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Everything You Need to Know About How to Become a Therapist
There are many different types of therapy that provide patients with a variety of mental health treatments and resources. If you enjoy helping people, are interested in studying psychology and want to join the healthcare field, becoming a therapist might be a great career choice. To become a therapist, you will be required to pursue specialized education, complete training and gain qualifications to secure a job in this field.
In this article, we discuss what a therapist does, see what their earning potential is, outline the steps to pursue this career path and answer some frequently asked questions about being a therapist.
What does a therapist do?
Therapists are licensed mental health professionals who treat clients with a range of mental health conditions and enable them to develop coping mechanisms and emotional skills as well as improve symptoms. Some mental health professionals with a medical degree—such as a psychiatrist—can diagnose and prescribe medication as needed. Those that do not have a medical degree—such as psychologists or counselors—focus their treatment on offering practical advice for handling challenges related to their condition and helping patients think critically and objectively about their experiences.
The job of a therapist could involve the following duties:
- Assessing the patient and tailoring a therapy schedule to address their specific issues
- Working with the client to help them develop skills that will help them to succeed in their therapy
- Communicating with people close to the client
- Offering joint therapy sessions in the case of family, couples or rehabilitation therapy
- Recording sessions, notes and documentation of therapy consultations
- Providing resources and education materials for specific conditions or experiences
Average salary
Therapists often find employment in a clinic or other healthcare facility that houses therapy practice. Others start their own practice. These factors, along with geographic location, can affect their potential salary. Other factors that impact salary include the therapist’s level of experience, level of education and specialized qualifications.
- Average salary in the U.S.: $31.13 per hour
- Salaries range from $7.25 to $79.60 per hour
How to become a therapist
It takes several years to become a practicing therapist as formal education, training and licensure must be completed.
Here are the eight steps you will need to follow to begin your career as a therapist:
- Decide on the type of therapy that interests you.
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in a therapy-related field.
- Earn an advanced degree.
- Complete supervised clinical work.
- Work on your soft skills.
- Qualify for licensure.
- Earn voluntary certifications.
- Prepare a resume and cover letter.
1. Decide on the type of therapy you would like to offer
There are a variety of different career paths as a therapist. Types of therapy include family, behavioral, cognitive and rehabilitation. Although the path to these different careers is similar, there are choices you can make early on in your career to specialize in these different therapy areas, such as taking relevant coursework in undergraduate and graduate studies, completing certifications, attending seminars and joining industry organizations.
2. Earn a bachelor’s degree in a therapy-related field
The first step on the career path to becoming a therapist is to earn a relevant Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. You may choose a major and/or minor in disciplines such as counseling, psychology or sociology. This early education can help you further explore the different fields in therapy and begin deciding to specialize. Within your degree program, you may take electives specific to your chosen type of therapy so you can develop a foundation of relevant issues, principles, ethics and strategies.
3. Earn an advanced degree
You can review your state’s licensure and experience requirements for therapists as the educational requirements may differ. Most states require an advanced degree, and there may be specific topics or coursework required. Options for master’s degrees include social work, psychology or family or rehabilitation therapy.
The entry requirements for a master’s degree can differ between institutions and programs, so you can review requirements for schools and programs you’re interested in while pursuing your undergraduate degree to ensure you are eligible for admission.
4. Complete supervised clinical work
To become a licensed therapist, you need several thousand hours of logged and verifiable clinic hours. This experience serves as training that allows you to apply your theoretical knowledge gained in coursework.
Many undergraduate and graduate degree programs include practical clinic hours where you work with patients under the supervision of a licensed practicing therapist. If you want to gain more hours of experience, you may find observation opportunities or an internship that allow you to work with clients. Consider taking advantage of clinical opportunities while studying to start earning those required hours as soon as you can.
