Mental Health Counselors Career, Salary and Skills
No national wage record is published for this occupation in the current BLS dataset.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
21-1014.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Salary data is not available for this occupation in the current BLS dataset.
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 5.00 | 5.75 |
| Speaking | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Writing | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.12 | 4.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Active Learning | 3.75 | 4.00 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.
- Assess patients for risk of suicide attempts.
- Perform crisis interventions with clients.
- Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.
- Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
Technology
- Client information database systems
- Database software
- Email software
- Google Classroom
- Management information systems MIS
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Netscape Navigator
Related careers
- Health Education SpecialistsNational median $64,070
- Family Medicine PhysiciansNational median $244,180
- Clinical Nurse SpecialistsNational median $97,550
- Occupational Therapy AssistantsNational median $72,300
- Occupational Therapy AidesNational median $39,160
- Community Health WorkersNational median $51,850
- Occupational TherapistsNational median $100,330
- Recreational TherapistsNational median $61,960
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.