According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner. | 95% |
| Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors. | 94% |
| Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues. | 92% |
| Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations. | 92% |
| Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties. | 90% |
| Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation. | 90% |
| Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities. | 81% |
| Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services. | 79% |
| Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid. | 79% |
| Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs. | 70% |
| Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants. | 68% |
| Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues. | 67% |
| Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods. | 67% |
| Gather information from doctors, schools, social workers, juvenile counselors, law enforcement personnel, and others to make recommendations to courts for resolution of child custody or visitation disputes. | 65% |
| Write evaluations of parents and children for use by courts deciding divorce and custody cases, testifying in court if necessary. | 63% |
| Provide family counseling and treatment services to inmates participating in substance abuse programs. | 58% |
