Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Also known as: Applied Behavior Science Specialist (ABSS), Assessment Coordinator, Behavior Analyst (+51 more)
Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
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What You'll Do
- Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
- Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
- 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.
- Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, or needs.
- Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
- Use a variety of treatment methods, such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, behavior modification, stress reduction therapy, psychodrama, or play therapy.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Consult with or provide consultation to other doctors, therapists, or clinicians regarding patient care.
- Obtain and study medical, psychological, social, and family histories by interviewing individuals, couples, or families and by reviewing records.
Essential Skills
Career Fit Overview
Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.
Top passions
- Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.
- Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
- Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
Common styles
Empathy, Sincerity, Integrity, Attention to Detail, Cooperation
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Key Abilities
This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:
Technologies & Tools
Work Environment & Strengths
Common Strengths for This Career
- Empathy (High importance: 5.0/5)
- Sincerity (High importance: 4.93/5)
- Integrity (High importance: 4.79/5)
- Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.73/5)
- Cooperation (High importance: 4.7/5)
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This career requires extensive preparation, typically including a graduate degree (Master's or Doctoral) and several years of experience. Most professionals in this field have invested significant time in education and training.
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Also Known As
This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:
Career Fit FAQs
Is this career a good fit for me
This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.
Can this help if I want to stay in my field
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What should I compare first
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