Cheryl Fehnel,
MS, NCC, LMHC
Co-Chair Membership of Mental Health Counselors of Greater Rochester

Why Career Counseling?

In the past few decades, the long-term landscape of being in one job, one career, or one company or organization has become a thing of the past. Keeping up with the ongoing changes from the information age and new technology has also changed how people live and work. Many have witnessed their job or skill sets as obsolete, or their skills are no longer in demand in certain geographical parts of the world. This includes opportunities and challenges for many people to make decisions about whether they choose to move to new geographical locations that most need their skill sets. Today’s successful workers have to be continuous learners, retooling just to keep abreast of the new technology or knowledge required in their current or prospective fields and positions.

In the past several decades, the variety of complex changes that people continue to experience in their busy, fast-paced work and personal lives, cut across all age, social, economic, ethnic, and political factors across the globe. The need for professionally trained career counselors is here to stay. The President of The National Board of Certified Counselors, Dr. Thomas Clawson, spoke at the New York Mental Health Counselors Association (NYMHCA) in Albany this past April about the ongoing interest that has been expressed across the globe for help with the professional training of counselors, including Career Counselors.

The impact of adapting to the constant changes of our fast-paced global society affects people on many different levels. Career Counseling can help people explore and adapt to any number of changes in their busy work lives. Professionally educated Career Counselors are change agents who build upon people’s strengths. They honor each individual and their story of describing who they are and what specific set of circumstances or needs they bring to the career counseling session.

Professionally trained Career Counselors collaborate with the client about pertinent information related to their skill sets, values and strengths. They can also help clients explore, in a non-judgmental manner, certain beliefs, thoughts, attitudes, feelings and behaviors that may interfere with their work or lives outside of work. For example, some people may welcome change with open arms and enjoy the variety of learning or situations it brings to their work lives. Others may not be so fond of change and all the adjustments that are needed at work or home. Stress from work may get carried over to home or vice versa. Some clients may need to work with a Career Counselor to explore new coping behaviors and ways to manage their daily stress so it doesn’t interfere or harm their work ethics or interpersonal relationships.

Professionally trained Career Counselors often have Masters degrees or higher in Education with an emphasis in Counseling from an accredited university or college. Included are lengthy supervised internships, along with additional certifications such as the National Certified Counselor. A number of Career Counselors in New York State have also chosen to go through the rigors of obtaining their license in Mental Health Counseling, so they can provide a full spectrum of wellness services, as needed, by their clients.

To learn more about the counseling profession or how to contact a professional Career Counselor, please visit www.mentalhealthcounselors.org and click on Find a Counselor.

Submitted by Cheryl Fehnel, MS, NCC, LMHC
Leadership, Co-Chair Membership of Mental Health Counselors of Greater Rochester

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