Community & Social Service
Mental Health Counselors
Also called: Behavior Analyst, Behavioral Health Counselor, Case Manager, Clinician
US median pay
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not published
Job growth 2025–35
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Openings a year (US)
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Typical entry education
Master's degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.
- Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness5.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0/5
- Service Orientation3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Persuasion3.6/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Systems Evaluation3.0/5
- Systems Analysis3.0/5
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling5.0/5
- Psychology5.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.5/5
- English Language4.3/5
- Sociology and Anthropology4.2/5
- Education and Training3.8/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Master's degree89%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.