Getting Paid: Episodes 1-3 Your Transition from Counseling Student to Counseling Professional

The transition from student to professional can be very difficult for counselors. New graduates looking for their first job are often confused, frustrated and sometimes even exploited, because they do not have the information they need about the complex licensure process and the market for jobs in our field.

This blog is about helping counselors solve those problems. I have written a lot of blogs for mental health professionals; usually they are about advice, or experiences I’ve had. This one is a bit different: I’d like to share a new project I’m working on with you.

I am a member of the Insurance Task Force, a group sponsored by both the Illinois Counseling Association (ICA) and the Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA). The task force’s primary mission is to advocate with insurance companies on behalf of mental health counselors in Illinois. We also collect, organize and disseminate relevant, useful information on insurance reimbursement. The task force includes counselor educators and private practice owners who employ counselors. This gives us a very good overview of what happens to students as they graduate and become working counselors.

“Insurance reimbursement” sounds pretty boring, but the hard fact is, that’s how most counselors get paid – especially those in their first job. Through the work of the task force, we have consistently seen how difficult it can be for new graduates to find a good, rewarding job while navigating the complex licensure process. They are not getting the information they need, and this lack of information can lead to frustration, confusion and a vulnerability to exploitation.

We have the information they need. All of us have mentored new professionals, formally or informally. This usually happens in one-on-one conversations, which is great, but it’s a very inefficient strategy for a whole demographic. And the guidance they need is often very individual, specific and nuanced, which doesn’t lend itself to written, published material either.

That’s how we came up with this new project: Sharing this much-needed information in an online discussion format. Below is the link to the entire project, episodes 1-3. I hope you’ll find it helpful, and reach out to me with your questions and feedback.

Episode 1: https://vimeo.com/742450103/0a4a44a7ea

Episode 2: https://vimeo.com/beyourownbiller/gettingpaidep2?share=copy

Episode 3: https://vimeo.com/789476407/8c2a6ab568?share=copy