Should I include therapy on a Resume?

Question

Last year I realized I needed to properly deal with some things (depression, social anxiety, panic attacks, and other "fun" stuff) as I found myself constantly both on and over the edge of burnout and exhaustion. So I eventually decided to quit my job to take some time to focus 100% on therapy, exercise (both physical and psychological), and just generally get things on a better track than they were before. (Luckily I live in Norway, so doing this is possible while still surviving financially)

Anyways, although I still work on some hobby projects and is responsible for a few websites, my CV will now have quite a big hole in it. So...

Should I include therapy on my Resume?

It's not a job in the literal, classical sense, but it sure is a lot of work going to several therapy sessions every week, and the goal (other than hopefully ending up with a less depressive life) is specifically to be able to be a better, braver, more reliable employee in the future.

Anyways... thoughts?

• Have a hole in the resume that someone will probably ask about anyways in a job interview?
• Be open and (in short) summarize what you've been up to since your last job?

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I'm a believer in honesty and openness, and believe going to therapy and working on yourself is a good thing, so personally I look positively on people taking their issues seriously and dealing with them as needed. But don't really know what others think. Probably a lot of differences depending on what culture you're from here too...

Answer 1

Does the therapy directly apply to the job you are applying for? Does it give you skills that make you a stronger candidate than others? If not, then leave it off.

It is similar to claiming to have work skills based on being off work for a few years to be a full time mom. Yes, there are skills needed to do that job well, but they are not generally the skills that most particular jobs are looking for, and calling yourself a 'household engineer' is no better or worse than claiming the skills you needed to get well are directly useful in the job you are now applying for. Unless, of course, they are. If they are, then by all means include them.

Answer 2

Should I include therapy on my Resume?

No.

Be prepared to discuss the reasons for your time off during interviews, including what you have done to overcome those issues.

But never include this sort of thing on your resume or CV.

You would be giving potential employers a reason to reject you, without being there in person to talk about how these issues are in the past, and the great work you did to overcome them.

Answer 3

If it were me, I would simply say I took a personal sabbatical, which is in essense what you did - you intentionally took a break from working. I'd even put it on my resume as-such, and leave it at that.

If they want details about what you did during that time, you can give a vague overview, highlighting any hobbies or travel that you may have engaged in, but overall sabbitcals are fairly understood to be time where one is attending to personal interests that are not work related.

While your therapy could indeed (and hopefully does) have a positive impact on your ability to work more effectively in the future, this detail is far beyond any one else's business and I don't think you should feel compelled to discuss that. I also don't think there is any positive outcome to discussing it. I personally would refrain from bringing up that aspect of your time off.