CFChooseField
Community and Social Service

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.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Mental Health Counselors
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Preparation level

Job Zone 5
Usually requires extensive preparation, commonly graduate education and substantial experience.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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Leading skill

Active Listening
A highly important skill for Mental Health Counselors.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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Core knowledge

Therapy and Counseling
A leading knowledge area used in Mental Health Counselors.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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Career interest

Social
One of the strongest interest themes associated with this work.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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Typical work activity

Assisting and Caring for Others
One of the occupation's most important kinds of work.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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Day-to-day work

10 examples
Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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Software and tools

12 tools listed
Examples: Microsoft Office software, Oracle PeopleSoft, Microsoft Access.
O*NET 30.3 Database · 2026
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Speaking
  3. 3Reading Comprehension
  4. 4Writing
  5. 5Critical Thinking
  6. 6Active Learning

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Therapy and Counseling
  2. 2Psychology
  3. 3Customer and Personal Service
  4. 4English Language
  5. 5Sociology and Anthropology
  6. 6Education and Training

Abilities

  1. 1Oral Comprehension
  2. 2Oral Expression
  3. 3Problem Sensitivity
  4. 4Deductive Reasoning
  5. 5Inductive Reasoning
  6. 6Speech Clarity

Career interests

  1. 1Social
  2. 2Investigative
  3. 3Conventional
  4. 4Artistic
  5. 5Enterprising
  6. 6Realistic

Work styles

  1. 1Empathy
  2. 2Cooperation
  3. 3Sincerity
  4. 4Dependability
  5. 5Stress Tolerance
  6. 6Self-Control

Work activities

  1. 1Assisting and Caring for Others
  2. 2Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  3. 3Getting Information
  4. 4Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  5. 5Documenting/Recording Information
  6. 6Thinking Creatively

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  3. 3Spend Time Sitting
  4. 4Contact With Others
  5. 5Freedom to Make Decisions
  6. 6Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals

Representative 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.
  • 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.

Software and tools

Microsoft Office software · hot technologyOracle PeopleSoft · hot technologyMicrosoft Access · hot technologyMicrosoft Excel · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologyMicrosoft Outlook · hot technologyStatistical softwareScheduling softwarePatient electronic medical record EMR softwareNetscape NavigatorClient information database systems

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

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