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Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies

OaSIS code 41301.00

Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies assist individuals and groups of clients to identify, understand and overcome personal problems and achieve personal objectives. They can be specialized to work on specific problems and they may practice psychotherapy.

Overview

Also known as

  • Addictions counsellor
  • Art therapist
  • Bereavement counsellor
  • Child and youth counsellor
  • Drama therapist
  • Family counsellor
  • Marriage counsellor
  • Movement therapist
  • Music therapist
  • Psychotherapist
  • Registered clinical counsellor
  • Registered dance therapist
  • Registered marriage and family therapist
  • Sexologist

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Interview clients, prepare case histories and assess problems
  • Develop and implement counselling and intervention programs to assist clients in determining goals and means of attaining them
  • Counsel clients, provide therapy and mediation services, and facilitate group sessions
  • Liaise with community agencies or partners, and identify additional or alternative services and provide referrals
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of counselling programs and interventions, and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and movement toward defined objectives
  • Follow up on results of counselling programs and clients' adjustments
  • Prepare assessment, progress, follow-up and court reports
  • May supervise other counsellors, social service staff and assistants
  • May provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counselling services, issues and methods
  • May provide witness testimony in court proceedings
  • May conduct research, publish research papers, educational texts and articles and deliver presentations at conferences
  • May collaborate with employee assistance programs or with government organizations in health and safety or with victims of crime
  • May participate in fundraising activities.

Additional information

  • Counselling therapists usually become specialized in a particular area through continual training and experience.
  • Progression to social service management positions is possible with additional training and experience.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment (31204)
  • Managers in social, community and correctional services (40030)
  • Educational counsellors (41320)
  • Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) (41321)
  • Social workers (41300)
  • Social and community service workers (42201)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

4 – Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

41 – Professional occupations in law, education, social, community and government services

Sub-major group

413 – Professional occupations in social and community services

Minor group

4130 – Social and community service professionals

Unit group

41301 – Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies

Occupational profile

41301.00 – Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Assisting and Caring for Others
5 - Highest Level
Coaching and Developing Others
5 - Highest Level
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
5 - Highest Level
Analyzing Data or Information
4 - High Level
Clerical Activities
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
3 - Moderate amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Standing
Duration
1 - Very little time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
5 - Every day, almost continuously
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
4 - Highly important
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day

Workplaces/employers

  • Counselling centres
  • Family therapy centres
  • Government agencies
  • Group homes
  • Health care and rehabilitation clinics
  • Hospitals
  • Radio stations
  • Social service agencies

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Speech Recognition
5 - Highest Level
Deductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Fluency of Ideas
4 - High Level
Inductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Problem Identification
4 - High Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Oral Communication: Active Listening
5 - Highest Level
Persuading
5 - Highest Level
Social Perceptiveness
5 - Highest Level
Critical Thinking
4 - High Level
Decision Making
4 - High Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Collaboration
5 - Extremely important
Concern for Others
5 - Extremely important
Service Orientation
5 - Extremely important
Social Orientation
5 - Extremely important
Stress Tolerance
5 - Extremely important