How to become a therapist (simple Tutorial)

Despite my extensive content on various aspects of therapy, I've identified a crucial gap – the lack of guidance on the journey to becoming a therapist. This article aims to bridge that gap. Ready? Let's dive in!

My Personal Journey

This may sound cliche, but from a young age, I knew that I wanted to be a therapist. I wanted to help people and therapy was the medium a naturally gravitated towards. I followed this desire from high school to my undergraduate, from undergraduate to my masters, and finally from my first job through where I am today. Throughout this journey the common thread was the pursuit of being a therapist.

My journey is one of many ways in which one can become a therapist. Although everyones journey is different, there is a common framework everyone can follow.

Education

Generally speaking, you need at least a masters degree to become a therapist. There is a Masters of Social Work, Masters in Counseling, Masters in Family and Marriage Therapy, to name a few. You can also become a therapist by earning a Ph.D. Many psychologists have their doctorate in psychology. Finally, some medical doctors with a medical degree do therapy as well.

Licensing

In addition to obtaining a graduate level degree, you also need to become licensed. Every profession (i.e. social work, counseling, psychology, etc.) have different rules and regulations for licensing. However, most require a combination of experience, supervision, and testing. People often work towards licensure over a period of time.

Experience/Career Path

In addition to the degree and the licensure, one will benefit from making career choices that are aligned with becoming a therapist. For example, when I graduated with my social work degree, I pursued jobs in psychiatry vs. government. A job in a hospital psychiatry department is more likely to develop into a therapy role than a job in community politics.

It’s important that you choose jobs aligned with your goal of becoming a therapist.

If you…

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