skillfactor-pipeline/skills/marriage-counsellor/references/tasks.md

Tasks & work activities — marriage counsellor

Source: O*NET 30.3, occupation 21-1013.00 (Marriage and Family Therapists).

Task statements

• [Core] Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
• [Core] Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
• [Core] Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
• [Core] Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
• [Core] Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
• [Core] Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
• [Core] Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
• [Core] Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
• [Core] Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
• [Core] Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
• [Core] Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods.
• [Supplemental] Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.
• [Supplemental] 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.
• [Supplemental] Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants.
• [Supplemental] Write evaluations of parents and children for use by courts deciding divorce and custody cases, testifying in court if necessary.

Detailed work activities

• Advise others on social or educational issues.
• Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
• Collect information about clients.
• Confer with clients to discuss treatment plans or progress.
• Counsel clients or patients regarding personal issues.
• Counsel clients regarding interpersonal issues.
• Develop treatment plans for patients or clients.
• Evaluate characteristics of individuals to determine needs or eligibility.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or educational programs.
• Help clients get needed services or resources.
• Interview clients to gather information about their backgrounds, needs, or progress.
• Lead classes or community events.
• Maintain client records.
• Monitor clients to evaluate treatment progress.
• Present social services program information to the public.
• Refer clients to community or social service programs.
• Supervise workers providing client or patient services.
• Teach life skills or strategies to clients or their families.
• Write reports or evaluations.