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Last Updated By Harleen Kaur on 12 Sep, 2022
A behavioural counsellor is the one who uses a variety of different therapies to help their patients change certain behaviours. Usually, they help individuals identify behaviour patterns, substance abuse issues, mental health disorders or any other issue that alters these behaviours. Their main job is to observe patients and record their progress and change their negative behaviour into positive. They also conduct one-on-one therapy sessions, family therapy sessions or various another type of group sessions to help the patient identify their problems and ways to solve it. They can be found working in a multitude of environments, including private practices, rehabilitation centres or hospitals. Their work is often stressful, and most counsellors see several different patients. The main aim of the behavioural counsellor through their job is to bring a positive change in their patient’s life.
Behavioral Counselling is concerned with human behaviour and the elimination of unwanted or maladaptive behaviour in patients. In India, there is a 14% year-on-year increase in the number of psychologists, making a career as a behavioural counsellor an in-demand career option. A career as a behavioural counsellor has many advantages, including the ability to help others, a high salary, and work flexibility.
India is currently in desperate need of qualified behavioural counsellors. According to the World Health Organization, there are 0.3 mental health providers per 100,000 people. BA Psychology is the prerequisite for becoming a behavioural counsellor, followed by MA Psychology and an internship in the same profession to obtain relevant work experience. A behavioural counselor's average salary in India is somewhere around INR 4-5 lakhs.
To become a behavioural counsellor one requires formal training in the respective field. Aspirants planning to make a career in the same must have a bachelor’s degree in psychology/social work/ counselling. In India B.A. (Hons.) Psychology is the most popular degree to become a behavioural counsellor. After that candidate are required to do a mandatory internship and pursue a Master’s in Clinical Psychology to be prepared for advanced practice. Once the candidates are done with their master’s they have to acquire a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Certification.
The first step towards becoming a Behavioral Counselor is to get formal education and the get hands-on experience as an intern by working in a hospital or by assisting an established behavioural counsellor. After that, an LPCC license is must start your career as a behavioural counsellor.
Below is a list of the various steps that must be taken to become a behavioural counsellor for your convenience:
If the students want to pursue a career in behavioural counselling, they must make their decision well in advance. Candidates must decide if they are qualified for such a difficult and demanding job because it requires total focus and concentration.
In class 10+2, candidates who want to become behavioural counsellors should select the humanities stream with psychology as one of the major subjects. Humanities Courses are not a mandatory requirement to continue with a psychology BA or MA, though.
After finishing 10+2, students must enroll in any BA Psychology College and pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology as well as a master's degree in the same field.
TISSNET, OUCET, JUET, LPU-NEST, and other entrance exams, as well as merit, are used to determine admission.
A bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or counselling is required in India for those seeking a career as a behavioural counsellor. The most common degree for behavioural counsellors in India is a BA (Hons) in Psychology. Candidates must then complete a required internship and work toward a Master's degree in clinical psychology to be ready for advanced practise. After finishing their master's degrees, candidates must obtain a licence as a licenced professional clinical counsellor. A behavioural counsellor must also complete formal training in the related field.
Preparation at School Level
Students must start thinking about becoming behavioural counsellors at school. Students must choose the science stream in 10+2 and improve their skills in therapy, patience, good listening and communication skills, and stress management so that becoming a behavioural counsellor will not be a problem.
Preparation at UG Level
A candidate can pursue any UG Degree after completing class 12th in any stream. To become a counsellor in India, candidates must first complete a Bachelor's degree in Psychology/Counseling Psychology/Clinical Psychology, or a related field. Students may pursue a career in career counselling or health counselling. Students may also pursue certificates such as the Certificate in Counselling or Mental Health Training.
Preparation at PG Level
After earning a bachelor's degree in psychology/counseling/clinical psychology, etc., or a related field, candidates pursue master's degrees in counselling behavioural counsellor psychology/clinical psychology/child psychology/mental health psychology, or a related field.
BA in Psychology
BA Psychology is a three-year bachelor's degree programme. The course lasts three years and is divided into two semesters each year. Admission to the course is based on merit or an entrance exam, depending on the institute. The average course fee ranges from INR 2,000 to INR 25 Lakhs, depending on the candidate's performance in the entrance exams and merit list.
Candidates for the BA Psychology course must have completed 10+2 or an equivalent examination with a minimum of 60% marks in any stream from a recognised board. Applicants who are taking their final exam in class 10+2 may also be eligible for the programme.
Admission to the BA psychology programme is based on merit in Standard 10+2 or an entrance exam, depending on the requirements of the college. Applicants can apply for the course either offline or online, depending on the requirements of the college, by visiting the official website of the respective colleges. All relevant details relating to the date of admission, interview process, and other information, etc. will be shared via e-mail or on the college website, so candidates must visit the college website on a regular basis.
MA in Psychology
MA Psychology is a two-year Master's degree programme. The course lasts two years and is divided into four semesters. Depending on the institute, admission to the course is based on merit or on an entrance exam. The average fees for the course range from INR 10,000 to 95,000 per year, depending on the candidate's performance in the entrance exams and merit list.
To be eligible for the course, candidates must have a graduate degree from a recognised college or university with a minimum of 50%. Applicants who are applying for their final examination in BA Psychology may also be eligible. Candidates must take the entrance exam.
Admission to the MA psychology programme is based on merit in Standard 10+2 or an entrance exam, depending on the requirements of the college. Eligible candidates can apply or in person, depending on the college's requirements. Aside from that, students must check the college's official websites for important dates and course information.
Behavioural Counselling is a very wide and varied field. There are many behavioural counsellor job profiles that are very similar in terms of training and job duties. Check out the behavioural counsellor job profiles here:
Psychologist- The job role of the psychologists is very similar to that of the behavioural counsellor as their job is to help the patients change their behaviour into positive. They also work in the field of research to study different behaviour pattern and the determine the causes of particular behaviours.
Mental Health/Health Counsellor- Mental health counsellor focuses on the underlying mental and health disorders, and the reasons that cause such behaviour. They counsel the patients and use different therapeutic techniques to help them and to bring a positive change in their mental health.
Clinical Social Work- Their job role is much similar to that of a behavioural counsellor but they do so in a much larger scope. They work with patients concerning social issues such as employment, relationships, family etc.
Substance Abuse Counsellor- These counsellors are specialist in their field and treat clients who have a drug or any other substance addiction that is leading to a negative outcome in their lives and is causing a behavioural disorder. They usually counsel their clients in one on one, family sessions or group sessions.
School/College Counsellor- Usually, every school or college has their own counsellor who helps the students with behavioural difficulties and fighting mental health problems. They tend to help students learning behavioural, social and emotional skills that will enhance their growth and help in their overall development.
A behavioural counsellor can find employment opportunities in the sectors related to healthcare and mental health. Listed below are some of the employment opportunities for behavioural counsellor:
Most of the behavioural counsellor are recruited by healthcare companies, colleges, universities and some also do private practice. Some of the popular companies that hire behavioural counsellors are listed below:
The average annual salary of a behavioural counsellor depends on various factors such as a counsellor working in an urban setting tends to earn more than the one working in a rural setting. Similarly, counsellors working for the government tend to have higher salary packages as compared to others. Behavioural counsellors who do private practice tend to earn way more. The average annual salary of a behavioural counsellor is approximately between Rs.4,00,000 to Rs. 5,00,000.
However, with time and professional experience the pay packages tend to increase.
Note: The salary range will also depend on one's job profile, company, location & work experience.
After completing a degree in behavioural counselling, a candidate has two options: continue their education or find employment. In India, there is a rising demand for counsellors. People's rates of depression and mental illness are rising daily. Either adult citizens or children are the subject. Everybody requires counselling. Candidates may have excellent chances to gain respect and money.
Higher Academic Education
A candidate with a bachelor's degree in Behavioural Counselling may pursue further studies. Some of the programmes are as follows:
Start Work
Individuals can begin their career by earning a degree in Behavioural Counselling. This is a very broad and varied field. A counsellor can work in a variety of job profiles. Some of them are as follows:
Unquestionable benefits of working as a behavioural counsellor tempt candidates to submit applications. Below is a list of the benefits for your convenience:
Income: At the initial stage, candidates chosen as Behavioural Counsellors are paid an average annual salary of INR 4,00,000 to INR 5,00,000. However, pay packages tend to rise with time as well as professional experience.
Job Safety: One of the benefits of working as a Behavioural Counsellor is job security. The competition in the field of Behavioural Counsellor is lower when compared to other professions. Aside from that, the demand for Behavioural Counsellors is increasing in both public and private hospitals. Because a behavioural counsellor employs a variety of therapies to assist their patients in changing certain behaviours. They typically assist people in identifying behavioural patterns, substance abuse issues, mental health disorders, and any other issue which alters these behaviours.
Positive Impact of the Career: When compared to other careers, becoming a Behavioural Counsellor is an excellent choice. The primary responsibility of the behavioural counsellor is to observe patients, record their progress, and change their negative behaviour into positive behaviour. They may also initiate one-on-one therapy sessions, family therapy sessions, or various other kinds of group sessions to assist patients in identifying and resolving problems.
One-of-a-Kind Experience: Behavioral therapy is just an umbrella term for different types of therapy used to treat patients with mental health disorders. Behavioral therapy can help people with a variety of disorders, including depression, anxiety, panic disorders, and anger issues, which are common in today's generation.
Behavioural Counselor undergoes a lot of formal education before starting their career as a behaviour counsellor. Apart from this, they appear in loads of exams to get the medical license. Apart from the regular textbooks, they are required to study many theories and research study material to update their knowledge. To crack these exams we have come up with a list of books and study material that will help you enhance your knowledge and crack these exams:
Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.
The satisfaction of helping someone conquer his/her negative behaviour patterns and return to mainstream life is the biggest positive of becoming a behaviour counsellor.
On average, a behaviour counsellor has to work for around 40 to 45 hours every week, i.e approximately 8 to 9 hours regularly.
Behaviour counsellors are in high demand at institutions like Artemis Hospital, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Bangalore, Max Hospital etc.
No, you are good to start as a child behaviour counsellor with a master’s degree in clinical psychology followed by an internship. However, it will be beneficial if you focus more on child and adolescent development during your master’s degree study to become a child behaviour counsellor.
Yes, behaviour counselling is an emotionally sapping job.
Yes, usually a master’s degree is sufficient to become a professional behaviour counsellor but to become a successful behaviour counsellor, it is wise to get a doctoral degree.
Behaviour counsellors earn around INR 30K per month in India on average.
Yes, the aspiring behaviour counsellors should have interned with a reputed established behaviour counsellor or a hospital after completing their master’s degree studies to become a professional behaviour counsellor.
Usually, to become a professional behaviour counsellor, a master’s degree in clinical psychology is required after a bachelor’s degree which means at least 5 years.
Behaviour counsellors work with those individuals who have negative or detrimental behaviour patterns and then help them to change those behaviours.
