Mental Health Counselors

Career summary

Mental health counselors treat a wide range of conditions. This includes:

• Behavioral issues
• Depression
• Emotional problems after divorce
• Substance abuse

People with mental health problems often suffer emotionally, physically, and economically. Mental health counselors help these people identify their problems and find ways to lead normal, healthy lives.

Mental health counselors help their clients and patients develop skills and strategies for dealing with their problems. They work with individuals and groups. They may help families learn how to deal with the emotional and social effects of mental illnesses. Counselors teach family members how to provide support for the patient and for themselves.

Mental health counselors review records and interview clients. They may speak with doctors, family members, police, and other counselors to determine the client's condition and situation. They may also observe the client.

Counselors and patients develop a therapy plan for recovery together.

Counselors may refer patients to support services such as medical evaluation and treatment, social services, and employment services. They often refer family members to community programs and support groups. They follow the patient's progress and may revise the therapy plan as needed. If the patient is on medication they monitor how the medication is working.

Counselors regularly document patient progress and treatment. They prepare and maintain written records and case files, making sure everything is confidential.

Mental health counselors speak to groups concerned with mental health issues. They may prepare documents for presentation in court and accompany clients to legal proceedings. They often help clients and patients during times of crisis.

Related careers

This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Addictions Counselors
• Clergy
• Genetic Counselors
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• School Counselors
• School Psychologists
• Social Workers

Military careers

• Caseworkers and Counselors

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to mental health counselors.

• Counsel clients, patients, and family members, individually and in group sessions. Assist them in overcoming problems, dependencies, and illnesses.
• Develop client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories.
• Interview clients, review records, and talk with medical personnel to evaluate individual's mental and physical condition.
• Determine client's treatment needs and which program is best.
• Review and evaluate client's progress and make changes to treatment as needed.
• Monitor the use of medications by clients and patients. Make changes to treatments when necessary.
• Coordinate counseling efforts with other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and social workers.
• Make accurate records and reports about the client's history and progress. Maintain confidentiality of all records.
• Provide information about mental health programs to clients and their families.
• Coordinate post-treatment activities, including follow-up care, court dates, community service, and probation requirements.
• May act as advocate for clients and patients during crisis situations.
• Attend training sessions in order to increase knowledge and skills.
• May supervise other counselors, staff, and assistants.

Common work activities

Mental health counselors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Assist and care for others
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Document and record information
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Perform for or work with the public
• Get information needed to do the job
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Think creatively
• Develop goals and strategies
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Analyze data or information
• Evaluate information against standards
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Perform administrative tasks
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Process information
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Use computers
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Coach others
• Schedule work and activities
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Teach others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, mental health counselors:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high degree of social interaction. They work with patients, families, and other social workers.
• Communicate by telephone, e-mail, letters, memos, and in person on a daily basis.
• Are regularly placed in conflict situations with patients or their family members.
• Often deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous people.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of patients.
• Usually work as part of a treatment team.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work performed by other counselors.

Physical work conditions

• Usually work indoors, but may go outside when visiting patients.
• Work near others, usually within a few feet.

Work performance

• Must be very exact in their work. Errors or omissions could endanger the health and safety of clients or others.
• Make decisions on a daily basis that strongly impact clients. They can make most decisions without talking to a supervisor.
• Are usually able to set their tasks and goals for the day without consulting with a supervisor.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a monthly basis.
• Repeat the same mental activities.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• Usually work 40 hours a week.

Physical demands

Mental health counselors frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for mental health counselors to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for mental health counselors to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.

Skills and abilities

Mental health counselors need to:

Communicate

• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Understand written information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.

Use math and science

• Use scientific methods to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Teach others how to do something.

Work with things

• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Addiction Counseling
• Mental Health Counseling

Other programs of study to consider

• Behavioral Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Hypnotherapy and Alternative Treatments
• Marriage and Family Counseling
• Pastoral Studies and Counseling
• School Counseling
• Social Work

Training

To work as a mental health counselor, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• complete a bachelor's degree or significant course work in psychology, sociology, or social work;
• complete a master's degree in mental health counseling or social work;
• complete an internship; and
• have a license.

