Adult psychotherapists work with adults to assess and treat a range of emotional, social or mental health issues.  

You’ll help adults tackle problems such as behavioural issues, common challenges such as anxiety and depression or more complex or severe issues, such as psychosis or a personality disorder diagnosis.   

Psychology is a subdiscipline in the field of Social Sciences. By studying a Bachelor’s or Mater’s degree in Psychology you will learn all about every aspect related to the human psyche and how people are influenced by society, culture, and contemporary era challenges. You’ll explore diverse topics, trying to answer questions such as: Is the mind just a byproduct of brain processes? Is behaviour learned or inherited? What is the nature of the human subconscious? How can people change their behaviour through self-discovery?

The field of Psychology can help you understand a broad range of human behaviours as well as the many forms that mental health issues take. Psychology students will combine theoretical classes with practical work experience and case studies on issues such as trauma, mental disorders, addiction, child development, and current therapy methods, among others.

Psychology has a multitude of subfields, such as: Clinical Psychology, Cognitive and Perceptual Psychology, Behavioural Psychology, Neuropsychology, Developmental Psychology, Educational Psychology, Experimental Psychology or forms of Depth Psychology (focusing on unconscious processes).

By graduating Psychology degrees, students around the world gain access to a wide variety of career options including: psychotherapist, psychology counsellor, occupational psychologist, school counsellor, human resource officer, play therapist, forensic psychologist, organizational psychologist (I-O), and more.

Working life

Treatment usually begins with an assessment which takes place over a number of sessions between you and the patient. 

Having trained in one or more psychotherapeutic approaches, you will provide therapy to help people change the ways they think and behave or find better ways to cope. This therapy will provide space for them to express their feelings and gain a deeper insight into the issues they face. This could include group sessions. 

Where will I work? 

You are likely to work in: 

• hospitals
• local clinics and health centres
• in the community
• an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies service

You’ll also work in a multi-disciplinary team including mental health nurses, psychiatrists and a range of other psychological professionals.

Entry requirements 

To practise as an adult psychotherapist, you’ll need to undertake appropriate recognised training. You’ll usually need an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject and/or be a qualified and experienced healthcare practitioner, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health nurse or social worker. 

To secure a place on a psychotherapy training course, you will also need to be able to demonstrate that you have relevant experience. 

Employers will indicate through the job description/person specification exactly which qualifications they will consider when selecting applicants for psychotherapist roles. 

Training 

Training usually takes four years, combining study with clinical training under supervision and provided by a number of organisations, which are usually accredited by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy or the British Psychoanalytic Council.

Clinical training consists of intensive treatment of patients carried out under supervision. Clinical discussions combining theory and practice are held throughout the period of training. Alongside your training, you will be expected to undertake your own personal therapy to build your self-awareness and expand on your ability to relate to others.  

The application process for psychotherapy training is administered directly by the individual organisations running the courses.

Must-have skills  

You’ll need a range of skills to be a psychotherapist, including: 

• a keen awareness of people and their behaviour
• a capacity for study and continued learning
• the ability to relate to a wide range of people
• excellent communication skills
• the ability to work on your own as well as in consultation with others
• a responsible, professional approach, respecting the confidentiality of patients
• emotional resilience and maturity
• self awareness 
• the ability to empathise with others and make positive relationships 
• an openness to addressing issues of prejudice and oppression  

How to become a Psychologist

Psychologists study human behaviour and the processes associated with how people think and feel, conduct research and provide treatment and counselling in order to reduce distress and behavioural and psychological problems. They promote mental health and positive behaviour in individuals and groups. Psychologists work on a broad range of issues with clients, including children, adults, couples, families and organisations.

Personal Requirements for a Psychologist

• Interested in people and human behaviour
• Able to listen and solve problems
• An inquisitive mind
• Emotional maturity and empathy for others
• Patient and perceptive
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Caring and understanding
• Measured
• Strong logical thinking

Education & Training for a Psychologist

To become a psychologist you usually have to complete a degree with a major in psychology or a four-year Bachelor of Psychology. This is followed by either an accredited two-year postgraduate qualification (majoring in a specialisation of psychology) or two years of supervised experience with a registered psychologist.Psychology can be studied as a major in an arts, social science or science degree. The fourth year of bachelor degree study, which is needed to satisfy registration requirements, may be undertaken as an honours year in the Bachelor of Psychology degree or as a Graduate Diploma of Psychology.To get into the degree courses you usually need to gain your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with English. Entry to postgraduate courses usually requires completion of an appropriate bachelor degree. Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact the institutions you are interested in for more information.

Additional information

The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) sets the standards for accreditation of Australasian psychology programs, ensuring that the standards of training remain rigorous and consistent across universities. For students to be eligible for registration, they must study a course that is accredited by APAC. Visit their website (www.psychologycouncil.org.au) for an up-to-date list of approved courses of study.Following successful completion of an approved qualification, students who completed a four-year sequence of study followed by a two-year internship will need to pass the National Psychology Exam in order to gain general registration.It is a legal requirement for graduates to be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia before being able to practise as a psychologist in any state or territory in Australia.

Best Universities for Psychology on MastersPortal

Universities	Location	Times Higher Education Ranking (2018)	Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ranking (2017)	TopUniversities Ranking (2018)	U.S. News & World Report Ranking (2018)
Yale University	New Haven, United States	–	7	5	4
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, United States	–	10	14	–
University of Minnesota Twin Cities	Minneapolis, United States	–	13	–	22
University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley, United States	–	17	5	26
University of Oxford	Oxford, United Kingdom	–	19	4	8
University of Chicago	Chicago, United States	–	22	20	32
Cornell University	Ithaca, United States	–	25	37	33
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign	Urbana, United States	–	26	26	52
King’s College London	London, United Kingdom	–	27	21	2
University of California, Davis	Davis, United States	–	34	51	40