How To Become a Therapist

Do you enjoy helping others? Become a therapist if you enjoy helping others and are seeking a job with fulfillment. Being a therapist is a rewarding career, both spiritually and financially. For many people, this is a dream job, though it does require more work than you may be expecting. Here's how to become a therapist:

1. Get a bachelor's degree. Choose a college that offers a major in psychology, the easiest route towards becoming a therapist. Psychology may be offered in a B.A. (more liberal arts coursework) or a B.S. (with more science and math). Take classes in any area of psychology that interests you to help you narrow down your focus; psychology has many areas, from marriage counseling to mental health to behavioral therapy. Sociology, education and health sciences are also good choices for a class or a major if you are interested in becoming a therapist. Work hard to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above, which you'll need for graduate school. As you are coming to the completion of your bachelor's program, look into master's programs that interest you.
2. Do your research. While you're still in school, subscribe to Psychology Today and read everything you can about psychology, particularly information that applies to the type of therapy you'd like to be involved in. Therapists work with a wide range of populations in many different settings. Start your planning early to narrow down your interests. Though there are master's degrees covering broad interest areas, you may have an easier time selecting a program if you have a better idea of what you want to do after you get the degree.
3. Get your master's degree. In order to become licensed as a therapist of any kind, you must have a master's degree. The degree programs vary depending on your chosen specialty including psychology, counseling, social work, advanced psychiatric nursing, and other degrees that are applicable to the field of therapy. There is also a Ph.D or Psy. D. in Psychology, which offers perhaps the broadest range of career options, though it is quite a bit of work, taking between four and eight years of study after you've finished your bachelors degree. While in school, do an internship with a local therapist to get a feel for the day-to-day life in this job.
4. Become licensed. To become a therapist, you must be licensed in the state where you plan to practice. Though license requirements vary between states, they usually require both a bachelor's and a master's degree.
5. Make a plan. Do you want to open your own therapy business, or work for someone else? What kind of setting do you want to work in? Your choice of specialty will influence these choices at least somewhat. Always let people know your future plans, no matter where you are in your education; it is never too early to start marketing yourself.

Therapy is a rewarding career that allows you to truly help people from all walks of life. Becoming a therapist might be an excellent choice for you if you want a challenging path that leads to a fulfilling career.