A growing area for counseling professionals is providing assistance and support to members of the armed forces dealing with post-combat mental health issues. This could include helping both active service personnel and veterans to deal with the stresses and traumas experienced during conflict, as well as aiding them and their families with re-integrating back into society. According to a recent study by Capella University, the importance of this work is reflected by the fact that 98% of American Counseling Association (ACA) members have taken steps to increase their own understanding of the issues surrounding post-combat mental health. ACA executive director Richard Yep CAE said the organization had been promoting the needs of service members and their families for a number of years. "We've made a point of bringing this issue to our members' attention and are committed to helping provide counselors with the resources they need to address this growing challenge," he said. Service personnel are one of a number of groups that counselors help. Many work with children, families and individuals in other areas, such as addressing educational, vocational and personal relationship issues, the Department of Labor said. According to its figures, there were 635,000 counselors working in the United States in 2006.  |