Mental health counselors-often social workers or marriage and family therapists -provide counseling services for individuals, couples, families, teens, and children.
Mental health counselors must earn a master's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health field and complete a minimum of 2 years of clinical work after earning their degree.
Most mental health counselors are licensed by the state in which they practice and have passed a state-developed or national licensure or certification exam.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise