School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling: What is the Difference?

“Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own.” That is the title of a song by Irish rock band U2. It is also the reason many people, at some point in their lives, decide to seek out the services of a licensed, trained counseling professional. A career in counseling is perfect for individuals who have a passion for helping others—whether it is supporting an adult in developing coping skills to deal with a life crisis, providing guidance to a high school student on college or career readiness, or assessing a person’s social and emotional needs. Many counseling services and activities share certain similarities. However, other services are distinct from one another and fall within the specializations of either School Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Faculty from the Counseling program within the School of Education at George Mason University recently provided an overview of both specializations and offered a glimpse into how they differ. Engaging in this discussion was Professor Erik Hines and Academic Program Co-Coordinator Joanne Frederick.

The Role of a School Counselor and a Clinical Mental Health Counselor

School counselors are trained and licensed professionals who promote academic success and goal setting, social-emotional development, and the mental health and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and teens who are students in K-12 schools. School counselors help students with post-secondary planning and support them in their development by identifying their strengths, gifts, and talents. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), school counselors act as a “systems change agent to improve equity and access, achievement and opportunities for all students.”

Clinical mental health counselors are licensed professionals trained in providing counseling to individuals, couples, and families. The clientele of a clinical mental health counselor can include children, adolescents, and adults. Their counseling services can cover a wide range of issues related to trauma, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, behavioral disorders, and other areas where an individual may be experiencing difficulties. The American Counseling Association (ACA) states that professional counselors “help people gain personal insights, develop strategies, and come up with real-life solutions to the problems and challenges they face in every area of life.”

Work Settings

School counselors work in a K-12 school setting with students, families, teachers, and school administration to support the academic success of the student.

The settings in which clinical mental health counselors work include community, state, federal, or private counseling agencies, employee assistance programs, in-patient hospital programs, out-patient programs, higher education, and private practice.

Short-term Counseling vs. Long-term Counseling

A key difference between school counselors and clinical mental health counselors is the type of counseling that each specialization provides. According to ASCA, the counseling services of a school counselor should be short-term in nature. If a student needs support beyond short-term counseling, referrals are to be made for long-term care. Clinical mental health counselors can also offer short-term counseling but frequently provide more comprehensive therapy to many of their clients through long-term treatment plans.

Operational Differences

Another factor that distinguishes the practice of school counselors from that of clinical mental health counselors relates to the financial aspects of their respective jobs. Most school counselors are paid a salary as employees of the schools or school districts where they work. In contrast, many clinical mental health counselors are in private practice or may be part of a group practice. This means they must keep track of time spent with clients for purposes of billing and reimbursement from health insurance plans or Medicare. Advertising and marketing are other activities essential to growing a successful clinical mental health counseling practice. Again, these activities are not applicable to the school counseling specialization. There are several mental health associations, including the ACA, that provide resources to help clinicians in managing the business side of their operations.

How a typical day of a school counselor and a clinical mental health counselor might differ.

The typical day of a school counselor and a clinical mental health counselor can be quite different. For a school counselor, there may be no such thing as a typical day. A school's environment is one where students’ priorities and needs can shift rapidly from one day to the next. School counselors must be flexible to handle various student issues that can emerge on short notice. Because many clinical mental health counselors work with their clients on a more sustained, long-term basis in providing therapy that addresses specific issues, there are fewer “surprises” that come up during treatment. A clinical mental health counselor often maintains a professional relationship with their client that can span several years or more. This enables the clinician to develop a deeper understanding of their client which allows them to anticipate pending “crises” that could occur given their knowledge of the client’s mental health history.

For more information on the School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree options available in the Counseling program within the School of Education at George Mason University, please visit the program website.