---
name: social-counsellor
description: "Occupational skill for the role 'social counsellor' (also: social therapist, crisis counsellor, crisis intervension counsellor, social counselling worker, crisis situation counselor, personal counsellor). Use when the user asks for typical social counsellor work such as: Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.; Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.; Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors."
---

# Social Counsellor

Social counsellors provide support and guidance to individuals in the social work area, to help them solve specific problems in their personal life. It involves addressing personal and relationship issues, dealing with inner conflicts, crisis moments such as depression and addiction, in an attempt to empower individuals to achieve change and improve their life quality.

## Core workflow

1. Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
2. Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
3. Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
4. Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
5. Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
6. Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
7. Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
8. Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.

## How to use this skill

- Read [references/profile.md](references/profile.md) for the occupation profile and scope.
- Consult [references/tasks.md](references/tasks.md) for the full task and activity inventory.
- Check [references/skills.md](references/skills.md) for essential vs. optional competences.
- Check [references/tools.md](references/tools.md) for the software commonly used in this role.
- See [references/ai-skills.md](references/ai-skills.md) — matched external AI agent skills (per-source attribution).

## Key competences (essential)

- accept own accountability
- apply quality standards in social services
- apply socially just working principles
- assess social service users' situation
- behavioural therapy
- build helping relationship with social service users
- client-centred counselling
- clinical social work
- cognitive behavioural therapy
- communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields
- communicate with social service users
- cooperate at inter-professional level
- counselling methods
- deliver social services in diverse cultural communities
- demonstrate leadership in social service cases

## Hot technologies

- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Excel
- Zoom
- Microsoft Word

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*Sources: ESCO v1.2.1 (http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/5727b567-993d-4d41-a13d-81a6af1a9a8e), O*NET 30.3 (21-1013.00). See manifest.json for licensing/attribution.*