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Job outlook for behavioral therapists in the United States
Behavioral therapist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected behavioral therapist job growth rate is 14% from 2018-2028.
About 9,100 new jobs for behavioral therapists are projected over the next decade.
Behavioral therapist salaries have increased 10% for behavioral therapists in the last 5 years.
There are over 34,587 behavioral therapists currently employed in the United States.
There are 91,976 active behavioral therapist job openings in the US.
The average behavioral therapist salary is $37,881.
Are behavioral therapist jobs in demand?
Behavioral therapist job and salary trends over time
Behavioral therapist jobs over time
Behavioral therapist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34,587 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 36,627 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 35,607 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 30,631 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 27,658 | 0.01% |
Average behavioral therapist salary over time
Behavioral therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $37,881 | $18.21 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $36,733 | $17.66 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $35,855 | $17.24 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $34,978 | $16.82 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $34,308 | $16.49 | +2.7% |
Behavioral therapist jobs by state
Most common states for behavioral therapists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,496 | 36% |
| 2 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 450 | 34% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 248 | 33% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 564 | 29% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 302 | 29% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,620 | 27% |
| 7 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 176 | 25% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,339 | 24% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 750 | 24% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 235 | 24% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,950 | 23% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,732 | 23% |
| 13 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,560 | 23% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,706 | 21% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,206 | 21% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,894 | 21% |
| 17 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,262 | 21% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,196 | 21% |
| 19 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 621 | 21% |
| 20 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,707 | 20% |
Most common cities for behavioral therapists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attleboro | 3 | 7% | $38,305 |
| 2 | Severn | 3 | 7% | $41,478 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 2 | 5% | $41,528 |
| 4 | Martinez | 2 | 5% | $39,043 |
| 5 | Commerce City | 2 | 4% | $33,038 |
| 6 | Glen Burnie | 2 | 3% | $41,476 |
| 7 | Concord | 2 | 2% | $39,023 |
| 8 | San Leandro | 2 | 2% | $39,247 |
| 9 | Aurora | 2 | 1% | $33,038 |
| 10 | Hayward | 2 | 1% | $39,248 |
| 11 | Little Rock | 2 | 1% | $36,789 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 4 | 0% | $38,838 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $41,442 |
| 14 | Oakland | 2 | 0% | $39,250 |
| 15 | San Jose | 2 | 0% | $39,350 |
Behavioral Therapist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of behavioral therapist experts
Adelphi University
Saint Xavier University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of North Dakota
Tiffin University
Nicholls State University
Freed-Hardeman University
Morningside College
Loyola University Chicago
University of the Incarnate Word
Montana State University
Kent State University
University of Lynchburg
Arkansas State University
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
East Tennessee State University
University of Oregon
What general advice would you give to a Behavioral Therapist?
Katherine Stavrianopoulos Ph.D.: Education and Credentials: Invest in obtaining advanced degrees and relevant certifications that enhance your qualifications and marketability. A master's or doctoral degree in counseling psychology, along with licensure or certification in your jurisdiction, can significantly increase your earning potential. Specialization and Niche Expertise: Develop expertise in specialized areas of counseling psychology that are in demand or command higher fees. Consider focusing on niche populations, such as children and adolescents, trauma survivors, couples therapy, family therapy and acquire specialized training or certifications to differentiate yourself in the market. Clinical Experience and Internships: Gain diverse clinical experience through internships, practicum placements, and supervised training opportunities. Continuing Education and Professional Development: Stay abreast of emerging trends, research findings, and evidence-based practices in counseling psychology through continuing education, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC
Assistant Dean & Program Director, Master's programs in General Psychology and Mental Health CounselingAdelphi University
Mental And Social Health Services And Allied Professions
What general advice would you give to a Behavioral Therapist?
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC: In the next few years, counselors will benefit from developing skills in emerging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and how such technology is being used by clients through various social media applications that might lead to clinical concerns (.e.g., dating, gambling, pornography). Integrating some of these new technologies into therapeutically sound interventions will be one way to address these concerns both in traditional therapy settings, as well as virtually (e.g., avatar therapy).
What Behavioral Therapist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kristen Toole: This is an exciting time to be a counselor. It is a time for integration and inclusivity. With an
increasing focus on neuroscience and the advent of telehealth, incorporating science and
technology in counseling is increasingly relevant.
