Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Their duties vary greatly depending on their occupational specialty, which is determined by the setting in which they work and the population they serve.
Educational, vocational, and school counselors provide individuals and groups with career and educational counseling. School counselors assist students of all levels, from elementary school to postsecondary education. They advocate for students and work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal, and social development of children and youth. School counselors help students evaluate their abilities, interests, talents, and personalities to develop realistic academic and career goals. Counselors use interviews, counseling sessions, interest and aptitude assessment tests, and other methods to evaluate and advise students. They also operate career information centers and career education programs. Often, counselors work with students who have academic and social development problems or other special needs.
Elementary school counselors observe children during classroom and play activities and confer with their teachers and parents to evaluate the children's strengths, problems, or special needs. In conjunction with teachers and administrators, they make sure that the curriculum addresses both the academic and the developmental needs of students. Elementary school counselors do less vocational and academic counseling than high school counselors.
High school counselors advise students regarding college majors, admission requirements, entrance exams, financial aid, trade or technical schools, and apprenticeship programs. They help students develop job search skills, such as resume writing and interviewing techniques. College career planning and placement counselors assist alumni or students with career development and job-hunting techniques.
School counselors at all levels help students to understand and deal with social, behavioral, and personal problems. These counselors emphasize preventive and developmental counseling to provide students with the life skills needed to deal with problems before they worsen and to enhance students' personal, social, and academic growth. Counselors provide special services, including alcohol and drug prevention programs and conflict resolution classes. They also try to identify cases of domestic abuse and other family problems that can affect a student's development.
Counselors interact with students individually, in small groups, or as an entire class. They consult and collaborate with parents, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers to develop and implement strategies to help students succeed.
Vocational counselors, also called employment or career counselors, provide mainly career counseling outside the school setting. Their chief focus is helping individuals with career decisions. Vocational counselors explore and evaluate the client's education, training, work history, interests, skills, and personality traits. They may arrange for aptitude and achievement tests to help the client make career decisions. They also work with individuals to develop their job-search skills and assist clients in locating and applying for jobs. In addition, career counselors provide support to people experiencing job loss, job stress, or other career transition issues.
Rehabilitation counselors help people deal with the personal, social, and vocational effects of disabilities. They counsel people with disabilities resulting from birth defects, illness or disease, accidents, or other causes. They evaluate the strengths and limitations of individuals, provide personal and vocational counseling, and arrange for medical care, vocational training, and job placement. Rehabilitation counselors interview both individuals with disabilities and their families, evaluate school and medical reports, and confer with physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and employers to determine the capabilities and skills of the individual. They develop rehabilitation programs by conferring with clients; these programs often include training to help clients develop job skills. Rehabilitation counselors also work toward increasing the client's capacity to live independently.
Mental health counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health. They are trained in a variety of therapeutic techniques used to address issues, including depression, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress, problems with self-esteem, and grief. They also help with job and career concerns, educational decisions, issues related to mental and emotional health, and family, parenting, marital, or other relationship problems. Mental health counselors often work closely with other mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and school counselors.
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors help people who have problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and eating disorders. They counsel individuals who are addicted to drugs, helping them to identify behaviors and problems related to their addiction. Counseling can be done on an individual basis, but is frequently done in a group setting. These counselors will often also work with family members who are affected by the addictions of their loved ones. Counselors also conduct programs aimed at preventing addictions.
Marriage and family therapists apply family systems theory, principals and techniques to individuals, families, and couples to resolve emotional conflicts. In doing so, they modify people's perceptions and behaviors, enhance communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent family and individual crises. Marriage and family therapists also may engage in psychotherapy of a non-medical nature, make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources, perform research, and teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships.
Other counseling specialties include gerontological, multicultural, and genetic counseling. A gerontological counselor provides services to elderly people and their families as they face changing lifestyles. Genetic counselors provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. These counselors identify families at risk, interpret information about the disorder, analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and review available options with the family.
Work environment. Work environment can vary greatly depending on occupational specialty. School counselors work predominantly in schools, where they usually have an office but also may work in classrooms. Other counselors may work in a private practice, community health organization, or hospital. Many counselors work in an office where they see clients throughout the day. Because privacy is essential for confidential and frank discussions with clients, counselors usually have private offices.
The work schedules of counselors depend on occupational specialty and work setting. Some school counselors work the traditional 9- to 10-month school year with a 2- to 3-month vacation, but increasing numbers, are employed on 11-month or full-year contracts, particularly those working in middle and high schools. They usually work the same hours as teachers, but they may travel more frequently to attend conferences and conventions. College career planning and placement counselors work long and irregular hours during student recruiting periods.
Rehabilitation counselors usually work a standard 40-hour week. Self-employed counselors and those working in mental health and community agencies, such as substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, frequently work evenings to counsel clients who work during the day. Both mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists also often work flexible hours to accommodate families in crisis or working couples who must have evening or weekend appointments.
| 1. | Counsel students regarding educational issues such as course and program selection, class scheduling, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning. |
| 2. | Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations. |
| 3. | Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations. |
| 4. | Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, other counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral, academic, and other problems. |
| 5. | Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools. |
| 6. | Identify cases involving domestic abuse or other family problems affecting students' development. |
| 7. | Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress, and to determine their priorities for their children and their resource needs. |
| 8. | Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks. |
| 9. | Encourage students and/or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals when necessary. |
| 10. | Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. |
| 11. | Enforce all administration policies and rules governing students. |
| 12. | Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress. |
| 13. | Provide students with information on such topics as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs. |
| 14. | Evaluate individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics using tests, records, interviews, and professional sources. |
| 15. | Collaborate with teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs. |
| 16. | Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning. |
| 17. | Establish and enforce behavioral rules and procedures to maintain order among students. |
| 18. | Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met. |
| 19. | Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops, in order to maintain and improve professional competence. |
| 20. | Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration. |
| 21. | Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences such as starting college. |
| 22. | Assess needs for assistance such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services. |
| 23. | Instruct individuals in career development techniques such as job search and application strategies, resume writing, and interview skills. |
| 24. | Address community groups, faculty, and staff members to explain available counseling services. |
| 25. | Attend staff meetings, and serve on committees as required. |
| 26. | Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to assist counselees in determining and carrying out vocational and educational objectives. |
| 27. | Provide information for teachers and staff members involved in helping students or graduates identify and pursue employment opportunities. |
| 28. | Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation. |
| 29. | Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments. |
| 30. | Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs, and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence. |
| 31. | Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms. |
| 32. | Observe children during classroom and play activities to gain additional information about them. |
| 33. | Interview clients to obtain information about employment history, educational background, and career goals, and to identify barriers to employment. |
| 34. | Establish and supervise peer counseling and peer tutoring programs. |
| 35. | Plan and promote career and employment-related programs such as work-experience programs. |
| 36. | Refer qualified counselees to employers or employment services for job placement. |
| 37. | Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests. |
| 38. | Perform administrative duties such as hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading. |
| 39. | Provide information to businesses regarding human resource and employment issues. |
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