Holistic counselors work with patients to provide care that connects the body, mind and spirit. Find out what you'd learn in a master's degree program in this field, and review the licensure requirements for counselors. Get info about related online learning options in fields like holistic health.
What is Holistic Counseling?
As a holistic counselor, you'll recognize the importance of experience and integration into one's development, along with a strong balance of mind, body and spirit. Researchers believe that community and human interaction effects the development of each person. Holistic counselors encourage involvement in community organizations, such as church or not-for-profit volunteer work, for improvements in mental, social and even physical health.
As you study holistic counseling, you'll learn how to assess clients and determine the counseling techniques that best suit each client. Trust, patience and critical thinking skills are very important for this career and for building counseling relationships with clients.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td> Group counseling, marriage counseling, stress management, psychopharmacology, crisis intervention</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Other Requirements</b></td><td> Clinical practice is required in most programs</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Licensure Information</b></td><td> Counselors and drug rehab workers must be licensed in most states</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Online Availability</b></td><td> Holistic health programs may be offered online; some counseling programs offered fully or partially online may contain holistic counseling courses</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td> $47,660 (<i>for all mental health counselors</i>)*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 25% growth (<i>for all mental health counselors</i>)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWillILearnInAMasterSDegreeProgram">What Will I Learn in a Master's Degree Program?</h3><p>You'll focus many of your studies on the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional connections. You'll also spend time studying the human connection to society. You'll study human development and counseling techniques. Along with didactic studies, most programs require you to participate in clinical practice. Here's a list of some common course topics:
</p><ul><li>The work of Carl Jung
</li><li>Holistic studies
</li><li>Group counseling
</li><li>Women's counseling
</li><li>Crisis intervention
</li><li>Psychopharmacology
</li><li>Marriage counseling
</li><li>Creativity in counseling
</li><li>Stress management
</li><li>Addiction
</li><li>Meditation
</li><li>Wellness
</li><li>Human sexuality
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WillINeedLicensure">Will I Need Licensure?</h3><p>Licensure varies by state and by career choice. If you choose to work as a counselor or as a marriage and family therapist, most, if not all, states require you to be a licensed counselor. You can also consider working for a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center. Licensure requirements for drug rehabilitation vary by state. The American Counseling Association has links to each state's professional counselor licensure board on its website.
</p><h3 id="section---CanIEarnThisDegreeOnline">Can I Earn This Degree Online?</h3><p>Few colleges offer the opportunity to study psychology from the holistic standpoint via the Internet. However, the few colleges that do offer this degree program online look at <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Bachelor_of_Science_in_Holistic_Health_Online_and_Campus-Based_Program_FAQs.html">holistic health</a> and concentrate on counseling or psychology (psychotherapy). Some colleges have online programs in counseling that offer holistic courses or concentrations that focus on holistically understanding the material covered. Some of these colleges offer hybrid programs or evening and weekend courses.</p>
