collageA therapist is a licensed professional with a background in psychology or counseling. “Therapist” is a broad term and often includes many types of professionals, including: mental health counselors, school psychologists, substance abuse counselors, psychotherapists, social workers, and psychiatrists. Therapists are usually thought of as mental health professionals who work directly with people, couples, or groups to provide therapeutic services. Therapists may work in private practice, in schools, social service institutions, clinics, hospitals, or even online.
How Do You Become A Therapist?
As you begin researching how to become a therapist, your first question is probably: what education do I need to become a therapist? The answer isn’t completely clear-cut because there are many different kinds of therapists and they require different educational backgrounds. In addition, different states have different requirements for different mental health professionals. You should start by checking your state’s specific licensing requirements.
In general, you will likely need at least a bachelor’s degree to become a therapist; however, the majority of licensed therapists need to have master’s degrees in addition to bachelor’s degrees. Some therapists have advanced degrees, such as a PhD, PsyD, or MD. If you wish to work directly with patients, you will need supervised clinical hours as well as educational degrees to complete your licensure. After completing your clinical hours, you will then take a certifying exam, purchase liability insurance, and begin to pursue job opportunities.
What Education Requirements Do You Need To Become A Therapist?
Some basic counseling certificates require only a bachelor’s degree; getting an initial counseling certificate might be something you might wish to pursue on your journey to becoming a therapist. If you are currently a college student thinking of entering the profession, you might want to start by taking coursework in psychology, communication, and sociology, as all of these areas can help you prepare to become a therapist.
In most cases, becoming a licensed therapist requires a master’s degree. This is true of therapy professions such as social workers, and psychotherapists; most counseling licenses require master’s degrees as well. Usually the master’s degree you are seeking will be in the specific field that you wish to enter.
In addition to your degree, which will cover course material that prepares you for your career, you will need to complete supervised clinical work in psychology. This means that you will have to practice having therapy sessions with clients before you can become certified by the state’s licensing board (these sessions are often arranged by your degree program). Finally, you will need to take a licensure exam and pass it before you can practice therapy.
Some therapist licenses that require master’s degrees include:
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker [LCSW]
- Licensed Master Social Worker [LMSW]
- Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker [LICSW]
- (Licensed) Mental Health Counselor [LMHC or MHC]
- (Licensed) Marriage and Family Therapist [LMFT or MFT]
Some therapists have advanced degrees, and go on to get doctorates in psychology. There are two types of doctorates you might pursue in your journey to become a therapist: a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology). Therapists with PhDs usually focus more on research, whereas therapists with PsyDs typically focus more on clinical work. Both degrees require 4-6 or more years of education, and you can practice therapy with either degree.
Finally, you can also practice therapy if you have an MD and become a psychiatrist. This requires you to go to medical school, of course. Psychiatrists are the only type of therapist that can prescribe medication to their patients; they are also the only therapists who can formally diagnose someone with a mental health condition, such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, etc.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Therapist?
The length of time it takes to become a therapist very much depends on the educational path you choose. If you are choosing a license pathway that includes a master’s degree, you will need two or three additional years of education beyond a bachelor’s degree. If you are choosing to get a doctorate, you will likely need to pursue about 5-7 years of education beyond your bachelor’s degree. If you want to become a psychiatrist, you will need an MD, which can take about eight years after receiving a bachelor’s degree. test
What Kind Of Issues Can A Therapist Help With?
If you know that helping people is a passion of yours, which is why you were likely drawn to the field of psychology and therapy, you still may be wondering what types of mental health issues you can help others manage and overcome.
Really, there are so many mental health issues that you can help people work through as a therapist!
Here are a few of the most common ones:
- Substance abuse (alcohol and drugs)
- Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, disordered eating)
- Anxiety disorders (panic disorder, PTSD, OCD, generalized anxiety disorder)
- Depression disorders
- Postpartum mood disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Personality disorders
- Marriage challenges
- Parenting challenges and issues facing children and students
Therapists can also help people deal with more universal life stresses such as:
- Grief and loss
- Job stress
- Insomnia
- Life changes such as divorce, moving, or changing jobs
- Relationship issues
- Learning to cope with health crises
- Sexual issues
- Recovery from sexual abuse
What Does A Therapist Do?
