Psychotherapy aims to relieve a patient’s discomfort with life, requiring a deep connection with the patient. Becoming a psychotherapist requires a master’s degree, passing a national exam, and obtaining a license. It takes two to nine years to become a psychotherapist.
A psychotherapist uses a range of techniques to establish a deep connection with patients in order to help them resolve issues they may be having in their lives. Psychotherapy is primarily aimed at relieving a patient’s perceived discomfort with life, to help them live a more personally fulfilling life. Psychotherapy is not an objective discipline, relying on the psychotherapist’s ability to establish a connection with the patient and discern the underlying causes of problems, and the best way to bring the patient to a happier state of mind. As a result, those who want to become psychotherapists tend to be those who want to help others by relating to them on a personal level.
It takes a lot of work and education to become a psychotherapist and it takes many years. Often people who think they want to work as psychotherapists find the amount of work too much and choose to enter a helping field that requires less education. For example, some people may choose to focus on social work or become a counselor of some sort. Even in these cases, however, many years of education are needed to ensure that the professional handles people well.
The requirements to become a psychotherapist differ from country to country and from state to state in the United States. Generally, at least a master’s degree is required, usually in Social Work, Counseling or Psychology. In some states, such as California, a doctorate is the minimum degree required to become a psychotherapist. In addition, a strong understanding of several associated disciplines is required, so those who wish to work as a psychotherapist should take classes in neurology, physiology and chemistry, to provide the necessary foundation for understanding the physiological component of psychotherapy.
After a diploma is acquired, the prospective psychotherapist needs to pass the National Exam for Professional Practice in Psychology. This exam tests the prospective psychotherapist in their understanding of research methodology, psychological assessment, test construction, social and developmental psychology, and psychotherapy. While courses taken during undergraduate study should adequately cover most of these areas, specialist workshops exist to help people who wish to become psychotherapists prepare for the test.
Next, the future psychotherapist needs to be licensed to practice in a specific state. Different states have different requirements and different licensing procedures. Many require the person to pass a licensing exam, after which they are a psychotherapist and can practice. In other states, the person may be required to spend minimal time in residence with an established psychotherapist in order to gain a first-hand understanding of the field, and once their mentor has finished their time with them, they may become if licensed.
Once licensed, the person becomes a psychotherapist and can go into private practice or join a larger organization. The opportunities for psychotherapists are many, although there are many different theories of psychotherapy, and new psychotherapists may find their options limited by the school they choose to follow. It generally takes most people anywhere from two to nine years to become a psychotherapist, depending on the education they already had before they started pursuing certification.
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