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Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
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.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
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.
Demand
Core Tasks
Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment 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.
Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, or needs.
Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
Use a variety of treatment methods, such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, behavior modification, stress reduction therapy, psychodrama, or play therapy.
Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
Consult with or provide consultation to other doctors, therapists, or clinicians regarding patient care.
Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or treatments and the accuracy and completeness of diagnoses, modifying plans or diagnoses as necessary.
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.
Advise clients on how they could be helped by counseling.
Develop and implement individual treatment plans, specifying type, frequency, intensity, and duration of therapy.
Consult with other professionals, agencies, or universities to discuss therapies, treatments, counseling resources or techniques, and to share occupational information.
Refer clients to other specialists, institutions, or support services as necessary.
Maintain current knowledge of relevant research.
Consult reference material, such as textbooks, manuals, or journals, to identify symptoms, make diagnoses, or develop approaches to treatment.
Observe individuals at play, in group interactions, or in other contexts to detect indications of mental deficiency, abnormal behavior, or maladjustment.
Plan and develop accredited psychological service programs in psychiatric centers or hospitals, in collaboration with psychiatrists and other professional staff.
Direct, coordinate, and evaluate activities of staff and interns engaged in patient assessment and treatment.
Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach programs, or prevention talks to schools, social service agencies, businesses, or the general public.
Develop, direct, and participate in training programs for staff and students.
Provide occupational, educational, or other information to individuals so that they can make educational or vocational plans.
Provide psychological or administrative services and advice to private firms or community agencies regarding mental health programs or individual cases.
Conduct research to develop or improve diagnostic or therapeutic counseling techniques.
Plan, supervise, and conduct psychological research and write papers describing research results.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Psychology
100%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Therapy and Counseling
100%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
English Language
84%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service
83%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sociology and Anthropology
70%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Education and Training
61%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Law and Government
59%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Philosophy and Theology
58%
Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Medicine and Dentistry
55%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Clerical
54%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Social Perceptiveness
95%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening
93%
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
89%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
83%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation
82%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Learning
80%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
80%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
79%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Reading Comprehension
79%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Judgment and Decision Making
78%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
90%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
88%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
87%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Comprehension
84%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Clarity
82%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Expression
82%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Fluency of Ideas
70%
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
96%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
95%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
91%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Documenting/Recording Information
89%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
87%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
87%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
87%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Coaching and Developing Others
86%
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
86%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Training and Teaching Others
79%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Detailed Work Activities
Collect information from people through observation, interviews, or surveys.
Counsel clients on mental health or personal achievement.
Record research or operational data.
Diagnose neural or psychological disorders.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Advise others on healthcare matters.
Collect archival data.
Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or educational programs.
Modify treatment plans to accommodate client needs.
Administer standardized physical or psychological tests.
Design psychological or educational treatment procedures or programs.
Direct medical science or healthcare programs.
Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
Review professional literature to maintain professional knowledge.
Advise others on educational matters.
Supervise trainees.
Develop educational programs.
Plan social sciences research.
Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.
Write reports or evaluations.
Train staff members.
Supervise workers providing client or patient services.
Majors
Major
Interests
Investigative
91%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
89%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic
67%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
39%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
29%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
22%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Concern for Others
98%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Integrity
97%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability
95%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control
94%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
93%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Social Orientation
91%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Analytical Thinking
88%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Cooperation
88%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Initiative
88%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence
87%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Work Values
Relationships
98%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
86%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
84%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
83%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
46%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
