Crafting a resume that effectively encapsulates your diverse therapeutic experiences and specialized skills can be a daunting challenge for any therapist. Our guide offers tailored strategies and examples to showcase your professional journey, ensuring your resume resonates with potential employers.
- Sample industry-leading examples to learn how to write your best resume yet.
- Improve the experience, education, and achievements section of your resume with insights from resume-writing professionals.
- Curate your technical expertise and personality to stand out amongst the pool of candidates.
- Succinctly focus on your unique skill set all through your therapist resume.
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Optimize your therapist resume format to pass the recruiters' assessment
You may be wondering just how much time you need to spend on designing your therapist resume.What recruiters are looking for is systematised content that is clear and coherent. Thus, your therapist resume needs to answer requirements and why you're the best candidate for the role from the get-go.
Often, a clear layout consists of:
- Sorting your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your most recent and relevant roles. This is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals;
- Writing your contact information (e.g. personal phone number and email address) and your portfolio or LinkedIn link in your therapist resume header. If you're wondering to include a photo or not, always make sure that it's appropriate for the country you're applying in;
- Use the basic, most important therapist resume sections - your experience, education, summary, etc. Use your resume's real estate wisely to tell a compelling, professional story and match job description's keywords;
- Don't go overboard with the length of your resume. One page is absolutely fine if you happen to have under a decade of relevant experience.
Are you still wondering if you should submit your therapist resume in PDF or Word format ? The PDF has a few more advantages, as it doesn't change the format and the text can't be altered upon application.
Format matters most when your therapist resume is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS).
The ATS parses resumes, looking for specific keywords, skills or experience that match the job description.
P.S. We recently did a study on how the ATS works and were able to demystify three of the biggest misconceptions about how it assesses candidate resumes.
To pass the ATS evaluation, select any of the serif or sans-serif fonts. Popular choices that would help your therapist resume stand out include Raleway, Exo 2, Montserrat, etc.
Most traditionalists go for Arial or Times New Roman, but it's often the case that many candidates choose these fonts, and you'd thus lose points on the uniqueness front.
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The more time and effort you've put into obtaining the relevant certificate, the closer to the top it should be listed. This is especially important for more senior roles and if the company you're applying for is more forward-facing.
The five (plus) definite sections your resume for a therapist job should include are:
- Header with your headline, contact details, and/or a preview of your work
- Summary (or objective) to pinpoint how your success aligns with the role
- Experience with bullets of your most relevant achievements in the field
- Skills to integrate vital job requirements (both technical and personal)
- Your further dedication to the field, showcased via relevant higher education and/or certifications
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Evidence of relevant licensure and certifications (e.g., LPC, LMFT, LCSW, depending on the specific therapy role)
- Demonstration of experience with specific populations or issues (e.g., experience with children, trauma, substance abuse, etc.)
- Knowledge of different therapeutic modalities and evidence-based practices (e.g., CBT, DBT, EMDR, etc.)
- Examples of successful client outcomes or case studies
- Continuing education or professional development in the field of psychotherapy and counseling
What is the resume experience section and how to write one for your past roles
The experience section in a therapist resume is critical for your profile and overall application. It should not only display your work history, but also highlight your achievements in previous roles.
Many candidates either simply list their duties or provide excessive details about past, irrelevant jobs. A more effective approach involves first examining the job advertisement for keywords - specifically, skills essential for the role. Then, demonstrate these key requirements throughout different parts of your resume, using accomplishments from your roles.
Format each bullet point in your experience section by starting with a strong action verb. Follow this with a description of your role and its impact on the team or organization.
Aim to include three to five bullet points for each role.
Finally, gain insights into how professionals have crafted their therapist resume experience sections by exploring some best practice examples.
- Provided individual psychotherapy sessions to over 120 patients, focusing on cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused treatments, with 95% of patients reporting improved mental health outcomes.
- Developed and executed a comprehensive mental health workshop series that educated over 500 community members on stress management techniques.
- Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to design and implement tailored treatment plans that improved patient adherence by 40%.
- Orchestrated group therapy sessions for adolescents dealing with substance abuse, reducing relapse rates by 35% over a two-year period.
- Pioneered a digital therapy program, utilizing telehealth to expand services to remote clients, resulting in a 25% increase in client base.
