If you have a strong desire to help people improve their mental health, you need to understand the education requirements to become a psychotherapist. This position works directly with patients to understand the complexities of the disorder or life crises and develop a treatment plan that addresses all aspects of the condition. It can take 8 to 11 years to fully prepare you for this role and complete all the requirements of psychotherapy degrees.
Behavioral Health Jobs is a website that supports job seekers who want an exciting career as a psychotherapist. New positions are uploaded daily for entry-level and experienced psychotherapists at hospitals, mental health treatment facilities, private practices, community centers, and government agencies. Our job board is searchable through job titles and keywords, experience level, organization type, and other search options.
Continue reading to learn all about the psychotherapist education requirements. Then, go to our job board to see all of the available psychotherapist positions near you at Behavioral Health Jobs.
How to Become a Psychotherapist
Becoming a psychotherapist is a worthwhile goal where you will be responsible for helping people overcome mental illness, relationship troubles, substance abuse, or past traumas. They use a combination of therapeutic treatments to develop new coping skills to manage their symptoms and triggers. To do this, you will first need to complete several years of post-secondary education.
A bachelor’s degree gives you the educational foundation to show employers that you have the skills necessary to become a psychotherapist. The courses you take will teach you important hard skills, such as:
- Psychological assessments and diagnosis
- Developing treatment plans
- Multiple therapeutic techniques
- Crisis interventions
- Case management
- Research and evaluation
- Healthcare regulations and compliance
- Technical proficiencies in related computer hardware and software
A psychotherapist will also need a number of soft skills to effectively treat patients. Soft skills are those skills that you learn through everyday experiences with your family, friends, and peers. They include necessary skills like expressing empathy, superb communication skills, and emotional intelligence. Other beneficial soft skills psychotherapists need include:
- Patience
- Interpersonal skills
- Adaptable to different situations
- Out-of-the-box thinking
- Problem-solving
- Stress management
As a psychotherapist, you must complete all education requirements, ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work.
The Behavioral Health Jobs website supports job seekers wanting to become psychotherapists. According to the labor reports, psychotherapist jobs will increase by 6% by 2032, making it one of the fastest-growing healthcare fields.
What Are the Educational Requirements for Becoming a Psychotherapist?
A career as a psychotherapist is an exciting and rewarding career choice where you have the chance to improve people’s lives. If this career path sounds like a perfect fit, you will need to complete several years of post-secondary education. There are several psychotherapist education requirements that you need to meet.
Here are the top bachelor’s degrees for psychotherapists:
- Psychology
- Counseling
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Human Services
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Child Development
- Family Studies
After completing a bachelor’s degree, students can further their education by getting a Master’s degree in:
- MS in Counseling Psychology
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- MS in Clinical Psychology
- Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT)
- MS in Mental Health Counseling
Other psychotherapy degree requirements include obtaining certification or licensure as a psychotherapist. After gaining 1-2 years of real-world work experience, you can apply for the Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCHMC), Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC), or Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certifications.
Check with your school counselor for a full list of psychotherapist education requirements that coincide with your career path.
Learn all About the Psychotherapist Education Requirements Today at Behavioral Health Jobs
The Behavioral Health Jobs website is for job seekers who want to work in the healthcare industry and support others through their mental health recovery journey. This is a very rewarding and, at times, stressful job, but it is well worth it when you see your patients thrive.
If you would like to learn more about how to become a psychotherapist, check out the career advice section at Behavioral Health Jobs today.
