Discipline and Ideas in the
Applied Social Sciences
SETTINGS IN
WHICH
COUNSELORS
ARE FOUND
JULY 2026
Franz Joseph G. Garalde
Asliah P. Dipantar
OVERVIEW
There are numerous career opportunities for counselors
because of the different areas of specializations.
(Lesson 3, Table 3.1)
Counselors can work in various settings depending on
their academic preparation, training, work experience,
and specialization. Their roles and reponsibilities vary
depending on the setting they are in and their
specialization.
SCHOOLS AND
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
School or guidance counselors help students (from elementary to
college) deal with their personal and educational issues or concerns.
By doing so, they can help students set their academic and career
goals. They can conduct a one-on-one counseling or group session,
interviews, and assessment tests, among other ways to help
students.
SCHOOLS AND
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
More importantly, school or guidance counselors help students deal
with social, behavioral, and personal issues or problems. School
counselors can also collaborate or consult parents and teachers in
order to help students properly deal with personal issues or
problems.
HUMAN RESOURCES (HR)
DEPARTMENT
Counselors can also work in a company's human resources
department. Career counselors can help employees make career
choices and decisions. They can help individuals with work-related
issues or concerns, such as job stress, depression, and how to
achieve a work-life balance. Career counselors can also conduct
company activities or seminars that can help improve the well-
being and work outlook of employees.
PRIVATE CLINIC
Counselors can also choose to have their own private clinic, where
they can accept clients. In this work setting, counselors focus on
individual or group appointments. For example, in individual
counseling, counselors can help a client undergo a therapeutic
process in order for the client to resolve personal issues, problems,
and concerns. Counselors can also perform family or couples
counseling. In this case, they help couples resolve family and marital
conflicts and issues.
REHAB AND TREATMENT
CENTERS
Counselors in this environment help people who are recovering
from physical injuries, emotional difficulties, mental health
conditions, or addiction. They provide counseling to help clients cope
with stress, build self-confidence, and develop healthy ways of
dealing with challenges. They also work with families and
healthcare professionals to support the client’s recovery, improve
relationships, and help them return to a healthy, productive, and
independent life.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
TREATMENT FACILITIES
In this setting, counselors help clients overcome different kinds of
addictions, such as drugs or illegal substances, alcohol, and
gambling, among others. Counselors who work in these facilities
can also do consulting work in hospitals and detention facilities.
MENTAL HEALTH
INSTITUTIONS/HOSPITALS
In these work settings, counselors help individuals recover from
mental and emotional disorders and issues, such as depression,
anxiety, stress, trauma, and low self-esteem, among others.
Counselors in this work setting often work with other professionals
like psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and doctors.
GOVERNMENT
Counselors can be found in the different government agencies that
offer counseling services such as social welfare, correctional
institutions, state-run rehabilitation centers, military, and police.
(Careers in Psychology, n.d.)
PRIVATE SECTOR
Counselors in the private sector are found in private clinics and in
industries/companies. They provide independent services through
private practice and hold appointment-based counseling sessions,
while clients pay for counseling services based on professional fees.
Counselors can specialize in many fields, such as substance abuse
counseling, mental health counseling, crisis counseling, and the like.
Companies hire counselors either as full-time or part-time/adjunct
employees.
COMMUNITY
Counselors who are in the community deal with a wide range of
clients, namely, children, teenagers, adults, families, and special
groups such as women, people with disabilities (PWD),
ethnolinguistic groups, and disaster survivors, among others. The
problems that they work from these clients can range from mental
health issues, career or employment concerns, addiction, trauma,
grief, and the like.
COMMUNITY
Thus, their roles and duties vary depending on their specialization
and the population that they serve. ([Link], n.d.)
Examples of work settings where counselors may be found are
residential care institutions, religious institutions, faith-based
organizations, and nongovernment organizations.
(Careers in Psychology, n.d.)
Discipline and Ideas in the
Applied Social Sciences
SETTINGS IN
WHICH
COUNSELORS
ARE FOUND
JULY 2026
Franz Joseph G. Garalde
Asliah P. Dipantar
THANK YOU!
Franz Joseph G. Asliah P. Dipantar
Garalde