Most therapists work one on one with their clients, either in a private practice office, a clinic, a school, a social service setting, or a healthcare setting. Therapy usually involves different types of counseling, which requires you to listen to your clients problems and help them come up with ways of coping. Usually sessions involve asking clients probing questions to help them understand more about themselves and identify strategies for working through their issues. Most therapists don’t offer their own advice or opinion, but rather try to push their clients to search for their own inner wisdom to solve the mental health challenges they face.
The way therapists approach therapy depends also on their particular kind of training they received. For example, a therapist who is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may focus on identifying negative thought patterns and trying to come up with ways to reframe those patterns more positively. On the other hand, a therapist who is trained in psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapy may focus on how unconscious thoughts and childhood experiences influence their client’s current issues.
Some of the most common therapy types include:
- Cognitive or cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT]
- Existential therapy
- Gestalt therapy
- Psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapy
- Client-centered therapy
- Anger management therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy [DBT]
- Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy [ISTDP]
- Interpersonal psychotherapy [IPT]
- Positive psychotherapy
- Relational psychotherapy
Most therapy is one-on-one, and may include adults or children; therapists may also work with couples, families, or with larger groups.
No matter how a therapist was trained, most therapists end up combining different methods to treat their clients’ unique needs and different methods depending on what their client is struggling with. Most therapists work alone, but sometimes a therapist will need to refer a client to their doctor or a psychiatrist if their problems seem to require medical attention or medication.
What Makes A Good Therapist?
Having the “helping people” bug isn’t all it takes to become a therapist. While there isn’t one personality type that is best suited become a therapist, there are some basic skills that will make you more suited to the profession, including:
- High degree of emotional intelligence and awareness
- Intuitive sense of how to interact with others
- Strong listening skills
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Ability to listen to other people’s problems without judgment
- Someone who is self-aware and willing to explore their own psychology and mental health struggles
- Someone who is able to implement healthy boundaries when needed
- Someone who is responsible and trustworthy
Becoming a therapist in New York
Counselors in New York who have obtained their licensure are known as Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), while those who have yet to complete the supervision portion of the licensure process can have a Limited Permit to practice.
Licensure for LMHCs in New York is managed by the state’s Board of Mental Health Practitioners , a division of the New York State Education Department. Licensure requirements for counselors in New York, including education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal and “licensure by endorsement,” are examined in further detail below, along with salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as scholarships and loan repayment programs available to LMHCs in the state.
Counselor Education in New York
New York LMHC licensure requires the completion of a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or other acceptable accrediting agency.
Appropriate degree programs will be 60 semester hours of graduate-level coursework, with instruction in each of the following core content areas:
- Human growth and development
- Social and cultural foundations of counseling
- Counseling theory and practice
- Psychopathology
- Group dynamics
- Lifestyle and career development
- Assessment and appraisal of individuals, couples, families and groups
- Research and program evaluation
- Professional orientation and ethics
- Foundations of mental health counseling and consultation
- Clinical instruction
- Internship or practicum
Internship Requirements
In addition to the coursework listed above, New York LMHC licensure also requires the completion of year-long supervised internship or practicum in mental health counseling which adds up to at least 600 clock hours. This requirement is distinct from post-graduate supervision, which is also necessary for licensure.
Examination
Licensure as a mental health counselor in New York requires a passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE), which tests knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, counseling, psychotherapy, administration, consultation and supervision. It consists of 10 clinical mental health counseling cases and assesses clinical problem-solving ability by testing identification, analysis and treatment. It is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Continuing Education
LMHCs in New York are required to complete 36 hours of continuing education (CE) during each triennial renewal term. A maximum of 12 of these hours may be from self-instructional coursework; the rest must be through formal education which contributes to professional practice in mental health counseling. This includes collegiate level courses and professional development programs offered by national, state and local professional associations. All CE must be obtained from providers approved by the New York State Board of Mental Health Practitioners.
Additional Information
The New York State Board for Mental Health Practitioners has an alternative route to licensure for counselors who have already obtained their licenses in other parts of the United States. This process is called “licensure by endorsement”. Applicants seeking licensure by endorsement through New York must submit proof of an active and in good standing licensure of at least five years in their originating jurisdiction. Out-of-state applicants must furnish proof of having met equivalent requirements as set forth by New York’s licensing board.