- Supervised a team of three junior therapists, providing mentorship and professional development that enhanced the clinic's service quality.
- Led an initiative to integrate mindfulness practices into therapy sessions, which resulted in a 30% increase in client self-reported focus and relaxation.
- Managed crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline program, training volunteers and ensuring 24/7 operational readiness.
- Spearheaded successful grant application securing $50,000 for community mental health awareness programs.
- Delivered over 1,000 hours of couple and family therapy sessions, helping improve communication skills and conflict resolution for 150+ families.
- Initiated a partnership with local schools to provide early intervention services, directly benefiting over 300 students with behavioral and emotional challenges.
- Authored a departmental white paper on the efficacy of play therapy in younger populations, driving a 20% adoption rate across agency services.
- Designed and executed individualized treatment plans for clients with severe mental illness, enhancing personal autonomy and community reintegration.
- Implemented a feedback-informed treatment approach, which saw a 10% increase in therapy completion rates.
- Facilitated a bi-weekly peer support group to bolster social reintegration for clients, with a consistent participation rate of 85%.
- Specialized in exposure therapy for individuals with PTSD, achieving a 40% reduction in symptoms for participants after a 6-month program.
- Acted as lead therapist in a pilot program for the use of virtual reality in phobia treatment, presenting findings at three national conferences.
- Implemented a streamlined record-keeping system for patient progress notes, increasing department efficiency by 15%.
- Provided career counseling and vocational rehabilitation services to over 200 individuals with disabilities, achieving a 60% successful job placement rate.
- Led a multi-agency collaboration project focused on improving community access to vocational resources, receiving commendation from the state vocational rehabilitation department.
- Trained 20+ staff members on assistive technology tools, significantly increasing the accessibility of counseling services for clients with mobility and sensory impairments.
- Developed a pioneering art therapy program for elderly clients with dementia, documenting a noticeable improvement in memory recall and mood stabilization.
- Conducted bi-monthly interdisciplinary case reviews to fine-tune therapy strategies for complex cases, leading to more personalized client care plans.
- Organized an annual art exhibit featuring client artwork, raising over $10,000 for the wellness program and significantly boosting community engagement.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the number of therapy sessions you've conducted to demonstrate your experience.
- List the percentage of clients who have shown improvement to highlight your effectiveness.
- State the number of clients you manage or have managed at once to show your ability to handle a caseload.
- Mention any quantifiable outcomes from group therapy sessions you've facilitated.
- Detail the number of professional development workshops or trainings you have led or attended.
- Specify the average length of therapy with clients to indicate your capability for sustaining therapeutic relationships.
- Quantify any reductions in client symptomatology to illustrate the positive changes you've fostered.
- Report on the number of multi-disciplinary teams you've worked with to show your collaboration skills.
Action verbs for your therapist resume
Lacking relevant therapist resume experience?
Learn how to write your therapist resume experience in spite of having no real-world (or applicable) experience for the job.
You should:
- Feature relevant projects or publications that could impress recruiters or showcase that you have the basic skill set for the job
- Shift the focus towards your people (communication, organization, etc.) skills to demonstrate that you're a quick learner and can easily adapt to a new environment
- Use the resume objective to not only highlight your accomplishments but also map out how your career plans are perfectly aligned with the company's vision
- Select either the functional-skill-based resume format (that puts the focus on your skills) or the hybrid one (balancing expertise with skills).
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you failed to obtain one of the certificates, as listed in the requirements, but decide to include it on your resume, make sure to include a note somewhere that you have the "relevant training, but are planning to re-take the exams". Support this statement with the actual date you're planning to be re-examined. Always be honest on your resume.
How to showcase hard skills and soft skills on your resume
Reading between the lines of your dream job, you find recruiters are looking for candidates who have specific software or hardware knowledge, and personal skills.
Any technology you're adept at shows your hard skills. This particular skill set answers initial job requirements, hinting at how much time your potential employers would have to invest in training you. Showcase you have the relevant technical background in your communicate, solve problems, and adapt to new environments. Basically, your interpersonal communication skills that show recruiters if you'd fit into the team and company culture. You could use the achievements section to tie in your greatest wins with relevant soft skills.
