Counsellor (schools, de-addiction)

certification helps

Remote
Varies
Qualification
Typically Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Master of Social Work.
Read
1 min
01

What the work involves

Day to day

Frontline counselling in an institutional setting - supporting students through academic, family and emotional difficulty, or working with people in recovery from substance dependence through structured programmes and relapse prevention.

02

Who this suits

Fit

People who want direct, practical helping work. School counselling posts have expanded as awareness of student mental health has risen, and de-addiction work is among the most concretely useful things a counsellor can do.

03

The honest reality

Read this one

School counsellors are frequently under-resourced and expected to cover hundreds of students, and schools sometimes want the role to manage discipline or reputation rather than support children - be clear about that before accepting a post. De-addiction work involves relapse as a normal part of recovery, which is hard to absorb repeatedly, and standards across Indian rehabilitation centres vary enormously, with some using practices you would not want to be part of. Pay is modest and vicarious trauma is a real occupational risk.

04

How you get there

Step by step

  1. 2 years Step 1
    Finish school

    Class 12 in any stream

  2. 5 years Step 2
    Qualify

    Complete B.A. Psychology, Sociology or Social Work, then a master's.

  3. Step 3
    Enter the field

    Typical first position: Counsellor (schools, de-addiction).

  4. Step 4
    Build and specialise Optional

    Specialise, take on programme leadership, or move into research.

  5. You are here
    Counsellor (schools, de-addiction)

    Everything above leads here. The steps marked optional can be skipped or taken later — they change how fast you arrive, not whether you can.

05

Courses that lead here

How to qualify

06

Roles within this career

What the job is called

School Counsellor Private
Rehabilitation Counsellor NonProfit