Education after high school

You must have a master's degree in mental health counseling or social work to work in this field. Several colleges and universities offer graduate programs in these fields. For your bachelor's degree, you should take courses in social work, psychology, sociology, and statistics. Majoring in one of these fields, especially psychology, is a good idea.

In mental health counseling and some social work programs, you take courses in therapy techniques, human psychological development, social research methods, and statistics. You also learn how to counsel individuals and groups and how to identify specific mental disorders. Master's degree programs take two years to complete. These programs typically require a period of supervised experience, such as an internship.

Work experience

Part-time or volunteer work at a social service agency is good background for this occupation.

On-the-job training

Employers often provide training to new mental health counselors. You often work with an experienced counselor for a period of time before receiving your own caseload. You learn agency procedures, forms, and patient management. Training may last up to six months.

Military training

The military trains people to work as caseworkers and counselors. This training lasts from eight to ten weeks. Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anthropology
• Child Development
• Ethnic and Gender Studies
• Parenting
• Psychology
• Sociology

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Internships and volunteer work are good ways to get experience. Some employers hire graduates who completed internships in their agency. Employers also look for people who are dedicated and have excellent communication skills.

Tips

People interested in becoming mental health counselors can get related experience in many ways. Volunteering at agencies to work with all types of people, working as camp counselors, attending human relations workshops, and developing listening and other communication skills all provide valuable experience. Innovative people are creating their own jobs by expanding counseling to new areas such as, dealing with death and dying in hospitals, or working in industry and crisis centers. Because this can be a stressful occupation, counselor applicants should be stable in their personal life. It is recommended that counselors find a mentor or professional supervisor to whom they can turn to at all times.

Costs to workers

Some workers join professional associations, which may have annual dues.

#modified and combined state and national narrative 2/8/16 lh

Licensing/certification

Mental health counselors must be licensed by the State of Washington.

Counselors begin as associates and must have a master's degree or doctorate in mental health counseling or behavioral science, or equivalent from an approved school.

For full counselor licensing they must meet the following requirements:

• a minimum of 36 months of full-time counseling or 3,000 hours of postgraduate mental health counseling as a registered associate mental health counselor under the supervision of a qualified licensed mental health counselor in an approved setting;
• passing a written examination;
• answering personal data questions;
• completion of four clock hours of HIV/AIDS education; and
• 36-clock hours of continuing education biennially.

Contact the National Board for Certified Counselors for exam information.

For more information on requirements and fees, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
Health Systems Quality Assurance
Mental Health Program 
360.236.4700

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Mental Health Counselors 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The counselor's level of experience also affects wages.

Counselors who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Some employers also provide a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Individual and family services groups
• Outpatient care centers
• Hospitals
• State and local government agencies
• Residential patient care facilities

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will grow significantly. New health care regulations require coverage for mental health counseling. Employment of mental health counselors will grow as the public becomes more comfortable seeking professional help for personal and family problems.

Job opportunities are excellent, especially in rural and other underserved areas.

Other resources

American Counseling Association 
6101 Stevenson Avenue, Suite 600
Alexandria, VA 22304
800.347.6647
703.823.0252

American Mental Health Counselors Association 
107 S. West St.
Suite 779
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.326.2642
703.548.6002

How Can I Become a Certified Peer Counselor?  

International Association of Peer Supporters 
PO Box 775
Norton, MA 02766

Peer Support Counselor information from the State of Washington 

Washington Mental Health Counselors Association 
11410 NE 124th St. #658
Kirkland, WA 98034
508.779.6422

References

Career cluster

• Human Services

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Mental Health Counselors (21-1014.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupation

• Counselor, Marriage and Family (045.107-054) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Investigative/Artistic

COPSystem

• Service Professional