Services Offered By Mental Health Counseling WA

By Beryl Dalton


Counseling services are often perceived to be services offered to mental health patients. However, therapeutic services often go beyond the imagination of most people. Clinical mental health counseling WA talks to people through their problems to identify and treating mental illness.

Individuals offering such services are distinct professionals that provides flexible and consumer related therapeutic interventions. Through their training they are able to integrate traditional psychotherapy and practical problem solving techniques in creating efficient and dynamic path for solving problems and effecting change.

Services offered include psychoeducational and prevention programs, psychotherapy, alcoholism and substance abuse treatment, assessment diagnosis, planning and utilization and crisis management.

In the present management care environment, the mental health counselors are qualified to meet unique challenges therefore, provides quality and cost-effective care. They work in various settings such as independent practice, community agencies, and behavioral management organizations, employees assistance programs, hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers and integrated delivery systems.

They are able to assist individuals with normal cognitive therapeutic process to cope with difficult situations in life such as physical illness, loss of loved ones, relationship and divorce. In addition, individuals suffering from serious mental illness (bipolar disorder) can also be assisted. Counselors need to adhere to the set ethical principles for instance knowing when the client should seek referral services. They are trained on identification on detecting whether the client is abused or has experienced violence or suicidal attempts. Such knowledge is essential in offering effective service to the service seekers.

The most strategy often employed by therapists offering such services is the use of cognitive based therapy. However, others might opt to integrate other strategies depending on the unique needs of the client. In most cases the therapists are trained and specialized in handling patients of different age groups such as children, youths and adults.

All individuals providing such services are required to have attained masters in counseling. However, curriculum requirements often vary from one state to another. In most cases many states requires that the program either accreditation by the CAC or Related Educational Programs or be substantive equivalent.

In addition, they need to meet core content objectives that are recommended to counseling experts. That is human growth and development, career development, group work (dynamics and techniques and group development). They also have additional standards which include applying statistical manual and diagnostics of mental health.

They have broad knowledge based and experience and therefore are expected to apply research in clinical counseling. Despite the fact that they are not expected to prescribe medication to the patients, they should be aware of psychoactive medications and considering the likelihood side effects.

These individuals are required in all jurisdictions to have residency as well as a specific supervised clinical experience upon completion of their education. In which during this period they are expected to work under a supervisor that regularly consults with them and provides documentation for licensing to the board.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...