Counseling Skills and Techniques You’ll Need to Become a Licensed Counselor

There is a mental health access crisis in America, with nearly 30 million people facing mental health issues without professional care. Communities across the country need licensed counselors to help the 23.4 million adults and 7.7 million kids experiencing mental health challenges. Licensed counselors help individuals, couples and families navigate through interpersonal turmoil and psychological disorders. School counselors focus their attention on students facing issues from academic performance to anxiety during their formative years.

Aspiring counselors enter the profession with the interpersonal abilities necessary to understand their clients. They also build counseling skills during supervised experiences and advanced coursework in their graduate degree programs. A master’s degree in mental health counseling or school counseling opens a new career for you and fills a need in your community.

Current Demand for Licensed Counselors

Mental health counselors are in high demand as the stresses of daily life combine with the growing prevalence of mental health disorders. A 2025 report by The American Institute of Stress found that 75% of adult respondents experienced physical or emotional symptoms related to stress. The most common causes and symptoms of stress include:

• Work leading to burnout and sick days (76% of adults)
• Personal finances leading to anxiety and disordered sleep (66%)
• Cost of living leading to lower quality of life (64%)

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that 83% of public schools offered individual mental health intervention services to students during the 2024-2025 school year. This report also found that only 18% of students used these services despite the challenges of childhood and adolescence. More school counselors are needed to guide students to their academic, emotional and personal development goals.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 17% increase in mental health counseling jobs and a 4% increase in school counseling jobs by 2034. Retirements, an aging population and increased awareness of mental health issues will drive future demand. The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) estimates shortages of 99,780 mental health counselors and 39,680 school counselors by 2038 based on current job market trends. Professionals like you can help reduce shortages and make a meaningful impact with the right skills.

Essential Counseling Skills

The core skill for mental health counselors and school counselors is empathy. Counselors who understand and can perceive a client’s experiences without judgment can then develop individual plans for their clients. Active listening and open body language demonstrate empathy to clients, whether they are K-12 students or couples.

A 2025 study of counseling research worldwide identified skills common to all practitioners. Communication skills, including adaptability in conversation and goal-oriented questions, topped the list of most frequently mentioned skills. Other counseling skills deployed by professionals globally include:

• Relationship building through safe, trusting environments built for clients
• Awareness of client emotional responses and potential root causes
• A career-long commitment to self-growth and improvement
• A deep knowledge of assessment and diagnostic options across the lifespan

The O*NET Program’s exploration of mental health counselors identifies additional skills necessary for practitioners. Critical thinking skills are handy as school counselors identify resources for students, and mental health counselors plan treatments for their clients. Familiarity with learning strategies is useful during classroom sessions or for understanding how a client processes information. 

Techniques for Counseling Success

Counselors in any setting need to know which approaches work best for their clients’ needs. Not everyone has the same viewpoint, challenges, or personal goals. The American Psychological Association (APA) identifies five broad approaches to therapy:

• Psychoanalysis on changing disordered behavior and thoughts
• Behavioral therapy on how normal and abnormal behaviors are learned
• Cognitive therapy about the role of dysfunctional thoughts in our actions
• Humanistic therapy on maximizing client potential through informed choices
• Integrative therapy combines elements of the other approaches

There are counseling techniques within these categories that practitioners frequently use. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) identifies unhelpful behaviors, trains clients on coping mechanisms and builds confidence in clients' responses to emotional triggers. Person-centered therapy asks clients to lead sessions with counselors as facilitators in their journeys of self-discovery.

A popular counseling technique in school settings is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). School counselors use SFBT to help students identify and use their strengths as solutions to challenges for present problems. SFBT focuses more on problem-solving than on identifying root causes, and shifts student attention to achievable goals rather than unrealistic expectations. 

Benefits of a Counseling Career

Interpersonal skills and extensive knowledge of counseling techniques benefit clients in need of help. Mental health counselors and school counselors are also enriched through their professional experiences. A counseling career is fulfilling because you can see empowered clients work toward their goals. Whether in a clinical setting or a classroom, a counselor’s work makes a meaningful impact on their community.

The long-term shortage of counselors also means that practitioners can financially take care of themselves and their families. The BLS found that the median pay for mental health counselors in 2024 was $59,190, with the top 10% of earners earning $98,210 or more. The median salary for school counselors in 2024 was $65,140, with the highest earners earning $105,870 or more. Both of these career paths exceeded the $49,500 median salary for all occupations in that year. 

How to Become a Licensed Counselor

With these benefits in mind, you may wonder how to break into a career as a counselor. If you have a bachelor’s degree and a good GPA on your undergraduate work, you can apply for a graduate counseling program. Master’s degree programs in mental health counseling and school counseling combine advanced coursework with supervised learning experiences in clinical settings. You will learn the following topics if you pursue a graduate degree in counseling:

• Assessment and diagnostic processes
• Crisis intervention
• Individual and group counseling
• Lifespan development
• Trauma-informed care

The paths to licensure for mental health counselors and school counselors differ based on where you practice. We can use Ohio’s licensure process as an example of what to expect at the start of your career. The Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) process requires counselors to:

• Earn a graduate degree in counseling 
• Achieve initial licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Record at least 3,000 hours of post-LPC experience over two years
• Complete an online application with an application fee
• Satisfy state requirements for BCI and FBI background checks

School counselors in Ohio need to apply for Professional Pupil Licenses through the State Board of Education. The initial licensure lasts for five years, with five-year renewals possible through continuing education and classroom training. New applicants must pass the Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) 040 exam and complete their master’s degrees before licensure.

A graduate education is an investment in your professional success that can yield a lifetime of dividends. The best programs for mental health counseling and school counseling are flexible, innovative and rigorous. Walsh University exceeds these expectations with its Master of Arts in counseling programs.

Build Counseling Skills at Walsh University

Walsh University’s MA degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling are designed for professionals like you. Each program features 100% online courses and part-time schedules to accommodate your busy life. You don’t need to take the GRE or GMAT for admission, and there are five starts per year when you are ready.

An MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling prepares you for present and future challenges facing your community. The 60-credit curriculum starts with the Intro to Counseling/Counseling Profession course for a strong foundation. Additional courses in Clinical Mental Health Counseling include:

• Addictions
• Lifespan Development
• Social/Cultural Diversity in Counseling

Candidates in the School Counseling program learn how to help K-12 students over a 60-credit curriculum. Future school counselors learn about their new profession during Intro to Counseling/Counseling Profession and Foundations of School Counseling classes. The curriculum includes courses on:

• Counseling Children & Adolescents
• Development Informed Trauma, Crisis & Grief Interventions
• Issues in School Counseling

Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling students receive personalized assistance with their field experiences through the university’s Field Experience Coordinators. Candidates complete 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours with experienced professionals in their communities. 

Walsh University is a nationally ranked university by U.S. News & World Report and certified by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Find out more about the benefits of a Walsh University counseling degree.