Mental Health Counselors
Counsel and advise individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on prevention. May help individuals deal with a broad range of mental health issues, such as those associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; or aging.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
- Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.
- Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
- Perform crisis interventions to help ensure the safety of the patients and others.
- Assess patients for risk of suicide attempts.
- Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.
- Perform crisis interventions with clients.
- Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.
- Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.
- Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.
- Collect information about clients through interviews, observation, or tests.
- Modify treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in clients' status.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs on clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.
- Evaluate clients' physical or mental condition, based on review of client information.
- Supervise other counselors, social service staff, assistants, or graduate students.
- Discuss with individual patients their plans for life after leaving therapy.
- Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.
- Act as client advocates to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
- Collaborate with mental health professionals and other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans.
- Learn about new developments in counseling by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, or establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies.
- Plan, organize, or lead structured programs of counseling, work, study, recreation, or social activities for clients.
- Gather information about community mental health needs or resources that could be used in conjunction with therapy.
- Monitor clients' use of medications.
- Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting clients or patients.
- Plan or conduct programs to prevent substance abuse or improve community health or counseling services.
- Meet with families, probation officers, police, or other interested parties to exchange necessary information during the treatment process.
- Coordinate or direct employee workshops, courses, or training about mental health issues.
- Respond to client communications by monitoring voicemail and email, returning phone calls, and making follow-up calls for missed appointments.
Skills
Knowledge
Build a Resume for Mental Health Counselors
Create a professional, ATS-optimized resume tailored to this career path.
Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
99%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
97%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
96%
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?
95%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
91%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
90%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
89%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
89%
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?
77%
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?
77%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
73%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
72%
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?
71%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
70%
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?
66%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
62%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
62%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
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?
53%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
52%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
48%
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?
46%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
45%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
41%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
37%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
30%
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?
30%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
30%
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?
25%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
23%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
22%
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?
21%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
14%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
11%
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)?
9%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
8%
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)?
7%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
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 Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
4%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
4%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
4%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
3%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
3%
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?
3%
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.)
3%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
1%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
0%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
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?
0%
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?
0%
Education
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Professional 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
Ready to pursue a career as Mental Health Counselors?
Create a professional resume that highlights the right skills and experience for this role.
Build Your Resume Now