Counselors are required to provide a variety of rehabilitation, counseling and support services. They work with adults, adolescents, children, or complete families in order to help on issues related to addictions, employment needs, disability, mental health disorders, trauma, school problems, among other issues. These professionals must recognize specific problems and provide appropriate support and counseling to their customers. They may specialize as mental health counselors, vocational counselors, elementary school counselors, among other duties.

Counselors usually perform many of the following tasks:
• Helping people with mental disorders.
• Dealing with patients from different backgrounds.
• Recognizing issues.
• Creating reports about patients.
• Correcting children behaviors.

• Being able to assist in teaching activities.
• Having effective communication skills.
• Being able to work alone or with a team.
• Having a strong desire to help others.
• Being able to handle high levels of stress.
• Having strong ethical code.
• Being able to inspire others.
• Having interpersonal skills.
• Being able to work with patients from different backgrounds.
• Having active listening skills.

Persons who want to be Counselors are required to have a master´s degree and a certification from the National Board for Certified Counselors. Programs related to this area are found in universities and colleges in departments of human services, psychology, or education. Courses in this sector usually include social and cultural diversity, group work, relationships, human growth and development, counseling techniques, research and program evaluation, career development, among other related subjects.

Some States require counselors to hold a State School Counseling Certification and complete some graduate coursework, such as master´s degrees. Other areas require that school counselors are licensed by completing education credits.