5. Work on your soft skills
As you progress in your education and become more experienced, aim to improve the soft skills therapists rely on in their work. As you work with patients, try to develop those with the guidance of your clinical supervisor, professors or mentor. Here are some common soft skills that therapists use on the job:
Empathy
Therapists must be able to identify with how their client is feeling even if they do not experience the same emotions. They use empathy to put themselves in their client’s place to better understand what they’re experiencing, how they are interpreting a situation and why they may have a specific reaction. This process enables therapists to help their clients think more objectively about their experiences and work on their emotional intelligence.
Active listening
These professionals must be able to pay close attention to what their patients say to help them explore exactly what they say, think and feel. They ask the most relevant and appropriate questions to guide clients. They may also repeat what a client has said back to them to show that they have heard them and to confirm if they’ve understood. Therapists also practice active listening to remember key pieces of information relevant to a client’s condition or experience to better connect with them and ensure treatment progresses.
Communication
Many therapists may have new clients who are uncomfortable or those that do not want to talk about specific topics. These professionals use their advanced communication skills to determine when a client does or does not want to speak and encourages them to do so. They may also need to explain complex concepts more universally or adjust their communication style to match that of their clients to promote a comfortable and successful session.
6. Qualify for licensure.
Following successful graduation from an advanced degree program in an appropriate subject and completing a log of around 2500 clinic hours, you can apply to sit for your state’s legally required licensure exam. It is a written exam that covers the psychological theories of therapy and the state’s laws regarding mental health treatment. To remain licensed, you must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years.
7. Earn voluntary certifications.
Additional professional certifications are optional, but they can highlight you as an exceptional therapist who has specialized expertise and practice in various therapy disciplines. Some common certifications include:
National Certified Counselor (NCC)
Sponsored by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), this certification shows a professional’s full completion of education, training and ethical requirements in the field. Some requirements to pursue this certification include completion of general coursework, supervised clinical work, professional experience and passing a certifying exam.
Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Also sponsored by the NBCC, this certification proves a professional’s dedication to further specialize in their practice. To earn this certification, therapists must already have a valid NCC, complete advanced specialized coursework, supervised clinical training, professional experience and passing the exam.
8. Prepare your resume and cover letter.
Your resume and cover letter are your chance to show an employer you are the right candidate for the job. Be sure to include your education, relevant elective modules or specialized coursework, detailed clinical experience log and any awards or achievements. In your cover letter, complement the information in your resume, and briefly summarize your training and experience with clients in your chosen specialty and your professional goals.
Be sure to tailor your resume and cover letter for each listing you apply for to better align your qualifications with prospective employers’ expectations.
Frequently asked questions
If you are interested in pursuing this career path, here are some frequently asked questions to provide more information about becoming a therapist:
Is a therapist the same as a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist?
The term “therapist” is used to refer to various mental health professionals, including psychologists and psychiatrists. There are also times when the terms counselors and counseling are used when referring to therapists and therapy.
Psychologists hold degrees in psychology, usually a Ph.D. These therapists provide “talk therapy,” which is when a client discusses their experiences, challenges, thoughts and feelings with a therapist. They can diagnose mental health disorders and often work in collaboration with medical doctors to select appropriate medical treatments and medications as needed. They are often involved with academic research and studies because they are also trained social scientists.
Psychiatrists have medical degrees and use psychological testing to diagnose patients. They prescribe medication and recommend other forms of therapy as needed. These professionals may also conduct research and contribute to their specialized field to progress the science, medicine and general understanding of mental health conditions. As you study to become a therapist, you can also decide whether you want to be a medical doctor with a focus on mental health.
The range of professions that a therapist can undertake is more varied and could include social work and counseling individuals, families, couples or groups. These professionals may more commonly be referred to as counselors.
What kind of issues can a therapist help?
A therapist can be employed to help with a wide range of common issues that people experience in their day-to-day lives, or due to a stressful event, such as:
- Anger management
- Eating disorders
- Depression and anxiety
- Stress
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Marriage guidance
- Drug or alcohol problems
- Trauma
To help them overcome problems, a client needs to find the right type of therapist. With such a large scope of therapy careers, it is essential to decide which type of therapy interests you the most.