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What is a crisis counselor and how to become one
Unforeseen circumstances often occur, and while some lead to trauma, others do not. A crisis counselor is a specialized mental health counselor who helps manage a crisis by providing psychological first aid. They have received specialized training on how to help people live through trauma. A crisis counselor can work in a variety of settings, including clinics, crisis support lines, and emergency rooms. You will also find them in military camps and as part of a humanitarian body. Due to the nature of the job, their duties may vary depending on where they work.
Crisis counselors must be licensed and have at least a master's degree in counseling. Some of the functions a crisis counselor performs include situation analysis, continual support, identifying and suggesting solutions to the problem, and giving stress reduction techniques. Although their schedule is flexible, they must have great communication and interpersonal skills.
What general advice would you give to a Crisis Counselor?
Lillian Wichinsky Ph.D.
Associate Dean, University of Nevada - Reno
Avg. Salary $51,142
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 12%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%
Asian 3.23%
Black or African American 11.28%
Hispanic or Latino 12.21%
Unknown 5.91%
White 67.00%
Genderfemale 77.11%
male 22.89%
Age - 39American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 39Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Crisis Counselor career paths
Key steps to become a crisis counselor
Explore crisis counselor education requirements
Start to develop specific crisis counselor skills
Skills 
Percentages Social Work 21.39% Patients 8.10% Mental Health Crisis 5.58% Social Services 4.92% Crisis Management 3.97% Complete relevant crisis counselor training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New crisis counselors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a crisis counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real crisis counselor resumes.Research crisis counselor duties and responsibilities
- Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
- Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
- Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
- Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Prepare your crisis counselor resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your crisis counselor resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a crisis counselor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Crisis Counselor Resume templates
Build a professional Crisis Counselor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Crisis Counselor resume.
Apply for crisis counselor jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a crisis counselor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Crisis Counselor Job
Are you a Crisis Counselor?
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Average crisis counselor salary
The average Crisis Counselor salary in the United States is $51,142 per year or $25 per hour. Crisis counselor salaries range between $37,000 and $69,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do crisis counselors rate their job?
Crisis Counselor reviews
The (working) clients will always be the best part of this job. There are certain individuals who you can feel want to learn more about their conditions and to adopt healthier thinking patterns or lifestyles.
The insane amount of paperwork, the insurance/agency politics, the high expectations, the low amount of support. Burnout is very concerning for a profession where people in the frontline are the ones trying to make a difference. Individuals who work in this field need to have an incentive to keep pushing. I’m sorry but a kind heart and good intentions are not enough to sustain this type of career.
You make a positive difference every single day. If you're looking for meaningful work, this is it!
Sometimes you can't help everyone, or the people you do help have tragic & heartbreaking stories. Being exposed to this every day can definitely be draining, so you definitely need an outlet to blow off steam.
Helping people help themselves and achieving their goals
People that are afraid of asking for help.
Updated January 8, 2025