It's also a good idea to add some of your hard and soft skills across different resume sections (e.g. summary/objective, experience, etc.) to match the job requirements and pass the initial screening process. Remember to always check your skill spelling and ensure that you've copy-pasted the name of the desired skills from the job advert as is.
Top skills for your therapist resume:
Psychological Assessment
Behavioral Therapy Techniques
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
Psychotherapy
Crisis Intervention
Knowledge of Psychopathology
Group Therapy Facilitation
Mindfulness Strategies
Clinical Documentation
Empathy
Active Listening
Communication
Patience
Confidentiality Adherence
Cultural Sensitivity
Ethical Judgment
Critical Thinking
Adaptability
Self-Awareness
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List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
Maximizing your therapist resume: education and certification sections
To effectively showcase your industry knowledge in your therapist resume, it's important to properly list your education and certifications.
For the education section, ensure you include:
- Higher education degrees pertinent to the industry or those at a postgraduate level;
- The start and end dates of your education, along with the name of the institution you graduated from;
- Your GPA and relevant coursework, but only if they are impressive and applicable to the role.
Additionally, create a separate certifications section to spotlight your most notable recognitions. Another excellent place to feature a leading industry certificate is in your resume header, right after your name.
Below is a list of key industry certifications that are often sought after by recruiters
The top 5 certifications for your therapist resume:
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - National Board for Certified Counselors
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) - Association of Social Work Boards
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) - American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
- Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) - Association for Addiction Professionals
- National Certified Counselor (NCC) - National Board for Certified Counselors
PRO TIP
If the certificate you've obtained is especially vital for the industry or company, include it as part of your name within the resume headline.
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Writing the therapist resume summary or objective: achievements, keywords, dreams, and more
Deciding on whether to include a resume summary or resume objective should entirely depend on your career situation.
If you have:
- Plenty of relevant achievements you'd like to bring recruiters' focus to, make use of the resume summary. Ensure each of your achievements is quantified with concrete proof (e.g. % of cases solved).
- Less applicable experience, utilize the resume objective. Within the objective include a few noteworthy, past successes, followed up by your professional dreams.
As a bonus, you could define in either your therapist resume summary or objective what makes you the perfect candidate for the role.
Think about your unique hard and soft skills that would make your expertise even more important to the job.
These therapist professionals have completely covered the formula for the ideal resume introduction:
Resume summaries for a therapist job
- With a decade of experience as a licensed clinical therapist, I leverage cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused techniques to empower adults and adolescents in overcoming anxiety and depression. Recognized for pioneering a group therapy program that increased patient engagement by 30%.
- Dedicated to nurturing child development, as a pediatric occupational therapist with 8 years of experience, I specialize in sensory integration and fine motor skill enhancement, helping children with developmental delays excel, as proven by a 40% improvement in patient milestones.
- As a seasoned educator and school counselor transitioning into clinical therapy, I bring a rich background in developing individualized educational programs and advocating for student mental health, eager to apply these transferable skills to support clients in a therapeutic setting.
- Former HR professional with expertise in conflict resolution and employee wellness programs, transitioning to the field of therapy. I am excited to apply my interpersonal skills and knowledge of organizational behavior in a new capacity to facilitate client growth and well-being.
- Eager to launch a career in therapy, bringing forth a passionate commitment to mental health awareness and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Ready to integrate academic knowledge with practical experience to holistically address client mental health needs.
- As an entry-level applicant, my objective is to apply my strong foundation in volunteer community support and recent certification in counseling to contribute meaningfully to client wellness, while actively learning and growing under the mentorship of seasoned therapists.
Recruiters' favorite additional therapist resume sections
When writing your therapist resume, you may be thinking to yourself, " Is there anything more I can add on to stand out? ".
Include any of the below four sections you deem relevant, to ensure your therapist resume further builds up your professional and personal profile:
Key takeaways
- The logic of your resume presentation should follow your career highlights and alignment with the role;
- Curate information within different sections (e.g. summary, experience, etc.) that helps highlight your strengths;
- Exclude from your resume irrelevant experience items - that way you'd ensure it stays no longer than two pages and is easy to read;
- Dedicate space within the summary, experience, and/or achievements to highlight precisely why you're the best candidate for the role via your previous success;
- Both your technical and people capabilities should also play a crucial role in building up your therapist application. Prove your skill set in various resume sections.
