Counselling Psychologist

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Overview

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Workplace

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Requirements

84% Match

Career Spectrum

Resources

Overview

Description
Counselling psychologists help patients understand problems, including issues at home, at
the workplace, or in their community. Through counselling, they work with patients to
identify their strengths, or resources they can use to manage problems.
Sample Job Titles: Applied Behavior Specialist, Counselling Services Director, Psychologist

Provincial Outlook

Estimated Salary

$72,888 - $150,241
Learn More

Education Level
Secondary School
On-the-job Training
College/Apprenticeship

Learn More

Compatibility

84%
Match

Related Occupations

School Psychologist

University

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Workplace

Work Environment
Some counselling psychologists work alone, which may include independent research or
patient counselling. Others work as part of a healthcare team, collaborating with
physicians, social workers, and others to treat illness and promote overall wellness. Many
clinical and counselling psychologists in private practice have their own offices and can set
their own schedules. Other typical workplaces include clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation
facilities, and community and mental health centres.

Main Duties

Collect information about individuals using interviews, case histories, observational

techniques and other assessment methods.
Consult with other professionals to discuss therapies, treatments, counselling
resources or techniques.
Analyze interview notes, test results and reference manuals to identify symptoms and
diagnose clients' problems.

Advise clients on how they could be helped by counselling.

Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities and
needs.
Counsel individuals, groups or families to help them understand problems, deal with
crisis situations, define goals and develop realistic action plans.
Document patient information including session notes, progress notes,
recommendations and treatment plans.
Refer clients to specialists or to other institutions for noncounselling treatment of
problems.
Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach programs and
prevention talks to schools and social service agencies.
Evaluate counselling treatment methods.

Important Skills

Analytical skills. Counselling psychologists must be able to examine the information

they collect and draw logical conclusions from them.
Communication skills. Counselling psychologists must have strong communication
skills because they spend much of their time listening to and speaking with patients.
Observational skills. Counselling psychologists study attitude and behaviour. They
must be able to watch people and understand the possible meanings of peoples
facial expressions, body positions, actions, and interactions.
Patience. Counselling psychologists must be able to demonstrate patience, because
research or treatment of patients may take a long time. They must also be patient
when dealing with people who have mental or behavioural disorders.
People skills. Counselling psychologists study people and help people. They must be
able to work well with clients, patients, and other medical professionals.
Problem-solving skills. Counselling psychologists need problem-solving skills to find
treatments or solutions for mental and behavioural problems.

Trustworthiness. Counselling psychologists must keep patients problems in

confidence, and patients must be able to trust psychologists expertise in treating
sensitive problems.

Career Cluster

This cluster involves working with families, individuals,

couples and communities, and helping them manage issues
through counseling and mental health services, family and
community services, personal care, and consumer services.

Human Services

Outlook

Job Outlook

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick

Newfoundland and Labrador

Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories

Not Available

Nunavut

Not Available

Ontario
Prince Edward Island

Not Available

Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon

Not Available

Job Outlook based on NOC 4151 (Psychologists)

View Regional Data

Salary Ranges

Canada

$42,798 - $113,515

Alberta

$72,888 - $150,241

British Columbia

$26,772 - $126,724

Manitoba

$22,327 - $102,498

New Brunswick

Not Available

Newfoundland and Labrador

Not Available

Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories

$45,135 - $102,331
Not Available

Nunavut

Not Available

Ontario

$41,525 - $114,767

Prince Edward Island

Not Available

Quebec

$62,600 - $89,435

Saskatchewan

$42,339 - $121,883

Yukon

Not Available

Salary Ranges are based on hourly rates for NOC 4151 (Psychologists) and an estimated 2086 hours per year

View Regional Data

Employment Growth

2012

150,040

2013

152,886

2014

155,234

2015

157,493

2016

159,426

2017

160,895

2018

162,358

2019

163,871

2020

164,981

2021

166,207

2022

167,507

Employment Growth based on Stats Canada Occupation Group 415

Requirements

Education Level

Secondary School

On-the-job Training

College/Apprenticeship

University

Requirements

A doctoral degree in psychology is required in order to use the designation

"Psychologist" in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
A master's degree in psychology is required for the designation "Psychologist" in
Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta and
the Northwest Territories.
A master's degree in psychology is required in order to use the designation
"Psychological Associate" in Ontario and Manitoba.
In Prince Edward Island, a doctoral degree is required to work in private practice, or a
master's degree with practice limited to institutions and agencies.
A period of supervised practical experience is required in most jurisdictions.
Successful completion of the written Examination for Professional Practice in
Psychology (EPPP) is required in most provinces.
Oral examinations and board interviews are required in some provinces.

Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces, Nunavut and the
Northwest Territories.
Membership in the provincial professional association for psychologists is mandatory
in all provinces, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Psychologists can become specialized in a particular area through training and
experience.

Subject Areas

Social Science

Languages

Physical Education

Related Programs

Psychology (Science)
Lakehead University

Bachelor of Applied Arts

in Psychology
Kwantlen Polytechnic
University

Psychology
University of Lethbridge

Career Spectrum

Interests

Your Interest Type is

This occupation is a

THE VISIONARY (EA)

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Enterprising

Occupation Results

Artistic
54%

52%

28%

56%

Investigative

Conventional
46%

40%

83%

22%

Realistic

Social
40%

38%

6%

89%

Knowledge

Your top subject area is

This occupation is a

LANGUAGES

SLIGHT MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Languages

Occupation Results

Social Science
56%

50%

32%

68%

Business

Mathematics
44%

44%

29%

18%

Science

Physical Education
44%

39%

16%

39%

English

Computers
39%

39%

34%

23%

Creative Arts

Technical & Trades

33%

28%

21%

19%

Motivations

Your top motivation factor is

This occupation is a

INDEPENDENCE

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Occupation Results

Relationships

Independence
75%

75%

100%

83%

Achievement

Working Conditions
64%

61%

83%

83%

Recognition

Support
39%

36%

72%

39%

Compatibility
Collect information about individuals using interviews, case histories,
observational techniques and other assessment methods.
Consult with other professionals to discuss therapies, treatments, counselling
resources or techniques.
Analyze interview notes, test results and reference manuals to identify
symptoms and diagnose clients' problems.
Advise clients on how they could be helped by counselling.

Maybe not

Definitely

Somewhat

Definitely

Develop therapeutic and treatment plans based on clients' interests, abilities

and needs.

Somewhat

Counsel individuals, groups or families to help them understand problems,

deal with crisis situations, define goals and develop realistic action plans.

Somewhat

Document patient information including session notes, progress notes,

recommendations and treatment plans.

Definitely

Refer clients to specialists or to other institutions for noncounselling treatment

of problems.

Somewhat

Provide consulting services, including educational programs, outreach

programs and prevention talks to schools and social service agencies.

Somewhat

Evaluate counselling treatment methods.

Definitely

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Helpful Links
Ontario:
College of Psychologists of Ontario
www.cpo.on.ca
British Columbia:
College of Psychologists
www.collegeofpsychologists.bc.ca

Alberta:
College of Alberta Psychologists
www.cap.ab.ca
Saskatchewan:
Saskatchewan College of Psychologists
www.skcp.ca
Prince Edward Island:
PEI Psychologists Registration Board
http://users.eastlink.ca/~peipsychologists
New Brunswick:
College of Psychologists of New Brunswick
www.cpnb.ca

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