By Dr. Elizabeth Brokamp, PhD, LPC, ACS, NCC, BC-TMH Show
Longing for a career in which you can make a difference? People with strong communication skills and a desire to help others can find rewarding careers as mental health therapists. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2021) published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in mental health are projected to increase by 23% through 2030, a rate much faster than average. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased the need for counseling services, driving up demand for skilled, compassionate, mental health providers to address rising levels of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. This article covers how to become a therapist, including:
What Is a Therapist?A therapist is a mental health professional who is trained to work with persons with emotional challenges, helping to optimize their mental health. Sometimes also called psychotherapists or counselors, therapists are typically professionals who have earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling or Social Work and who provide therapy services to clients. Therapists are not the same as psychologists (who have earned a doctorate in Psychology) or psychiatrists (who attended medical school and can prescribe psychiatric medications) but may work with similar populations of people and sometimes in the same clinical settings, like hospitals, outpatient treatment centers, or private practices.
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