According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| 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. | 98% |
| Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others. | 97% |
| Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans. | 96% |
| Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork. | 95% |
| Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods. | 93% |
| Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans. | 92% |
| Develop and implement individual treatment plans, specifying type, frequency, intensity, and duration of therapy. | 90% |
| Use a variety of treatment methods, such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, behavior modification, stress reduction therapy, psychodrama, or play therapy. | 90% |
| Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, or needs. | 89% |
| Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials. | 88% |
| Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or treatments and the accuracy and completeness of diagnoses, modifying plans or diagnoses as necessary. | 85% |
| Consult with or provide consultation to other doctors, therapists, or clinicians regarding patient care. | 85% |
| Obtain and study medical, psychological, social, and family histories by interviewing individuals, couples, or families and by reviewing records. | 83% |
| Direct, coordinate, and evaluate activities of staff and interns engaged in patient assessment and treatment. | 82% |
| Advise clients on how they could be helped by counseling. | 81% |
| Maintain current knowledge of relevant research. | 80% |
| Consult reference material, such as textbooks, manuals, or journals, to identify symptoms, make diagnoses, or develop approaches to treatment. | 80% |
| Refer clients to other specialists, institutions, or support services as necessary. | 79% |
| Prepare written evaluations of individuals' psychological competence for court hearings. | 78% |
| Supervise and train interns, clinicians in training, and other counselors. | 77% |
| Develop, direct, and participate in training programs for staff and students. | 76% |
| Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach programs, or prevention talks to schools, social service agencies, businesses, or the general public. | 75% |
| Observe individuals at play, in group interactions, or in other contexts to detect indications of mental deficiency, abnormal behavior, or maladjustment. | 73% |
| Consult with other professionals, agencies, or universities to discuss therapies, treatments, counseling resources or techniques, and to share occupational information. | 73% |
| Select, administer, score, and interpret psychological tests to obtain information on individuals' intelligence, achievements, interests, or personalities. | 72% |
| Plan and develop accredited psychological service programs in psychiatric centers or hospitals, in collaboration with psychiatrists and other professional staff. | 65% |
| Provide occupational, educational, or other information to individuals so that they can make educational or vocational plans. | 64% |
| Provide psychological or administrative services and advice to private firms or community agencies regarding mental health programs or individual cases. | 62% |
| Plan, supervise, and conduct psychological research and write papers describing research results. | 52% |
| Conduct research to develop or improve diagnostic or therapeutic counseling techniques. | 50% |
