ABPP Counseling Psychology study guide

The ABPP Board Certification in Counseling Psychology is a specialty board credential offered by the American Board of Professional Psychology, an independent certifying body whose stated mission is to serve the public "by promoting the provision of quality psychological services through the examination and certification of professional psychologists engaged in specialty practice." It is intended for licensed psychologists who already practice counseling psychology and want peer-reviewed recognition of specialty competence beyond licensure. Candidates typically hold a doctoral degree, are licensed, and have substantial supervised experience in the specialty; ABPP publishes general requirements and an application process, and candidates apply to the counseling psychology specialty board specifically. The examination process is designed to assess specialty practice competence, generally through review of the candidate's professional practice and credentials plus oral examination by board-certified peers. Preparation is largely self-directed: study your own case materials and practice samples, review the specialty's foundational and ethical literature, and rehearse articulating your clinical reasoning, ethical decision-making, and professional identity aloud. Topics on this exam: Counseling Psychology Specialty Practice and Ethical and Professional Standards. The ABPP Counseling Psychology study guide has 2 sections and about 645 words.