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Senior staff psychologist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Brenda Ingram-Wallace Ph.D.,

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Senior staff psychologist example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical senior staff psychologist skills. We ranked the top skills for senior staff psychologists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 27.6% of senior staff psychologist resumes contained social work as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a senior staff psychologist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 senior staff psychologist skills for your resume and career

2. Rehabilitation

Here's how senior staff psychologists use rehabilitation:

Assisted with integrating the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Approach into New York State's inpatient psychiatric hospital service system.
Collaborate with community treatment centers, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs to involve clients in transitional work & special education programs.

3. Correctional

Here's how senior staff psychologists use correctional:

Provided clinical, managerial, administrative, and supervisory oversight to the Mental Health Department of Taylor Correctional Institution.
Conducted workshops on verbal de-escalation and redirection for Juvenile Correctional Officers and teachers in the Department of Correctional Education.

4. Mental Illness

Here's how senior staff psychologists use mental illness:

Perform confrontation avoidance and crisis intervention with inmates with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
Provide consultation to individuals and agencies regarding mental illnesses, their behavioral manifestations, and associated treatments.

5. Group Therapy

Group psychotherapy or group therapy is the practice of treating a group of clients together in one sitting throughout multiple sessions. This practice allows people to receive encouragement and support from their peers who are taking the same group therapy.

Here's how senior staff psychologists use group therapy:

Developed an empirically based group therapy program.
Helped design and implement an Art Therapy program for inmates, and conducted group therapy and individual therapy.

6. Individual Therapy

Here's how senior staff psychologists use individual therapy:

Supervised Master's-level therapists (assessments, individual therapy) and reviewed performances.
Evaluated effectiveness of services provided, including individual therapy, group psychotherapy, outreach, supervision, and teaching.

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7. Treatment Planning

Here's how senior staff psychologists use treatment planning:

Supervised three mental health providers providing weekly supervision, review of treatment planning and treatment delivery.
Administered and interpreted personality testing to aid in differential diagnosis and treatment planning for complex cases.

8. Risk Assessments

The process of analyzing and identifying the acts or events that have the potential to negatively affect an individual, asset, or business is called risk assessment. Risk assessments are important because they form an integral part of an organization as well as occupational safety plans

Here's how senior staff psychologists use risk assessments:

Supervised Psychology Practicum students on the completion of comprehensive intake evaluations and suicide risk assessments in a high paced clinical environment.
Performed risk assessments in determining appropriateness for increased privileges, community access, discharge, and placement.

9. 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 senior staff psychologists use mental health:

Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams in a Primary Care setting to provide integrated mental health services.
Coordinated outpatient mental health services for 40,000 military members and their dependents on large West coast military base.

10. Developmental Disabilities

Here's how senior staff psychologists use developmental disabilities:

Screened for developmental disabilities as defined by CDCR.
Performed psychological testing and developmental screening for children with various physical, mental, and developmental disabilities in a hospital setting.

11. Psychiatry

Here's how senior staff psychologists use psychiatry:

Provided didactic presentations to psychiatry trainees, medical students and residents and faculty.
Provided cognitive-behavioral supervision to 3rd and 4th year psychiatry residents.

12. Family Therapy

Here's how senior staff psychologists use family therapy:

Conduct individual, group, and family therapy for individuals with developmental, learning, and physical disabilities.
Provided individual, group and family therapy to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families.

13. 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 senior staff psychologists use clinical supervision:

Provided clinical supervision to psychologists.
Provided clinical supervision and teaching for psychology externs and interns.

14. APA

American Psychological Association, also known as APA Style, is a standard layout used for all social science research fields and is designed mainly for scientific writing. Typically, this style has different parts, including the title page, introduction, methodology, discussion, conclusion, citation, and reference. It can be used in further research, including education, sociology, psychology, social sciences, and many more. One of its advantages is that it clarifies the research document and citation so that the author or writer can avoid plagiarism.

Here's how senior staff psychologists use apa:

Maintained a leadership role in APA accredited internship and externship match program.
Assisted Training Director in implementing and administering the psychology internship and residency program in accordance with APA guidelines.

15. Behavioral Disorders

Here's how senior staff psychologists use behavioral disorders:

Diagnose psychological, emotional, or behavioral disorders.

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What skills help Senior Staff Psychologists find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on senior staff 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 soft skills should all senior staff psychologists possess?

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Professor of Psychology, California Lutheran University

Communication, interpersonal skills! This is huge.

What hard/technical skills are most important for senior staff psychologists?

Dr. Julie Kuehnel

Professor of Psychology, California Lutheran University

Advanced statistics and experience with current software for data analysis.

What senior staff 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 senior staff 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 senior staff 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 senior staff psychologist skills to add to your resume

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

Social Work
Rehabilitation
Correctional
Mental Illness
Group Therapy
Individual Therapy
Treatment Planning
Risk Assessments
Mental Health
Developmental Disabilities
Psychiatry

Family Therapy
Clinical Supervision
APA
Behavioral Disorders
Psychological Assessments
Clinical Services
Psychological Evaluations
Administrative Supervision
Program Development
Direct Psychological Services
Eating Disorders

Staff Training
Adolescents
Crisis Intervention
Psychological Disorders
Patient Care
Pediatrics
Risk Management
DBT
Stress Management
Discharge Planning

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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