiveness, while making necessary modifications in the treatment plans, and seeking other available resources to be used. Also different client factors, including motivation for change and responsiveness to treatment, need to be considered (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p.134).
Public Policies: Its’ impact on Clinical Mental Health Counselors The counseling profession and community mental health service programs continue to evolve, both as a result of the profession itself and as a consequence of government and public policy.
It is incumbent on counseling professionals to be cognizant of those changes, remaining open to new approaches, interventions, and service options (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p. 345). The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) is the professional membership organization that represents the clinical mental health counseling profession. Initially, AMHCA sought to define and promote the professional identity of mental health counselors. Today, with licensure laws in all 50 states, AMHCA seeks to enhance the practice of clinical mental health counseling and to promote standards for clinical education and clinical practice that anticipate the future roles of Clinical Mental Health Counselors within the broader healthcare system (AMHCA Professional Standards. …show more content…
2013).
Clinical membership in AMHCA requires a master 's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health field and adherence to AMHCA 's National Standards for Clinical Practice (American Mental Health Counselors Association, 2013). The core areas of mental health education programs approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) include: Diagnosis and psychopathology, Psychotherapy, Psychological testing and assessment, Professional orientation, Research and program evaluation, Group counseling, Human growth and development, Counseling theory, Social and cultural foundations, Lifestyle and career development and Supervised practicum and internship (American Mental Health Counselors Association, 2013). Quality and Accessibility of Clinical Mental Health Services
The mental health-care system in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry that is still not big enough to serve all those who need it.
Costs are a big barrier to treatments — but so are attitudes about mental health (Kliff, 2012). In March, 2011, NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, released State Mental Health Cuts: A National Crisis, a report documenting deep cuts to state spending on services for children and adults living with serious mental illness. These cuts, which occurred between 2009 and 2011, led to significant reductions in both hospital and community services for vulnerable individuals with serious mental illness (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2013). Today, with demand for public mental health services extremely high, especially at a time of severe economic distress, the crisis in mental health care continues. The impacts are felt throughout society as people go without the treatment they need. Increasingly, emergency rooms, homeless shelters and jails are struggling with the effects of people falling through the cracks due to lack of needed mental health services and supports (National Alliance on Mental Illness,
2013).
References:
American Mental Health Counselors Association. (2013). Facts About Clinical Mental Health Counselors. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.amhca.org/about/facts.aspx
American Mental Health Counselors Association. (2013). AMHCA Professional Standards. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.amhca.org/assets/content/AMHCA_Standards_1-26-2012.pdf
Crethar, H., Nash, S., and Torres-Rivera, E. (2008). In search of common threads: Linking multicultural, feminist, and social justice counseling paradigms. Journal of Counseling & Development, 86, 269-278.
Gladding, S. T., & Newsome, D. W. (2010). Clinical mental health counseling in community and agency settings (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. (pp. )
Kliff, Sarah. (2012). The Washington Post. Seven facts about America’s mental health-care system. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/17/seven-facts-about-americas-mental-health-care-system/
Moe, J.L., Perera-Diltz, D., and Sepulveda, V. (2010). Are Consultation and Social Justice Advocacy Similar?: Exploring the Perceptions of Professional Counselors and Counseling Students. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 2,106-123.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2013). State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=state_budget_cuts_report
Okun, B. F., & Kantrowitz, R. E. (2008). Effective helping: Interviewing and counseling techniques (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole
COUN 5223
Introduction to Mental Health Counseling
Abstract
The primary objectives of clinical mental health counselors is to diagnose and treat individuals suffering from mental and emotional disorders by utilizing effective techniques aimed at prevention. The various roles, approaches and responsibilities performed by clinical mental health counselors are important components in regards to strengthening an individual’s ability to regain control of their lives to independently manage their disorder. This paper will (1) discuss the roles and approaches used by clinical mental health counselors across a range of mental health delivery systems, (2) discuss the role of the CMHC in both providing and seeking professional …show more content…
consultation, (3) discuss the impact that public policies have on the roles and responsibilities of clinical mental health counselors,(4) discuss how the policies of professional, governmental, and accrediting organizations impact the practice of clinical mental health counseling and (5) how local, state, and national public policies potentially affect the quality and accessibility of clinical mental health services.
Roles of a Clinical Mental Health Counselor
To address the needs of vulnerable populations, counselors are urged to engage in advocacy, outreach, and social actions (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p. 207), therefore, counselors have become known as consultants and advocators. To provide the client with effective services, counselors use the concept of consultations to link clients with external resources to ensure the needs and concerns of a client can be addressed. Advocacy in counseling is characterized by the support and recommendations proposed by counselors regarding social situations experienced by a client.
Counselors advocate for clients or students to improve the quality of services and treatment provided to clients and students. According to Moe et. al, (2010), “scholars propose that integrating a social justice advocacy role into the core identity of professional counselors will help redress past and current societal oppression of marginalized populations,” (p.106). Counselors use advocacy to implement changes in social regulations for clients and students in the school systems and out in the community. Counselors advocate on behalf of clients and students to address social ills including the principles of equity, access, participation, and harmony to support to change procedures on an individual basis as well as within the community and sociocultural levels (Crethar, Nash, and Torres-Rivera, 2008).
