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What is a crisis intervention counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Virginia Schwindt
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a crisis intervention counselor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $25.02 an hour? That's $52,041 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 64,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a crisis intervention counselor?

Virginia SchwindtVirginia Schwindt LinkedIn profile

MSW Field Director/Associate Professor, Union University

Take the licensing test as soon as you are able to, and be open to where you work. It is great to want a specific population or employer, but being open to other experiences may be where God wants you to be. Don't limit yourself because, as a social worker, you can do so many different things.
ScoreCrisis Intervention CounselorUS Average
Salary
4.1

Avg. Salary $52,041

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.4

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%

Asian 3.23%

Black or African American 11.28%

Hispanic or Latino 12.21%

Unknown 5.91%

White 67.00%

Gender

female 69.28%

male 30.72%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
8.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Crisis intervention counselor career paths

Key steps to become a crisis intervention counselor

  1. Explore crisis intervention counselor education requirements

    Most common crisis intervention counselor degrees

    Bachelor's

    61.6 %

    Master's

    24.1 %

    Associate

    9.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific crisis intervention counselor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Social Work18.62%
    Behavioral Problems6.91%
    Safety Planning6.45%
    Mental Health Crisis6.44%
    Hotline Calls6.24%
  3. Complete relevant crisis intervention counselor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New crisis intervention counselors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a crisis intervention counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real crisis intervention counselor resumes.
  4. Research crisis intervention counselor duties and responsibilities

    • Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
    • Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
    • Organize and lead regular youth and college bible studies, teaching about prayer and promoting spirituality.
  5. Prepare your crisis intervention counselor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your crisis intervention counselor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a crisis intervention counselor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable crisis intervention counselor resume templates

    Build a professional crisis intervention counselor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your crisis intervention counselor resume.
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
    Crisis Intervention Counselor Resume
  6. Apply for crisis intervention counselor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a crisis intervention counselor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first crisis intervention counselor job

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Average crisis intervention counselor salary

The average crisis intervention counselor salary in the United States is $52,041 per year or $25 per hour. Crisis intervention counselor salaries range between $38,000 and $71,000 per year.

Average crisis intervention counselor salary
$52,041 Yearly
$25.02 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do crisis intervention counselors rate their job?

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Crisis intervention counselor reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Working collaboratively with clients to help them understand themselves and experience their authentic selves. Learning from my clients.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

The (working) clients will always be the best part of this job. There are certain individuals who you can feel want to learn more about their conditions and to adopt healthier thinking patterns or lifestyles.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Serving people, impacting change in communities, never boring

Cons

pay is low for what you need to do


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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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