Becoming a Mental Health Counselor

Becoming a Mental Health Counselor is a guide for students on the path to becoming licensed mental health therapists, as well as those just starting their careers. Filled with practical advice and tips, this book guides the reader through early career milestones of psychotherapists, including professional identity development, applying for jobs, and obtaining licensure. Volungis also discusses the reality of the profession, emphasizing the importance of self-care, ethics, personal identity, and managing expectations. The book concludes with an exploration of private practice and the next steps in the career ladder.Ideally suited for professional development courses, this volume helps students prepare for life outside of school. It shows them how to transform the knowledge they’ve gained into a successful career.

Adam Volungis strikes a masterful balance between humor, vital information, resources, and thought provocation while reinforcing key counseling tenets and providing a wealth of guidance that many academic programs are in need of. This resource is a gold mine.--M. Nikki Freeburg, Bridgewater State University, Becoming a Clinical Mental Health Counselor is what every starting counseling student should hear from their mentor. The author does a masterful job of introducing the field through the lens of moral and ethical development. There are a lot of things to consider when starting off as a professional counselor and this textbook provides an excellent starting point that increases the reader's professional awareness on their path to being an effective clinical mental health counselor.--Darren Iwamoto, Chaminade University of Honolulu, This book is perfectly poised to impact individuals interested in the counseling profession as well as students already studying the field. While the content provides invaluable information about counseling, the most powerful aspects of this book are the activities and reflection questions. As an experienced mental health provider, I enjoyed thumbing through the content and also found myself thoroughly engrossed in the exercises.--Jessica D. Bartley, University of Denver, This new book about the career development and professional growth of clinical mental health counselors presents a relevant, modern source of information for individuals who desire to pursue mental health counseling. The book provides real world practical information and priceless wisdom about what to expect in the field. This resource is written in an informal, matter of fact way that students will appreciate and continue to reference as they navigate the journey of becoming a professional counselor.--Monique Levermore, University of Central Florida

Adam M. Volungis is a counseling psychologist and licensed mental health counselor. He has worked with a variety of populations in multiple settings using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for more than fifteen years. Volungis is associate professor and the CBT concentration coordinator in the Clinical Counseling Psychology Program (CCPP) at Assumption University. He is also president of the New England Psychological Association and the author of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Theory into Practice.