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Counseling psychologist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

1 min read

Quoted experts

Brenda Ingram-Wallace Ph.D.,

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical counseling psychologist skills. We ranked the top skills for counseling psychologists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 27.2% of counseling psychologist resumes contained mental health as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a counseling psychologist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 counseling psychologist skills for your resume and career

1. Mental Health

Mental health is the state of wellbeing in which an individual can cope with the regular stresses and tensions of life, and can work productively without having any emotional or psychological breakdown. Mental health is essential for a person of any age and helps them make the right decisions in their life.

Here's how counseling psychologists use mental health:

Initiated and served as trainer/consultant in development of mental health service at Central Piedmont Community College.
Consulted with university faculty and administrators on a variety of mental health concerns.

2. Crisis Intervention

Here's how counseling psychologists use crisis intervention:

Provided crisis intervention services to university students as needed.
Conducted crisis intervention, screening and referral interviews.

3. Behavioral Health

Here's how counseling psychologists use behavioral health:

Coordinate substance abuse staff training with Behavioral health team.

5. Psychological Services

Physiological services refer to professional services such as assessment, intervention, and consultation offered by qualified professionals in planning and managing a program that aims to determine the mental state.

Here's how counseling psychologists use psychological services:

Provide authoritative advice and guidance to management concerning proposed psychological services such as an employee assistance program or other similar programs.
Offered a full range of psychological services including: outpatient psychotherapy, psychological assessment, inpatient consultation-liaison, and emergency psychology.

6. Rehabilitation

Here's how counseling psychologists use rehabilitation:

Evaluated and implemented proposed restructuring of rehabilitation administration offices in Puerto Rico; handled a similar project for the Justice Department.
Collaborate with community treatment centers, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs to involve clients in transitional work & special education programs.

7. Individual Therapy

Here's how counseling psychologists use individual therapy:

Provided group and individual therapy for young children and teenagers with behavioral/psychological disorders.
Facilitate groups, family therapy and individual therapy.

8. Clinical Supervision

Clinical supervision refers to how practicing nurses get professional and moral support from their experienced colleagues. The practice aims to promote their ability to make a concrete decision that values the patient's well-being.

Here's how counseling psychologists use clinical supervision:

Provided clinical supervision for Assistant Psychologists in the Department.
Provided clinical supervision to psychological residents/interns.

9. Clinical Services

Here's how counseling psychologists use clinical services:

Provide clinical services and consultation to courts and other legal and social service agencies.
Provide forensic clinical services ordered by the court, including custody evaluations with comprehensive psychological reports, and parent coordination.

10. Patients

Here's how counseling psychologists use patients:

Conducted Psychotherapy sessions and Relaxation Therapy sessions to hyperactive children and patients with neurotic or psychotic disorders.
Provided emergency on-call consultations and evaluations to Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Room patients.

11. Eating Disorders

Here's how counseling psychologists use eating disorders:

Specialized in treating adolescent girls and women diagnosed with eating disorders.
Staff psychologist for intensive outpatient eating disorders program.

12. Consultation Services

Here's how counseling psychologists use consultation services:

Provide counseling and consultation services to alcohol and other drug abusing eligible military.
Provided referrals, counseling/therapy, outreach and consultation services to the University.

13. Psychological Assessments

Here's how counseling psychologists use psychological assessments:

Administer psychological assessments for local community courts, driving impaired programs, schools and physicians.
Conducted psychological assessment and individual psychotherapy.

14. Anxiety Disorders

Here's how counseling psychologists use anxiety disorders:

Specialized in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and co-facilitated a Postpartum Adjustment group, on a rotating basis.
Created well-regarded practice by effectively treating eating, mood and anxiety disorders.

15. Asap

Here's how counseling psychologists use asap:

Coordinate integration of ASAP with other committees such as sexual assault response committee and suicide risk management.
Provide an assessment to the CD ASAP and commander on soldier progress/treatment.

What skills help Counseling Psychologists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on counseling psychologist resumes?

Brenda Ingram-Wallace Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology; Director of Counseling Services, Albright College

Internships and practicums, where you can work with clients and incorporate some technology aspects, will help recent graduates stand out from their peers. Possessing familiarity with therapeutic computer applications and their utility for various mental health concerns will be a plus.

What hard/technical skills are most important for counseling psychologists?

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Professor of Psychology, California Lutheran University

Advanced statistics and experience with current software for data analysis.

What soft skills should all counseling psychologists possess?

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Professor of Psychology, California Lutheran University

Communication, interpersonal skills! This is huge.

What counseling psychologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Kevin Bennett Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University - Beaver

I have three pieces of advice for recent graduates.
Gain Practical Experience and Network. Seek internships, volunteer opportunities, or entry-
level positions in your field of interest. Practical experience is invaluable and can set you apart
from other candidates. Attend conferences, workshops, and networking events in the field of
psychology. Connect with professionals, professors, and fellow graduates. Networking can open
doors to job opportunities and mentorship.
Develop Specialized Skills and Explore Diverse Career Paths. Identify and develop specific
skills that align with your chosen career path. This might include proficiency in research
methods, statistical analysis, counseling techniques, or the use of specific assessment tools.
Psychology offers a broad range of career options. Explore different paths, such as clinical
psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, counseling, research, or academia, to find the
best fit for your interests and skills.
Take Care of Your Well-being. Working in psychology-related fields can be emotionally
demanding. Prioritize self-care and seek supervision or support when needed. Balancing your
personal and professional life is crucial for long-term success. Remember, your career is a
journey, and each experience contributes to your growth and development. Stay curious, be
proactive, and embrace the learning opportunities that come your way.

What type of skills will young counseling psychologists need?

Elizabeth Williams Ph.D.

Faculty Senate President and Professor of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland

In my view, college graduates need excellent critical and creative thinking skills (e.g., skills that incorporate problem-solving with information literacy) and excellent communication skills (both written and oral). Most job-specific skills can be learned or further developed on the job, but I sense that employers value employees who can think on their feet and communicate clearly.

What technical skills for a counseling psychologist stand out to employers?

Dr. Cecy Brooks

Visiting Assistant Professor, Mississippi University for Women

Due to the pandemic, many graduates had to finish their classes online, meaning that for most, that required more independent learning and virtual team work. Employers will definitely look at how well you function in a virtual environment, especially whether you can conduct and host virtual meetings. Being aware of how multiple systems such as Microsoft Teams, Skype, Go-to-Meeting, and Zoom work can help distinguish a potential candidate. Written skills are also important as email communication may be the primary way to communicate with those within and outside of the organization. Understanding how to write in a clear and concise manner can help boost your resume to the top. Additionally, in some work settings, in-person meetings may not be possible, so you may be writing more messages when you are unable to "see" or call someone on the phone.

Do you want to know more?

List of counseling psychologist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a counseling psychologist resume and required skills for a counseling psychologist to have include:

Mental Health
Crisis Intervention
Behavioral Health
Social Work
Psychological Services
Rehabilitation
Individual Therapy
Clinical Supervision
Clinical Services

Patients
Eating Disorders
Consultation Services
Psychological Assessments
Anxiety Disorders
Asap
Private Practice
Substance Abuse Issues
Substance Abuse

Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Psychological Tests
Family Therapy Sessions
Crisis Calls
Technical Oversight
ADHD
Behavioral Problems

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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