Therapist CV example

A good therapist listens – but when applying for a new role, you’ll need to do the talking. Your CV should clearly outline your areas of expertise and the impact of your work. And just as you tailor treatment plans to individual clients, your CV should be adapted to each employer’s needs.

This guide will take you through each part of writing a CV, from layout to wording – so you can showcase your credentials and clinical experience with warmth and professionalism.

As someone who values order and structure in the therapeutic process, your CV should reflect the same sense of clarity. Recruiters want to see the progression of your experience and the scope of your clinical work at a glance – without digging through disorganised or overly dense blocks of text.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place your name and personal details prominently at the top of your CV for quick access. Adding a photo is up to you.
• Profile – Open with a compelling overview of your skills, experience, and career goals.
• Core skills – List your key abilities in this section, focusing on those that will be most relevant to the job.
  Work experience – Provide a detailed breakdown of your work history, starting with the most recent job first.
• Education – List your qualifications, including degrees and relevant certifications, in reverse chronological order.
• Additional info – Use this optional space for relevant hobbies or personal pursuits that enhance your application.
  

For readability, use bullet points to break up text and keep key information easy to scan. Structure your CV using clear, professional headings and consistent format throughout. Stick to a simple, clean font and make sure your CV length doesn’t exceed two pages. The goal is to provide insight, not overload – the same principle that applies in any effective therapeutic relationship.

Your professional profile is a recruiter’s first impression – and for a therapist, it should demonstrate the clarity you’d bring to the role. Use this space to convey your therapeutic background, the types of clients you support, and the value you bring to a service or practice.

Wherever your speciality, your CV profile should highlight your approach and show that you can build trust and adapt to complex cases in order to deliver meaningful outcomes.

Here’s what to include:

• Where you worked – Mention the types of settings you’ve worked in, such as private practice, schools, hospitals, or community health.
• Your top qualifications – Include degrees, postgraduate training, and any professional accreditations or licences.
• Essential skills – Briefly reference your key competencies, such as assessment, counselling, or treatment planning.
• Client groups or specialisms – Indicate the age groups, issues, or diagnoses you specialise in, such as trauma, anxiety, or family therapy.
• Value delivered – Explain how your work supports positive client outcomes, helps reduce risk, or contributes to service delivery.
  

The core CV skills section is a chance to highlight your practical, job-relevant strengths in one place – but it’s not just a list of buzzwords. Focus on hard skills that relate directly to the job you’re applying for, using the job spec as a reference point.

Whether you have a background in CBT, psychodynamic therapy, solution-focused work, or another modality, this section should reflect your therapeutic skillset and the interventions you’re trained to use. Tailoring this section can make a big difference – especially if a job calls for certain techniques or client experience.

As a therapist, your work experience isn’t just about where you’ve worked – it’s about how you’ve made a difference. This section should show how you supported clients, worked within teams, and contributed to outcomes. It should reflect both your day-to-day responsibilities and the broader impact of your role.

List your experience in reverse chronological order. For each role, begin with a short paragraph describing the organisation, your position, and the context of your work. Then use bullet points to break down your clinical responsibilities and achievements in a way that’s easy to scan.

• Outline – Provide context about the employer, setting, and client base. Mention the type of therapeutic work carried out and who you reported to.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “facilitated” and “implemented.” For example: “facilitated group sessions for clients with depression” or “implemented risk assessment protocols for high-need referrals.”
• Achievements – Emphasise outcomes, improvements in client wellbeing, or service contributions. Use data if available – e.g. reduction in waiting times, increased client engagement, or successful audit results.

In a clinical profession like therapy, education matters – but this section doesn’t need to be overly long. Just make sure your academic and professional credentials are clearly listed, especially if they’re relevant to a specific modality or regulated body.

List your most recent or highest qualification first, and include any postgraduate training, therapy-specific diplomas, or registration-based learning. If you’ve completed CPD or short courses in specialised areas (e.g. trauma therapy, safeguarding, or supervision), you can include those too – especially if they’re requested in the job advert.