Overview
Workplace Wellbeing Counsellors (also called Employee Assistance Programme — EAP specialists, corporate mental health counsellors) provide confidential mental health and wellbeing support to employees of large organisations. India's corporate mental health awareness has grown sharply post-COVID, with major employers (TCS, Infosys, Microsoft IDC, Google India, JP Morgan, Accenture) building dedicated wellbeing programmes. Specialist EAP providers (1to1help, Optum India, MindPeers, YourDOST, ICAS India) serve corporates as outsourced wellbeing partners. POSH Act 2013 compliance creates additional demand for corporate counsellors.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Provide confidential one-on-one counselling sessions to employees (in-person, video, phone); conduct workplace wellbeing workshops; manage POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) committee support; handle crisis interventions (suicide risk, harassment, severe distress); develop wellbeing programmes and resources; train managers on mental health first aid; track wellbeing metrics and report aggregate trends (preserving confidentiality); maintain RCI-required clinical documentation; coordinate referrals to psychiatrists for clinical-level cases.
Skills required
- Counselling techniques (CBT, REBT, solution-focused, motivational interviewing)
- Crisis intervention and suicide-risk assessment
- Workplace dynamics understanding
- Cultural competence (Indian corporate context, family dynamics)
- Confidentiality and ethical practice
- POSH Act 2013 procedures
- Workshop design and facilitation
- Documentation per RCI / ISPC standards
Education path
MA Counselling Psychology, MA Clinical Psychology, M.Sc Counselling, or M.Phil Clinical Psychology. RCI (Rehabilitation Council of India) registration mandatory for clinical practice. Certified Career Counsellor (CCC) or Indian Society of Professional Counsellors (ISPC) accreditation for non-clinical counselling. International credentials: NCC (National Certified Counselor, US), CPP (Certified Professional Counsellor).
Career progression
- 1Junior Counsellor (0-3 yrs)
- 2Counsellor (3-7 yrs)
- 3Senior Counsellor / Lead Counsellor (7-12 yrs)
- 4Wellbeing Programme Manager (12-18 yrs)
- 5Chief Wellbeing Officer / Practice Head (18+ yrs)
Top employers in India
Useful certifications
- RCI Registration (mandatory for clinical practice)
- M.Phil Clinical Psychology
- NCC (US, international)
- Indian Society of Professional Counsellors (ISPC) accreditation
- POSH Act 2013 Trainer Certification
- CBT / REBT certified practitioner