O*NET-SOC 21-1011.00 · US REFERENCE
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. May counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.
Skill importance below is an O*NET US occupational rating, not a global or individual benchmark. No score here is a job-loss probability or a prediction.
Examples of work in this occupation
- Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
- Attend training sessions to increase knowledge and skills.
O*NET task statements describe US work; do not perform regulated or hazardous tasks without appropriate training and authorization.
Skills to examine first
Active Listening
US occupation importance: 4.25/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Ask a peer to explain a fictional work problem; paraphrase it and check what you missed.
Speaking
US occupation importance: 4.12/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Explain a safe example of your work in two minutes, then ask which point was unclear.
Reading Comprehension
US occupation importance: 4.00/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Summarise a public, role-relevant document in five points; verify each point against the source.
Writing
US occupation importance: 4.00/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Draft a one-page explanation of a fictional decision for a non-specialist; ask for clarity feedback.
Monitoring
US occupation importance: 4.00/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Define three observable quality checks for a fictional workflow and review the outcome.
Critical Thinking
US occupation importance: 3.88/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Compare two approaches to a fictional task and document one counterargument for each.
These prompts are RolePaths practice suggestions, not O*NET instructions, training or certification.
Related work to compare
O*NET marks these occupations as related. That is a comparison starting point, not a guaranteed career transition. Check local licensing and entry requirements.
Your next seven days
- Choose one skill above and a fictional or non-confidential work example.
- Practise for 20 minutes on three days; keep one small output.
- Ask a qualified peer for feedback against clear criteria.
- Reassess the same career and record what changed.
Source and limits
Occupation definition, task examples, skill importance and related-occupation links come from the US O*NET 31.0 Database. RolePaths selected the top six skills by importance and authored the practice prompts. Career fit, local salaries, automation timing and licensing have not been verified.