How to Become a Therapist (Definition, Requirements, and Common Q&A)

Becoming a therapist is an exciting and rewarding career move. Therapists provide a crucial function today by helping people process their trauma or stress, giving them tools to manage mental illness or helping them resolve big issues in their lives. Therapy can address behavior, thought patterns, relationships, illness, and more. 

Given that people today are handling much more stress than previous generations, therapists are constantly in short supply. If you’re thinking of becoming a therapist, you’ll likely find a wealth and variety of job opportunities available. Read on to discover the first steps to becoming a therapist. 

There are a number of steps to becoming a therapist, and the path you choose to take depends on the type of therapy you’d like to do. Read on to discover how to become a licensed therapist. 

📖 Education requirements

It’s impossible to become a therapist without first meeting the basic therapist education requirements. You might be wondering about a therapist degree, but the reality is, there is no single degree needed to be a therapist, and there are different options available to you. 

• Bachelor’s
  A minimum qualification to become a therapist is a bachelor’s degree. A common therapist program is a bachelor’s in psychology, although not every therapist takes this route. Other therapist degrees at the bachelor level are social work and sociology. 
• Master's
  After a bachelor’s degree, you generally need a master’s to become a therapist. Degree programs that meet therapist requirements could be a master’s in clinical or counselling psychology. A master’s degree will help you learn different approaches to therapy and generally should include some practice hours.
• Graduate-level counselling programs
  Some people choose to take postgraduate counselling programs on the route to becoming a therapist. These therapist programs could be specific to the type of therapy you want to do. Music therapy, trauma-centered counselling, and addictions therapy are all examples of postgraduate programs you can take to become a therapist.

📖 Experience hours

After meeting the therapist education requirements, the next step to becoming a therapist is to gain experience hours under supervision. This can often be done as part of your therapist program, and some schools even offer placement assistance. Minimum hour requirements vary by state. 

📖 Exams

• State licensure exam
  After meeting the degree qualifications to be a therapist, your next step is to get licensed in your state. Every state offers a licensing exam and passing it will give you the necessary credentials to be a therapist. 
  
• Jurisprudence exam (if required)
  If you want to become a therapist, you might need to take a jurisprudence exam, depending on where you want to practice. The jurisprudence exam will cover state laws and practices. Nearly a dozen states require this last step to become a therapist, so it’s important to check the requirements for your state. 

On your path to becoming a therapist, you can choose which demographic you want to work with or what style of therapy you’d like to do. There are many different therapy careers you can consider when you become a therapist and your passion for certain issues can guide you in the right direction.

Art Therapist

Many people want to know how to become an art therapist, since art is a unique and creative approach to traditional therapy. Art therapy is a form of counselling wherein the client uses art to express or explore their emotions. To pursue this career path, after meeting the basic therapist degree qualifications, you might need a postgraduate certificate in art therapy. 

Psychotherapist

Psychotherapists can work with a number of different groups using talk therapy. This style of therapy requires the client to be vulnerable and open-minded, and it can help people with a wide range of issues. If you’re wondering how to become a psychotherapist, you need a master’s in counselling or clinical psychology that includes specialized courses in talk therapy. 

Marriage and Family Therapist

A marriage and family therapist can help couples and families develop stronger relationships. Family therapists often work in a similar capacity to social workers, assisting people with their interpersonal problems and helping them communicate. If you’re interested in becoming a therapist for families and couples, look for post-graduate therapist programs that specialize in family therapy.

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapist

On your path to becoming a therapist, you might consider a rewarding career in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. ABA therapists address why behaviors occur and how they are learned. ABA therapy can help improve dysfunctional behaviors and increase positive outcomes for the client. This position often requires a specialized post-graduate therapist program. 

Recreational Therapist

Recreational therapy involves using recreation and other activities to help improve the lives of people with mental and physical illnesses. This could be a good option for you if you want to become a therapist and work in nursing homes or hospitals. Depending on the organisation you apply to, you may need therapist schooling that specializes in recreation. 

Child Therapist

If you’re thinking of becoming a therapist and you like kids, child therapy might be for you. As the name suggests, child therapists work with younger clients to address issues like learning, behaviour, and illness. The requirement to become a therapist for children could be a post-graduate certificate in child therapy. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapists help their clients to think critically about thought patterns and take control of their own solutions. CBT tends to help people explore their issues more deeply. Many therapist degree programs address CBT already, since it’s a prominent school of thought. 

You’re not alone in wondering how you become a therapist! Many people are interested in a career helping people through therapy, but don’t know where to start. Here are three frequently asked questions about becoming a therapist. 

❓ What degree do you need to become a therapist?

Many therapy positions require at minimum a master’s degree, although this varies with the organization. You will need at least a bachelor’s degree to become a therapist, and a master’s and/or postgraduate certificate programs will help you increase your options. 

❓ How long does it take to become a therapist?

The question of how long it takes to become a therapist really depends on the kind of therapy you intend to do and what the minimum therapist education requirements are. First, you will need to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree to become a therapist, and usually a master’s degree and beyond. The time it takes to become a therapist could therefore be at least four years to as much as eight. 

❓ How much does a therapist make?

Salary is important to research if you’re thinking of becoming a therapist. Since there are a variety of different therapists and organisations that employ them, the salary range for a therapist can be quite wide. A psychotherapist, for example, can make anywhere from $48,000 to $85,000, while the average salary for a family therapist is $67,400. 

Therapy is a skill that is badly needed by many people today. One of the first steps to becoming a therapist is to research therapist qualifications. There are several different therapist degree programs you can take before your state licensing exam. After you meet all the therapist requirements, there is a variety of career options available, like art therapy and CBT. Therapy can change lives, so if you’re thinking of becoming a therapist, you’ll find a rewarding and challenging career ahead of you. 

— Originally written by Tiffany Quinn —