Occupation
Mental health counsellor
Mental health counsellors deliver talking therapy to individuals and groups, working within a recognised modality and a formal ethical framework. The role involves assessment, treatment planning, session work, and careful clinical notes, plus knowing when a client needs a psychiatrist, physician, or crisis service instead. Sitting with distress week after week is the substance of the job.
Also known as: Psychotherapist · Clinical counsellor · Registered counsellor · Talking therapies practitioner
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Occupation content
Part of Community, social and public services
A visual day in the work
What the work involves
Assess presenting problems, history, and risk at the start of an episode of care
Agree goals and a treatment approach with the client and review it as therapy proceeds
Deliver individual, couple, or group sessions using an established therapeutic model
Write clinical notes and maintain confidentiality and consent records
Assess suicide and safeguarding risk and refer to crisis or medical services when indicated
Attend clinical supervision and continuing professional development
Entry-route stepper
How people commonly enter
A master's or other graduate qualification in counselling, counselling psychology, or clinical social work
Accredited training with a recognised professional counselling or psychotherapy body, including supervised client hours
Registration or licensure with the counselling or psychotherapy regulator where the title is protected
Moving from a related role such as social work, nursing, or support work into therapy training
Typical training: Postgraduate or professional degree
Licensing: Regulated in most jurisdictions. Confirm the current requirement with the regulator in your province, state, or country.
Work-context map
Typical work context
- Quiet focus
- Public facing
- High responsibility
- Remote capable
- Predictable routine
Quiet focus · Public facing · High responsibility · Remote capable · Predictable routine
Related interests
- Social (helping)
- Investigative (analytical)
Social (helping) · Investigative (analytical)
Related aptitude preparation
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Skills to practise
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Community, social and public services in Canada, not a figure for Mental health counsellor. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
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Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
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Some roles in Community, social and public services may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Community, social and public services: licensing
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