In five years of writing for various audiences, Uche has learned to simplify career-focused content for ambitious learners regardless of their qualifications. Her work is published in notable platforms such as Hackernoon and Hashnode.
Nneoma Uche Education WriterIn five years of writing for various audiences, Uche has learned to simplify career-focused content for ambitious learners regardless of their qualifications. Her work is published in notable platforms such as Hackernoon and Hashnode.
Written By Nneoma Uche Education WriterIn five years of writing for various audiences, Uche has learned to simplify career-focused content for ambitious learners regardless of their qualifications. Her work is published in notable platforms such as Hackernoon and Hashnode.
Nneoma Uche Education WriterIn five years of writing for various audiences, Uche has learned to simplify career-focused content for ambitious learners regardless of their qualifications. Her work is published in notable platforms such as Hackernoon and Hashnode.
Education Writer Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Updated: Feb 15, 2023, 4:25pm
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Getty
Trauma can severely impact one’s mental health and even alter the course of their life forever. That’s why trauma survivors who are experiencing a mental health emergency or emotional turmoil need not only immediate physical evaluation but also emotional support.
If you can stay calm in tense situations and communicate effectively, you might consider a career in crisis counseling. In this article, we outline how to become a crisis counselor and the typical responsibilities and salary for this job.
Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics, education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.
Crisis counselors are mental health professionals who support patients who have lived through traumatic experiences. Crisis counseling helps patients cope with stressful incidents by providing emotional support and other resources.
Crisis counselors work with a variety of patients who have experienced or witnessed severe accidents, natural disasters, domestic and sexual abuse, terminal illnesses, terror attacks or the death of a loved one. These professionals also help patients living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through stress reduction techniques and other healthy coping strategies.
The day-to-day activities of a crisis counselor may include:
Below we outline the path to becoming a mental health counselor who specializes in crisis counseling. Keep in mind that some other crisis counseling certifications have more relaxed education and licensure requirements. For more information on this career path, see our guide on how to become a mental health counselor.
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum academic qualification to work in counseling. To enter this field, you should consider a bachelor’s in psychology, a bachelor’s in social work or a major in human services or a related field.
Many employers require mental health counselors to have a graduate degree, such as a master’s in counseling or a master’s in psychology. This education is most often required of aspiring crisis counselors who do not have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to mental health.
Before enrolling in any counseling master’s program, ensure that it is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Specific counseling licensure requirements vary by state. However, obtaining a crisis counseling license typically involves completing a supervised clinical internship and passing a state-approved licensure exam administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
Certification is not required to practice crisis counseling, but it’s often preferred in various settings. The American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP) offers the most recognized certification for crisis counselors. We explore this certification in detail below.
AIHCP-certified crisis counselors may use the initials CIC-CSp., which is an abbreviation of “crisis intervention counselor—certified specialist,” after their names. Below are the prerequisites you must meet to obtain this nationally recognized credential.
The AIHCP requires applicants to complete an established education program to equip them for crisis intervention counseling. The program must be approved by the AIHCP review board and offer at least 275 hours of lectures on crisis intervention.
Eligible candidates must present evidence of program completion within two years before the application date.
To be considered eligible for the crisis intervention certification, you must also meet one of the criteria listed below:
The AIHCP crisis intervention certification is valid for four years. Professionals who complete at least 50 hours of continuing education within the four-year certification term qualify to renew their certification.
The AIHCP offers seven compulsory courses for its crisis intervention counseling certification, each of which costs $150. Upon completion of the required courses, candidates can proceed to fill out the certification application and submit it by fax or email with an application fee of $200.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not report career data for crisis counselors specifically, but it does report on substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors. According to the BLS, these counselors earn a median salary of $48,520 and can expect a 22% job growth rate from 2021 through 2031. This rate is much faster than the national average projected growth rate of 5% for all occupations nationwide.
This outlook data indicates job security and ample opportunities for crisis counselors over the next decade.
The role of a crisis counselor is to provide immediate mental health support to trauma survivors and individuals experiencing mental health emergencies. These professionals also teach coping strategies to help patients navigate similar situations with a semblance of stability.
To become a crisis counselor, you need communication, problem-solving, listening, stress management and conflict resolution skills.
Being a crisis counselor is an emotionally taxing job, but with the right training, professionals can learn to remain stable while giving patients the help they need.
Was this article helpful? Share your feedback Send feedback to the editorial team Thank You for your feedback! Something went wrong. Please try again later. Best Psychology & Counseling Degree Programs
By Horacio Sierra, Ph.D.
By Garrett Andrews
By Mikeie Reiland, MFA
By Jeff Tompkins
By Matt Whittle
By Matt Whittle
Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
Education WriterIn five years of writing for various audiences, Uche has learned to simplify career-focused content for ambitious learners regardless of their qualifications. Her work is published in notable platforms such as Hackernoon and Hashnode.
© 2024 Forbes Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Are you sure you want to rest your choices?The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Here is a list of our partners who offer products that we have affiliate links for.
