A Mental Health Counselor is a trained professional who counsels people – either individually or in groups like couples or families. A Mental Health Counselor helps generate and promote the best mental health and well being for his clients. A Mental Health Counselor usually adopts a very holistic perspective while helping her clients – she will study the client’s external environment and the influence of the society on his life, and at the same time, she will look at the inner aspects of the client’s psyche like his emotional, behavioral and also the physical health. Thus, a Mental Health Counselor observes the client in an all-round fashion and then helps the client find the effective balance in his life.

To start working as a Mental Health Counselor, you would have to start out with a MA, MS or a MSW degree. Typically, these would be two year programs. During this Masters Degree program, you would also be working in an internship where you would be working directly with people. It is after obtaining the Masters Degree that you would be in a position to get your license in your chosen specialty. You can get a license in fields like Educational, Career and School Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, and Substance Abuse Counseling.

As a Mental Health Counselor, you can expect to earn an approximate salary between the range of $36,000 to $61,000 on an annual basis. If you want to develop your own private counseling practice, it usually takes about 5 years after getting your license to be an established Mental Health Counselor in private practice. As a Mental Health Counselor, you would be in the position to help people with a variety of problems which they face in their daily lives. This can include issues like depression, aging, substance abuse or addiction, issues with career, stress, suicide, anger management, relationship problems, marital issues and so on. You will be helping people work their way through these and such related problems in their lives – and thus helping them to stay positive during the different ups and downs they may face during their lives.

Apart from seeing clients, you would also be involved with the completion of risk assessments or mental health evaluations of your clients, providing care and treatment programs for your clients by providing the required documentation and case records to other professionals who are also involved with the client. You will also be required to keep accurate records of your client files, and such other documentation.

Dr. Nagako SATO, who worked as a teaching assistant of psychiatry at St. Marianna University School of Medicine, has received her PhD at St. Marianna University School of Medicine in psychiatric medicine as well as 5+ years working experience in a related field. And she also has a wealth of experience as clinical psychiatrist.

Her psychiatric clinic located in Tokyo, Japan, which provides mental health care for English-speaking people who are residing in Japan. Especially she treats depression, anxiety, insomnia,etc. In addition, for travelers from abroad, her office is available for a consultation about jet lag remedies, too.