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Navigating the Counseling Job Market in Maryland: What to Look For and How to Find the Perfect Fit

Navigating the Counseling Job Market in Maryland: What to Look For and How to Find the Perfect Fit

Mental Health

Are you ready to start or advance your career as a counselor in Maryland? Finding the right counseling job can be a rewarding experience, but knowing what to look for is key. Advanced Behavior Health Inc. (ABH) provides top-tier mental health services and offers a supportive work environment where counselors can thrive and make a real impact. Here’s what you should remember when searching for a counseling job in Maryland.

Identify Your Counseling Specialty

Counseling offers a wide variety of specialties, from youth counseling to addiction treatment. Narrowing down which areas align with your passion and career goals is important. Common specialties include:

Youth Counseling: Working with children and teens to support their emotional and psychological growth.
Addiction Counseling: Helping individuals recover from substance abuse.
Marriage and Family Counseling: Assisting families and couples in overcoming relational challenges.

At ABH, we offer diverse roles to match your interests, ensuring you can work in a field you’re passionate about.

Understand Maryland’s Licensure Requirements

In Maryland, most counseling roles require licensure. Common credentials include the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), which typically requires a Master’s degree in counseling, completion of supervised clinical hours, and passing the National Counselor Examination (NCE).

Tip: Choose an employer like ABH that supports your journey toward licensure by providing mentorship, clinical experience, and supervision.

Look for Professional Development Opportunities

A great counseling job doesn’t just meet your current needs—it also supports your long-term growth. Seek out employers that offer continuing education, training, and career advancement.

Tip: At ABH, we prioritize professional development with opportunities for further education, specialization, and leadership roles.

Consider the Work Environment and Culture

Your work environment plays a significant role in your job satisfaction. Whether you prefer working in schools, hospitals, or private practices, ensure that the organization’s culture aligns with your values. Look for companies that foster collaboration, teamwork, and work-life balance.

Tip: At ABH, we pride ourselves on a positive and collaborative culture where counselors feel supported and valued.

Research Compensation and Benefits

Competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits are essential when evaluating potential employers. Be sure to research what’s typical for counseling roles in Maryland and ensure that the job you’re considering offers fair compensation, health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

At ABH, we offer competitive pay, excellent benefits, and flexible scheduling to support a healthy work-life balance.

Why ABH is the Best Place for Your Counseling Career

At Advanced Behavior Health Inc., we provide more than just a job—we offer a fulfilling career where you can grow, learn, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Here’s what sets us apart:

Supportive Environment: We invest in your growth with opportunities for continuing education and licensure support.
Diverse Opportunities: Work in a variety of settings, including youth counseling, family therapy, and more.
Impactful Work: At ABH, you’ll have the chance to truly impact the community while advancing your career.

Ready to Join the ABH Team?

If you’re seeking a counseling job in Maryland, look no further than ABH. We are always searching for dedicated professionals passionate about mental health and ready to make a difference.

When you think of the well-being of a child, you first think of basic needs: food, water, and shelter. Once these needs are met, however, it’s crucial for a child to have emotional and social wellness as well. In this article, we will explore the impact social wellness has on the overall health of a child and great ways for children to garner social support in their lives.

It comes as no surprise that as human beings, we all need connection with others, no matter what stage of life we are in. In fact, having social support is a social determinant of health (SDOH) that significantly impacts the health of an individual. After spending the last few years in and out of isolation due to the Covid-19 outbreak, social support is more important now than ever before. Having social support means having family members and friends you can talk to and seek advice from when life feels challenging and overwhelming. Knowing you’re not alone in your life journey, especially as a child, creates a sense of belonging and empowerment throughout one’s life.

4 Types of Social Support

Emotional Support. This type of support lets you know that people care about you and have empathy for your experiences. Emotional support often looks like people checking in on you to let you know they’re thinking of you, and that they are there if you need anything. As a parent, make sure your child knows you can be a sounding board for them. If you have family members who can also show up for your children in this way, even better!

Practical Help. This type of support is when people give you something tangible or offer a service to help you out. This could be in the form of money, making food when you are sick, or helping to pack when moving. Having family and friends show up in this way shows your child what it looks like to be present for people you love.

Sharing Points of View. This type of support can often come in the form of affirmations and encouragement. For example, pointing out your child’s strengths to them and reminding them they can do anything they put their mind to. It can also look like sharing another perspective if they are being hard on themselves. For example, if they are angry with themselves after receiving a bad grade on a test, you can help them see it as a learning experience and a way for them to grow.

Sharing Information. This type of support is when someone shares what they’ve learned from their own life experiences. For example, if another parent has a child who struggles with socializing, they can share some tips and tricks they’ve learned to help their child find and create social support.

The Importance of Social Groups and Extended Support

Children who are connected to their family, friends, and people in their community have opportunities to learn how to speak, share, and get along with others. When your child feels connected to people in your neighborhood, it often allows them to feel physically safe which can alleviate stress and worry. Simply riding bikes, going on walks, and saying hello to neighbors with your kids can create this sense of security for them.

In addition to engaging with your neighbors, getting involved in local organizations can also create social support for your child. Signing up for a sports team, musical theater, art class or summer camp are all great ways to help your child meet new friends and learn important social skills that can carry them through their lives.

Tips for Helping Kids Make Community Connections:

Spend time outside in your neighborhood playing on the playground, going to a local farmer’s market, or scheduling a playdate with neighborhood kids.

Show your kids that connection is a two-way street. If your neighbors or friends go out of town, offer to get their mail, or water their plants and take your child with you when you go. This will show your child how you show up for people you care about.

Make sure you make time for socializing with friends as well. Your child looks to you first and foremost for how they should act and live their own life.

Encourage your child to step out of their comfort zone and do something they may be scared to do. As a parent, it’s your job to push them into something social for their own well-being at times.