How to Become a Therapist: 6 Steps to Follow PrepScholar

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, an aspiring therapist will need to enroll in a graduate studies program. There are a range of options when it comes to graduate programs for therapists, and it’s important to consider each of them carefully. Isbell Oliva-Garcia is a licensed mental health counselor, bilingual in English and Spanish. Isbell specializes in treating individuals with depression, anxiety, and issues during difficult life transitions.

Step Three: Apply for Licensure

It’s a path that requires dedication, education, and a deep understanding of human behavior. Whether you’re just starting out on your educational journey or considering making a career change into therapy or counseling, you’re probably wondering what it takes to get there. Let’s walk through the steps to becoming a therapist, from your first class to your first client. After completing education and clinical hours, you can apply for state licensure as an LCSW. Licensure allows you to practice independently and provide therapeutic services. Becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) starts with obtaining a master’s degree in social work.

1. The BLS notes that employment mental health services grew steadily from 2012 to 2022.
2. Critical thinking can help with analyzing someone’s actions, thoughts and responses to help improve their mental health.
3. In the fall of your senior year of college (if you decide to attend grad school immediately after college), you’ll begin applying to grad programs.
4. To become a licensed counselor, you will generally have to pay a licensing fee, demonstrate that you have completed the coursework required by your state, and complete a certain number of supervised clinical hours.
5. Requirements differ by state but often include supervised clinical hours, a licensure exam, and adherence to ethical guidelines.
6. A doctoral degree is the highest educational level a therapist can achieve.

Let’s dive into all the requirements, recommendations, and options, starting from the beginning. Before you begin formal training in graduate school to become a therapist, you will have to finish a bachelor’s degree at a college or university. Accredited programs ensure that you receive quality education and meet the standards set by professional counseling associations. Consider factors such as program reputation, faculty credentials, and available clinical experiences when selecting a program.

Therapist Licensure and Certification

Master’s degree holders can also work in many different mental health care settings. It is important to check the guidelines in your state to determine what type of services you can provide with this degree. Becoming a clinical psychologist or licensed social worker can help you reach this goal. If on the other hand, you are interested in working with families or couples, becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist or mental health counselor may be right for you.

1. These can be found by doing an internet search, such as LPCC (or MFT or Social Work) licensure requirements in state in which you are considering being licensed.
2. To practice as a therapist, you must obtain licensure in the state where you plan to work.
3. Grow Therapy can help you build an in-network private practice with all the tools you need, including credentialing, guaranteed billing, marketing, and a peer community.
4. Licensure allows you to practice independently and provide therapeutic services.
5. As a therapist you will help individuals better understand their internal self, cope with life traumas and stresses, and help improve their interpersonal relationships.
6. Try taking continuing education classes related to your area of practice, the needs of your clientele, and your research interests.
7. Majors that could prepare you for a career as a therapist include psychology, education, communications, and sociology.

How to Become a Therapist: 5 Routes to a Fulfilling Career

This can help prepare you to effectively help others, such as by learning the techniques used in psychotherapy and how to apply them when working with clients. What each of these examples shares in common is that they are all forms of psychotherapy, commonly known as “talk therapy,” as opposed to disciplines like physical or occupational therapy. With most specialities, therapists can choose to work in private practice, or in an institutional setting. Working in private practice often comes with benefits like flexibility in clients and scheduling. However, it also requires some self-marketing and business skill, especially when you’re starting out.

If you are interested in research and academia, then a Ph.D. how to become a therapist is the better option. With so many options available, you’ll be sure to find the setting that best suits your interests. Depending on your specialization and career interests, there may be certain professional certifications and organizations that can help accelerate your development.

Continuing education not only keeps you informed but also inspires you to bring fresh perspectives and tools to your practice. Therapists enrich people’s lives by helping them cope with situational distress, depression and anxiety, and mental illness. Learn about different types of therapists, educational requirements for becoming one, and how to start a therapy career.

Most therapy graduate programs also require two letters of recommendation, so, during college, it’s also important to cultivate relationships with your professors. Letters of recommendation from psychology professors will be considered the strongest, but any professor who can write you a glowing letter of recommendation will be a bonus to your grad applications. The 60 credits required to complete the degree can take between two and three years to complete. This is dependent on your schedule and the individual program in which you are enrolled. In many cases, you must complete an additional 12 to 16 credit hours of training to become licensed in your state. If you are interested in working with children, adults, families, or couples, becoming a licensed professional counselor can be a great choice.

It also often involves an internship and supervised experience directly in the field. Professionals who have earned a doctorate and become licensed psychologists can work with clients in a wide range of settings, including private practice. With that in mind, there is considerable overlap between these two areas, as therapists, like counselors, often have specialty areas and provide their clients with resources or strategies for handling various situations or triggers.

Aspiring therapists can gain clinical experience through various ways, such as internships and supervised counseling sessions. Internships provide structured environments where students work with clients under the guidance of experienced supervisors. Supervised counseling sessions offer direct client interaction, while mentors offer guidance and feedback. Becoming a psychiatrist involves a comprehensive journey of education, training, and specialization journey. These professionals play a pivotal role in addressing mental health disorders through a unique blend of medical and therapeutic approaches.

Both counselors and therapists are generally required to hold a master’s degree and undergo rigorous licensing processes, which are discussed more in the next section of this article. Practical experience can take the form of supervised clinical hours gaining hands-on training in various settings. Through direct client interactions, you’ll refine assessment skills, develop intervention plans, and learn to navigate complex social dynamics. If you plan to practice marriage and family therapy, the Association of Marriage and Family Regulatory Boards oversees the national MFT exam and the state-regulated licensing requirements. The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. administers a variety of licensing exams for therapists and counselors. Therapists are in demand, but the educational and licensing requirements for this career require a significant investment of time and energy.

Before selecting one, you may also want to consider the type of clients you’d like to work with. We’ll talk more about holistic therapists, CBT therapists, psychodynamic therapists, and several other types of therapists in more detail later on in this guide. First, let’s review some of the education requirements to become a psychotherapist in 2022. Each setting can provide a highly fulfilling career, regardless of the choice, so just be sure to weigh your preferences. While this section covers the most common options for graduate studies to become a therapist, there are many more types of degrees for different therapy specializations.