Clinical mental health counselors advocate and consult with other agencies and programs within the community to address societal oppression and the mental health concerns of clients and students. Advocacy and consultation ensures that clients and students are provided with the most effective treatment to address his or her needs and concerns. Advocacy and consultation helps decrease institutional and social barriers individuals experience; overall promoting improvement in mental health within communities.
Counseling Approaches and Responsibilities
In order for counselors to provide effective services, various approaches and responsibilities must be performed to address the many at risk behaviors associated with many of the disorders. Frequently in clinical settings, the initial session is used primary to gather information about the client for the purpose of assessment and diagnosis (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p. 143). Also in the initial session, counselors should quickly assess whether they are capable of working with the client’s issues through being honest, open and appropriately confrontational (Okun & Kantrowitz, 2008). Once each party feels comfortable with one another, counselors have to find what triggers a client’s willingness to open up in order to start the process of self-discovery. Since most people are not willing to divulge personal information to a total stranger until they are more comfortable or assured they can trust them, building a therapeutic relationship becomes an important approach in the counseling process. As the therapeutic relationship evolves, Counselors incorporate cognitive, behavioral and psychoanalytic approaches to aid clients in strengthening their ability to regain control of their lives to independently manage their disorder.
Overall, responsibilities Clinical Mental Health Counselors perform include: evaluating the mental health of clients, assisting clients in making positive changes, helping clients develop specific skills to tackle problems, maintain medical history/ records of clients, develop treatment plans and evaluate effectiveness, while making necessary modifications in the treatment plans, and seeking other available resources to be used. Also different client factors, including motivation for change and responsiveness to treatment, need to be considered (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p.134).
Public Policies: Its’ impact on Clinical Mental Health Counselors The counseling profession and community mental health service programs continue to evolve, both as a result of the profession itself and as a consequence of government and public policy.
It is incumbent on counseling professionals to be cognizant of those changes, remaining open to new approaches, interventions, and service options (Gladding & Newsome, 2010, p. 345). The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) is the professional membership organization that represents the clinical mental health counseling profession. Initially, AMHCA sought to define and promote the professional identity of mental health counselors. Today, with licensure laws in all 50 states, AMHCA seeks to enhance the practice of clinical mental health counseling and to promote standards for clinical education and clinical practice that anticipate the future roles of Clinical Mental Health Counselors within the broader healthcare system (AMHCA Professional Standards. …show more content…
2013).
Clinical membership in AMHCA requires a master 's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health field and adherence to AMHCA 's National Standards for Clinical Practice (American Mental Health Counselors Association, 2013). The core areas of mental health education programs approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) include: Diagnosis and psychopathology, Psychotherapy, Psychological testing and assessment, Professional orientation, Research and program evaluation, Group counseling, Human growth and development, Counseling theory, Social and cultural foundations, Lifestyle and career development and Supervised practicum and internship (American Mental Health Counselors Association, 2013). Quality and Accessibility of Clinical Mental Health Services
The mental health-care system in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry that is still not big enough to serve all those who need it.
Costs are a big barrier to treatments — but so are attitudes about mental health (Kliff, 2012). In March, 2011, NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, released State Mental Health Cuts: A National Crisis, a report documenting deep cuts to state spending on services for children and adults living with serious mental illness. These cuts, which occurred between 2009 and 2011, led to significant reductions in both hospital and community services for vulnerable individuals with serious mental illness (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2013). Today, with demand for public mental health services extremely high, especially at a time of severe economic distress, the crisis in mental health care continues. The impacts are felt throughout society as people go without the treatment they need. Increasingly, emergency rooms, homeless shelters and jails are struggling with the effects of people falling through the cracks due to lack of needed mental health services and supports (National Alliance on Mental Illness,
2013).
References:
American Mental Health Counselors Association. (2013). Facts About Clinical Mental Health Counselors. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.amhca.org/about/facts.aspx
American Mental Health Counselors Association. (2013). AMHCA Professional Standards. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.amhca.org/assets/content/AMHCA_Standards_1-26-2012.pdf
Crethar, H., Nash, S., and Torres-Rivera, E. (2008). In search of common threads: Linking multicultural, feminist, and social justice counseling paradigms. Journal of Counseling & Development, 86, 269-278.
Gladding, S. T., & Newsome, D. W. (2010). Clinical mental health counseling in community and agency settings (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. (pp. )
Kliff, Sarah. (2012). The Washington Post. Seven facts about America’s mental health-care system. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/17/seven-facts-about-americas-mental-health-care-system/
Moe, J.L., Perera-Diltz, D., and Sepulveda, V. (2010). Are Consultation and Social Justice Advocacy Similar?: Exploring the Perceptions of Professional Counselors and Counseling Students. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 2,106-123.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2013). State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis. Retrieved April 27, 2013 from: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=state_budget_cuts_report
Okun, B. F., & Kantrowitz, R. E. (2008). Effective helping: Interviewing and counseling techniques (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole