Clinical & Counseling Psychologists
Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
- Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
- Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
- Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.
- Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or treatments and the accuracy and completeness of diagnoses, modifying plans or diagnoses as necessary.
- Use a variety of treatment methods, such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, behavior modification, stress reduction therapy, psychodrama, or play therapy.
- Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, or needs.
- Develop and implement individual treatment plans, specifying type, frequency, intensity, and duration of therapy.
- Maintain current knowledge of relevant research.
- Obtain and study medical, psychological, social, and family histories by interviewing individuals, couples, or families and by reviewing records.
- Select, administer, score, and interpret psychological tests to obtain information on individuals' intelligence, achievements, interests, or personalities.
- Consult reference material, such as textbooks, manuals, or journals, to identify symptoms, make diagnoses, or develop approaches to treatment.
- Consult with or provide consultation to other doctors, therapists, or clinicians regarding patient care.
- Advise clients on how they could be helped by counseling.
- Direct, coordinate, and evaluate activities of staff and interns engaged in patient assessment and treatment.
- Supervise and train interns, clinicians in training, and other counselors.
- Refer clients to other specialists, institutions, or support services as necessary.
- Consult with other professionals, agencies, or universities to discuss therapies, treatments, counseling resources or techniques, and to share occupational information.
- Develop, direct, and participate in training programs for staff and students.
- Plan and develop accredited psychological service programs in psychiatric centers or hospitals, in collaboration with psychiatrists and other professional staff.
- Provide occupational, educational, or other information to individuals so that they can make educational or vocational plans.
- Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach programs, or prevention talks to schools, social service agencies, businesses, or the general public.
- Conduct research to develop or improve diagnostic or therapeutic counseling techniques.
- Prepare written evaluations of individuals' psychological competence for court hearings.
- Observe individuals at play, in group interactions, or in other contexts to detect indications of cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Plan, supervise, and conduct psychological research and write papers describing research results.
- Provide psychological or administrative services and advice to private firms or community agencies regarding mental health programs or individual cases.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
95%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
95%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
92%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
91%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
91%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
88%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
87%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
85%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
78%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
76%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
75%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
68%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
66%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
64%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
64%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
62%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
61%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
61%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
58%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
57%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
52%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
47%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
39%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
39%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
36%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
33%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
32%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
23%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
21%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
20%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
17%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
17%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
17%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
13%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
13%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
12%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
10%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
8%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
7%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
6%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
6%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
6%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
5%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
5%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
4%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
3%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
2%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
2%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
2%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
2%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
2%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
2%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
2%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
1%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
0%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Education
Post-doctoral training
Doctoral degree
Master's degree
Interests
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Work Styles
Work Values
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