The requirements to be a professional counselor vary from one continent to another and from one township/village to another. Professional counselors are different from traditional sources of support or guidance in that they have received formal training and supervision in the practice of providing support or guidance and adhere to clear, expert-defined standards of practice. These standards of practice are often called Codes of Ethics. For an example of what a Code of Ethics document might look like, please refer to the NBCC's Code of Ethics. Please also know that there are distinct differences in how these documents are drafted around the world, so the example provided may not be relevant to all cultures.

There is much diversity in where counselors work and what they look like. Nonetheless, counselors all over the world are dedicated to being helpful to their fellow humans.