Counselors and consultants both provide support to clients who seek guidance and solutions to personal or professional problems. While counselors typically offer broad methods for overcoming challenges, consultants often focus more on providing technical, actionable strategies for clients to follow.

Counselors also work with faculty and staff as consultants and trainers. An academic advisor is a professional staff or faculty member trained to assist students with academic planning. Advisors make referrals for various student concerns to counselors or other campus services.

These consultants are experts in their field, with a deep understanding of the many different educational and therapeutic options available, specifically with an emphasis on therapeutic programs and professionals. They understand clinical language, the change process, modalities, and how client profiles differ.

Consultation is voluntarily provided by the counselor to assist another professional or an organization with a problem. Thus, counseling consultation is said to be triadic, which means that there are three parties (sometimes groups) involved: a consultant, a consultee, and a client.