Counseling Psychologists
Human Services > Counseling & Mental Health ServicesProjected Growth: Much faster than average
Projected Job Openings
Extensive Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Assess and evaluate individuals’ problems through the use of case history, interview, and observation and provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment.
Common job titles of Counseling Psychologists include:
.
Experience and Education
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
40.41% said they needed a Post-Doctoral Training.
26.73% said they needed a Master's Degree.
Tasks
Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, or needs.
Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
Analyze data, such as interview notes, test results, or reference manuals, to identify symptoms or to diagnose the nature of clients' problems.
Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
Advise clients on how they could be helped by counseling.
Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
Consult with other professionals, agencies, or universities to discuss therapies, treatments, counseling resources or techniques, and to share occupational information.
Supervise interns, clinicians in training, and other counselors.
Evaluate the results of counseling methods to determine the reliability and validity of treatments.
Refer clients to specialists or to other institutions for noncounseling treatment of problems.
Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach programs, or prevention talks to schools, social service agencies, businesses, or the general public.
Select, administer, and interpret psychological tests to assess intelligence, aptitudes, abilities, or interests.
Conduct research to develop or improve diagnostic or therapeutic counseling techniques.
Tools
Universal serial bus USB flash drives
Tablet computers
Personal computers
Laptop computers
Desktop computers
Biofeedback equipment
Technologies
Addison Health Systems WritePad
Anasazi Software Client Data System
Athena Software Penelope Case Management
B Sharp Technologies B Care
BlackHawk Canyon Publishers PracticianWorks
Blueberry Harbor Software Clinical Record Keeper
Bluewater Management Systems BMCASE
All TechnologiesBRB Software HorizonMIS
Clinivate Clinitrak
Comprehensive Affect Testing System CATS
Core Solutions Care Enterprise
DocuTrac QuicDoc
Fagerman Technologies MedLook
Google Sheets
Health Care Software HCS INTERACTANT
ICANotes
JTL Enterprises MedIntake
Mdansby The PsychReport
MedEZ
Medical Outcome Systems eMINI Software Suite
Medicine Rules PowerSEAT 360
MICA Information Systems MICA-MED Practice Manager
MPMsoft billing
MS*Health Software/CMHC
My Clients Plus
Neuro Innovations Therapist’s Toolkit
Neurobehavioral Systems Presentation
Noldus Information Technology The Observer
O*NET OnLine
Office Management Systems Mental Health Office All-in-One
Polaris Health Directions Polaris-MH
Practice Management Technologies Visual Private Office
PsychAssistant
PsychNotesEMR
Psyquel
PsyTech Solutions Epitomax
Serenic Navigator CommunityCare
Sigmund Software Sigmund
SpectraSoft AppointmentsPRO
Testing software
TheraManager
Thriveworks TherapyBuddy
Trinity Software Solutions BEACON
UNI/CARE Pro-Filer
Skills
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Systems Evaluation
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Abilities
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression
Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Comprehension
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity
Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Expression
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
Auditory and Speech Abilities › Sensory Abilities › Speech Clarity
Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Deductive Reasoning
Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Inductive Reasoning
Come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Originality