A Counselor is a position aboard Starfleet vessels and installations, usually held by a senior Starfleet officer with training in psychology.
Duties:[]
The Counselor is always a trained starfleet officer, and is frequently a member of a species which possess a high degree of empathic and/or telepathic abilities, although this is not a requirement for the position.
The Counselor is an expert in "human engineering" and carefully monitors the crew's emotional state and suggests methods for improvement of such to the CO/XO. Counselors are also trained advisors and are frequently called upon by the command staff to use their skills and insights when negotiating with foreign or alien beings. Counselors generally have no staff on smaller starships, which may not have a counselor at all. On larger starships, especially if the ship has a large civilian contingent present, the Counselor may have assistants and work closely with those specializing in psychology and social work. The Counselor also works closely with the Chief Medical Officer when their responsibilities overlap (In such cases, the CMO's decision generally has precedence). On larger starships, the Counselor generally has his own office. The primary responsibilities of the counselor are diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems experienced by personnel. The counselor also advises command personnel.
Diagnosis of psychological problems is accomplished through the use of in-depth counseling sessions. All personnel are required to submit to psychological evaluations as required by Starfleet Regulations, or at the request of the Counselor. Treatment of psychological problems is accomplished through the use of psychological resources, which include different types of therapy and continued psychological counseling. Since counselors are trained in psychological analysis, it is not surprising that they are often involved in command decisions. These decisions usually deal with diplomacy, negotiation, or first contact.