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Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC
Posted by Jeff on 6/04/08

Here in MD, how hard have you found it (for you or for others
you know) to get school counseling offers with a clinically
oriented degree? Does MD have enough need for counselors that
they are flexible? If you get your LCPC do they consider you
qualified and it just doesn't matter? Or, would I need to get
my CAGS/Ed.S. or do the "course count" method for school
counseling certification first?

I want to stay qualified for the schools. I love working with
the kids, and I do like working in education. However, I
definitely want the clinical option open. The more I think
about it, the more I want to return to my old employer and work
with trauma victims, depressed and suicidal teens, or people
with eating disorders (I am a little more interested in these
areas than school counseling). I love working in education,
but I'm only lukewarm to the schools themselves. They are WAY
too political (who likes you and who you hang out with at happy
hour seems to matter more than how good a job you do). Being
an Orthodox Jew I don't really do the happy hour thing (and
NEVER do the lunch/dinner thing) anymore. I was really
appreciated at Sheppard Pratt when I worked there, they did all
they could to keep me (though the position I was in didn't pay
nearly enough), and I would love to go back as a therapist.
Another option that would interest me is to work in a college
counseling center (I'd have exposure to pretty much all the
populations that interest me- both clinical and the more
academic and school counseling type needs, though most of the
second would be done by their advisors), but I suspect that
might be as political as the schools are.

On 6/01/08, April wrote:
> Jeff,
>
> I actually completed the Hopkins program in May last year.
> I would direct you to go the clincial route b/c this way you
> are open to working in a school and/or a clinical setting
> where if you do school you are NOT going to be easily
> welcomed to take positions in a clinical setting; which you
> may later want? I actually work in a school now and will go
> on for my PhD in fall 2009. I would be happy to answer your
> questions about hopkins program and/or the field. I just
> licensed at the begining of may as LCPC. The NCE was a
> breeze! Hopkins prepares you really well!
>
> april april.ams@gmail.com
>
> On 5/06/08, Jeff wrote:
>> I am interested in becoming a counselor. I used to work
> in
>> a psychjiatric hospital and loved it. I enjoy being a
>> teacher. I would be happy as either a therapist or an
>> educator. I would like to do things in a way that
>> qualifies me for both. I live in MD and do know what I
>> need to become a school counselor and an LCPC (Licensed
>> Clinical Professional Counselor). However, I don't know
>> the job market that well.
>>
>> My original thought was a 48credit MA program in school
>> counseling. Then, to get the additional 12 credits I'd
>> need for my LCPC I'd take a 15 credit Clinical Counseling
>> certificate at Hopkins. That way, I'd be qualified for
>> school counseling (most school counseling jobs actually
> pay
>> better than mental health counseling jobs) AND for mental
>> health work. I'd work as a school counselor during the
> day
>> and do mental health work part-time in the evening. Once
> I
>> had the experience to get my license I'd consider either
>> staying with that combination, or getting a private
>> practice started.
>>
>> However, my concern is that when I worked at the psych
>> hospital they looked down on any degree with "school" in
>> front of it. For instance, a school psychologist with a
>> Ph.D. and their state license is a fully qualified
>> psychologist who is qualified to work in any setting any
>> other psychologist may work (school, counseling and
>> clinical psychology are considered the three fields
>> within "professional psychology"). However, the reaction
>> to the hospital staff about any school psychologists
>> working there was "this is a hospital, not a school".
>>
>> So, I am concerned that I may be at a disadvantage for non-
>> school counseling jobs if the degree is in school
>> counseling no matter what certificates and licenses I pick
>> up later.
>>
>> I've started considering going for a clinical counseling
> or
>> mental health counseling degree and then take a CAGS/Ed.S.
>> in school counseling to enable me to be qualified for
>> either type of position. It may take a bit more
>> coursework, but if it was the best way to get where I
>> wanted to go, it may be worth it. However, I read that in
>> many states there is already many more school counselors
>> applying than there are positions. My concern is that
> they
>> may use the degree outside school counseling as a way to
>> weed me out of the running just to pare things down a bit.
>>
>> So, has anyone out there used their school counseling
>> degree and additional coursework to obtain therapist
>> positions? Has the degree been a hinderance when applying
>> for positions? Also, has anyone used a mental
>> health/community/clinical counseling degree and additional
>> coursework to obtain a school counseling position? Has
>> that degree been a hinderance when applying for positions?
>>
>> I thank you in advance for your help.


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Posts on this thread, including this one


• Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LCPC, 5/06/08, by Jeff.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 5/06/08, by lacey.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 5/07/08, by Musicmae.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 5/07/08, by Jeff.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 5/08/08, by Counselor.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 6/01/08, by April .
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 6/04/08, by Jeff.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 6/06/08, by liz.
• Re: Which direction to become BOTH a school counselor and LC, 6/06/08, by Susan.