Counseling Psychology is a sub-field of professional psychology where a highly trained clinician works with individuals, groups, and in community intervention to help those in need deal with emotional, behavioral, vocational, and mental health problems using preventive, developmental, and remedial approaches, and the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of behavioral disorders.
What are the Primary Responsibilities of a Counseling Psychologist?
Counseling Psychologist’s work to better clients personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span with a focus on emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental, and organizational concerns. By combining theory, research, and practice, and remaining sensitive to multicultural issues, this psychological specialty embodies a range of practices that help people improve their well-being, alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to live more highly functioning lives.
Where do Counseling Psychologist Typically Work?
Like many other specialty areas of psychology, Counseling Psychologists can work in a variety of settings. Many of them include mental health facilities, college counseling centers, private practice, hospitals, private organizations, and governmental agencies.
What training is needed to become a Counseling Psychologist?
The Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology specialty requires completion of an accredited doctoral education and training program in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Students must also complete an acknowledged internship. The specialty also requires postdoctoral supervised practice and experience in the specialty. The specialty’s specific program requirements are met if:
- The doctoral degree program was in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology from a program accredited by the APA or CPA.
- The degree program qualifies as equivalent to an APA or CPA accredited program in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology as determined by the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (ABCCAP).
- The doctoral degree is from a non-professional program in psychology, with an additional certification that the applicant has completed at least a two year doctoral level re-education program (including an internship) designed to meet APA or CPA accreditation requirements in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
- The doctoral degree program was in a counseling or school psychology program accredited by the APA or CPA.
How Much Money Can I Earn As a Counseling Psychologist?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013 Occupational Handbook, the median annual salary of clinical and counseling psychologists was $72,710. Salaries are dependent upon the psychologist’s area of specialization, level of experience, the region of the country they choose to practice and several other factors.
Are There Any Professional Organizations for Counseling Psychologist?
The American Board of Counseling Psychology (ABCoP) is one of the original specialties recognized in 1947 when the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) was founded. The ABCoP is responsible for establishing criteria related to the definition, education, training, competencies, and examination leading to certification as a specialist in Counseling Psychology.
Counseling Psychology is one of the more broad specializations among the many specialty fields of psychology. A degree holder in this area has the flexibility of working with adults or children, individuals or groups and in a variety of settings. This means that by earning a degree in Counseling Psychology you open many, many doors for career options. Earning an accredited degree in Counseling Psychology is an excellent way to launch a career in professional psychology.