Counseling Psychologists

Assess and evaluate individuals' problems through the use of case history, interview, and observation and provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment.

Median Annual Wage: $68,900

Education: Post-doctoral training (40%); Master's degree (27%); Doctoral degree (25%)

Projected Growth: Average (8% to 14%)

Related Job Titles: Counselor; Psychotherapist; Psychologist; Chemical Dependency Therapist; Counseling Services Director; Applied Behavior Science Specialist (ABSS); Counseling Psychologist; Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC); Senior Staff Psychologist; Staff Psychologist

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Counseling Psychologists.

More Life, Physical, and Social Science Careers

  • Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
  • Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
  • Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities, and needs.
  • Supervise interns, clinicians in training, and other counselors.
  • Advise clients on how they could be helped by counseling.
  • Analyze data such as interview notes, test results, and reference manuals to identify symptoms and to diagnose the nature of clients' problems.
  • Consult with other professionals, agencies, or universities to discuss therapies, treatments, counseling resources or techniques, and to share occupational information.
  • Evaluate the results of counseling methods to determine the reliability and validity of treatments.
  • Refer clients to specialists or to other institutions for noncounseling treatment of problems.
  • Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach programs, and prevention talks to schools, social service agencies, businesses, and the general public.
  • Select, administer, and interpret psychological tests to assess intelligence, aptitudes, abilities, or interests.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Counseling Psychologists.

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Counseling Psychologists.

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