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Rehabilitation psychologist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

1 min read

Quoted experts

Brenda Ingram-Wallace Ph.D.,

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Rehabilitation psychologist example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical rehabilitation psychologist skills. We ranked the top skills for rehabilitation psychologists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 52.8% of rehabilitation psychologist resumes contained rehabilitation as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a rehabilitation psychologist needs to be successful in the workplace.

8 rehabilitation psychologist skills for your resume and career

1. Rehabilitation

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use rehabilitation:

Work with adult/geriatric patients in a Rehabilitation Hospital.
Serve as the psychologist in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center.

2. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use patient care:

Collaborate with providers from different mental and physical health fields to provide multidisciplinary patient care.
Conducted quality improvement initiatives to ensure contract compliance and provision of quality patient care.

3. Behavior Management

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use behavior management:

Consult with special education teachers regarding behavior management strategies and different ways to manage problematic behaviors in the classroom setting.
Developed and individualized written behavior management or skills enhancement program plans for consumers with various developmentally disabilities.

4. Pain Management

Pain management refers to an interdisciplinary method to decrease the distress of individuals suffering from pain and improve their quality of life. Usually, it consists of three aspects - medications, injections and surgery, and self-care skills.

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use pain management:

Program development included biofeedback for pain management and coordination of community resources for addiction management.
Designed and administered hospital based inpatient and outpatient behavioral medicine and comprehensive integrated pain management programs.

5. Crisis Intervention

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use crisis intervention:

Treated clinical population in juvenile correctional facility, including crisis intervention, assessment, treatment planning and delivery of therapeutic services.
Provided bilingual psycho-diagnostic assessments, crisis intervention and psychotherapy to children, adolescents and families in out-patient community based clinic.

6. 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 rehabilitation psychologists use psychological services:

Provided full range of psychological services for Inpatient Team, Outpatient Team and Work Hardening team.
Offered a full range of psychological services including: outpatient psychotherapy, psychological assessment, inpatient consultation-liaison, and emergency psychology.

7. Psychological Assessments

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use psychological assessments:

Conducted psychological assessment and individual psychotherapy.
Provided psychological assessment and psychological treatment for active duty military personnel who were having trouble adjusting to life in the military.

8. CBT

Here's how rehabilitation psychologists use cbt:

Utilized biofeedback, CBT therapy, behavioral-change exercises, etc.
Developed treatment protocols for Trauma-Based population, including CBT, EMDR and other evidence-based treatments.

What skills help Rehabilitation Psychologists find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on rehabilitation 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 rehabilitation 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 rehabilitation psychologists possess?

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Professor of Psychology, California Lutheran University

Communication, interpersonal skills! This is huge.

What rehabilitation 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 rehabilitation 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 rehabilitation psychologist stand out to employers?

Dr. Tom Holub Ph.D.

Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Edgewood College

This field is very qualitative in nature, but there are significant issues relative to our technologies as well. As Rehabilitation Psychologists and Special Education (RPSE) personnnel, reliance upon systems of data support and communication are critical. Having the ability to navigate qualitative research technologies will help an RPSE candidate show a competetive edge over other candidates.

Do you want to know more?

List of rehabilitation psychologist skills to add to your resume

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

Rehabilitation
Patient Care
Behavior Management

Pain Management
Crisis Intervention
Psychological Services

Psychological Assessments
CBT

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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