Average Counselor Salary in New York
New York counselors can expect to earn the following average hourly and average annual wages, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
| Average Counselor Salary in New York | ||
| Type of Counselor | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Wage |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $24.70 | $51,380 |
| Educational, Guidance, School and Vocational Counselors | $32.66 | $67,920 |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | $17.33 | $36,040 |
| All Other Counselors | $24.67 | $51,130 |
Serving the mental health needs of New Yorkers as a psychologist in private practice is more than just great…it’s the most rewarding career path available. Of course, I’m just a tiny bit biased, but I stand by my assertion and you’ll learn why I feel so strongly about it.
Keep in mind that I’m generally referring to what it’s like to be a New York City psychologist in private practice as opposed to working in a hospital, school or clinic setting. You can also have a rewarding career as a psychologist outside of the private practice setting, but running your own show takes the experience a hundred levels higher. And even if you want to be in private practice, you almost always have to train and work in other settings before you can practice independently.
All I will say to qualify my bold statement is that a career as a psychologist can only be so profoundly amazing if the following are true:
- You can handle the uncertainty of lacking a regular, predictable paycheck.
- You don’t worship money.
- You have exceptional listening skills, you tend to root for the underdog, you have the humility to take responsibility for your actions in interpersonal conflict and you don’t unravel when you hear about extreme mental suffering.
Yes, this is a gross oversimplification of what makes a solid psychologist, but it will have to do for now.
Here’s why New York City offer therapists the best career experience you can ask for:
- First and foremost, you get to meet the most intelligent, dynamic and talented group of people in the world. Can you imagine how enjoyable it would be to spend your day enhancing the lives of the movers and shakers of the world? It’s wildly exciting to help younger generations who have the drive, talent, creativity and mental ability to change the world. I learn as much from my patients as they do from me.
- You learn how to mix art with science to enhance the lives of people who are the world’s best artists and scientists. The best therapy is one that mixes objectively proven techniques with artful, interpersonal maneuvers. Psychologists, especially good ones, take mental health care to the next level by offering much than what a book or manual can teach. They mix art into their approach, which adds an intangible element that promotes personal transformation.
- You feel like you’re making a difference in the world on a daily basis. Since New York attracts such a unique type of individual, it can feel like you’re having a profound effect on society by improving the lives of people who make things happen for the world. As your skillset grows, so will your ability to create significant changes for your patients, which in turn, will make them more effective in their influence on the world.
- You become an expert in New York City culture without trying. Imagine being constantly taught about the subtleties of city life, the latest trends, memes, metaphors, fashion, art and everything that makes NYC so unique. It gives you the sense that you have your finger on the pulse of the Center of the Universe, the world’s largest think tank. Clients will incorporate their vast array of cultural opportunities into their therapy. For example, you will get to talk with clients about Hamilton after they see the show, or an art installation, gala or tech convention.
- Investing in self-improvement becomes a thunderclap of wellness that spreads across the city. If you read about an interesting concept, you’re suddenly equipped with a powerful metaphor to use with certain clients. Take on the task of reading a self-help book or attending a seminar and your clients will indirectly benefit from what you personally reap.
- You make your own hours which gives you a invigorating sense of freedom. While everyone else is counting vacation days, imprisoned within a cube city and reporting to a boss, you get to do whatever you feel like. Even with a full roster of patients, there’s still tons of time to play in the city. This can be problematic if you’re undisciplined or you crave the structure offered by a regular paycheck. To be honest, I would give up the predictability of a regular paycheck in a heartbeat for the freedom to walk outside on a two-hour break between sessions to sit in a wonderful coffee shop and write a blog post, take an hour-long stroll and soak in the city’s spirit and beauty, schmooze with New Yorkers or casually browse through a magic shop or a used book store.
- You’re exposed to the most diverse group of people and ideas on the planet. In a single day, you might work with people from six different countries, or help someone manage the stress of the inner city right after assisting someone with managing the stress of running a large company. You get to talk with people with high aspirations, people from backgrounds unlike your own who care about the world and want to make it a better place.
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