Description
Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.
Interests
- Social
- Investigative
Work Values
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
Work Styles
- Concern for Others
- Integrity
- Self-Control
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Stress Tolerance
Tasks
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Detailed Work Activities
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
- Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Technology Skills
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Medical software
- Internet browser software
- Document management software
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Cognitive Behavioral TherapistCertifying Organization
National Association of Forensic Counselors
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
National Certified CounselorCertifying Organization
National Board for Certified Counselors
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Advanced Generalist Social Work Licensing ExaminationCertifying Organization
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Certified Advanced Social Work Case ManagerCertifying Organization
National Association of Social Workers
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level IICertifying Organization
NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
Type
Advanced
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $40,773 |
| Median (50%) | $56,388 |
| High (90%) | $80,795 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $57,006 |
| Mid Level | $63,512 |
| Senior Level | $67,862 |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 123,700 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 138,100 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 12%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 12%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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