The use of technology is on the rise. As more people become familiar with telehealth, counselors
must become comfortable providing virtual care. Telehealth practices are also critical to
expanding our reach and improving the accessibility of our services.
Undeniable links between science and counseling continue to emerge. Findings in neuroscience
are shaping how we understand counseling and informing best practices (Cammisuli &
Castelnuovo, 2023). Furthermore, this supports incorporating knowledge and skills from other
disciplines to broaden the counseling field's horizons.
Mastering essential attending behaviors and the basic listening sequence (Ivey et al., 2018) is not
enough if we cannot successfully and accurately position our clients against a backdrop of broad
and complex contextual factors. Embracing diverse perspectives is crucial to supporting holistic
counseling practices. Integrating new information will be the key to achieving a more complete
and inclusive understanding of our clients and our work as we move forward.
What general advice would you give to a Behavioral Therapist?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: A practicing counselor's day is often full of sessions with clients. These sessions may be individual therapy, couples/families, or groups of individuals with some shared presenting issue. Counselors also have to complete paperwork associated with these sessions throughout the day. Some counselors also provide supervision to newer practitioners as a part of their work roles.
What will help Behavioral Therapists increase their earning potential?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
Pamela Teaster Ph.D.
Professor and Director, Center for GerontologyVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Department of Human Development and Family
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavioral Therapists?
Pamela Teaster Ph.D.: Possibly. Surely there is an impact on the ability of some students to be hired post-graduation. Some students who had positions lined up in the early spring found themselves without a position due to companies/academia/government halting hiring and work. This circumstance has the unfortunate effect of delaying graduates' entry into the job market and of putting them in competition with students who will be entering the job market in 2020. Students who have interests in fields that have a direct, as well as the indirect relationship to healthcare and public health, could find that their skills are in high demand, now and post-COVID.
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Human FactorsUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Psychology Department
What skills stand out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Strong analytical skills are a must. This includes both logic and reasoning skills, but also data analysis skills. For many jobs, the ability to collect and scientifically evaluate data will be vital, if not an absolute necessity. Similarly, a strong understanding of experimental methods can put a candidate in a great position to be able to help a company evaluate existing programs and chart a path forward for new ones. Finally, I would say that a strong ability to write is critical. Those graduates who are able to effectively and persuasively communicate in writing are setting themselves up for success at any company and allowing the company to leverage them for increasingly important tasks.
Isaac Karikari Ph.D.
MSW Program Director, Chemical Dependency Minor, Assistant ProfessorUniversity of North Dakota
Department of Social Work
What soft skills should all Behavioral Therapists possess?
Isaac Karikari Ph.D.: By default, social work practice is integrative. The levels of practice, broadly speaking, the micro-and macro-levels, intersect in ways that may not always be apparent. The capacity for critical and analytical thinking in identifying the nuances, seeing how these levels intersect, and understanding the implications for clients is essential for effective practice.
Relatedly, social work practice involves working with a diverse array of people across different systems and levels. A social worker needs to be able to navigate these systems. Systems thinking and the person-in-environment perspective are relevant.
Good interpersonal and communication skills are essential in helping one build and make the needed connections. These skills apply across the micro and macro levels.
The capacity to work collaboratively and with interdisciplinary teams is important. Other skills include genuinely demonstrating respect, empathy, reliability, integrity, and adaptability. Forbearance and emotional intelligence are often understated.
Social workers also need to have grit. Achieving and maintaining successful outcomes can be challenging.
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Counseling & Criminal JusticeTiffin University
Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavioral Therapists?
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.: The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues and needs all across the world. People need social interaction for well-being. The pandemic has contributed to increases in mental health and addictive disorders. Knowledge, training, treatment for psychological well-being has become even more critical as a personal and professional required skill across all fields.
Being able to understand and adapt to the limits of distance work will also be a lasting impact.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Behavioral Therapists?
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.: Clinical practice license/certifications are often critical for marketability and employment. At Tiffin University we provide a training track for Psychology students to get a Chemical Dependency License to practice with an undergraduate degree. There is a nationwide shortage for licensed addiction specialists. The demand for licensed counselors in this area has increased greater than the supply.
These students are very often among the first of our graduates to get hired. Opportunities are only increasing as the The American Rescue Plan Act will provide $4 billion for substance use disorder and mental health services.
We also provide close advising and assist students to attend graduate school to obtain additional clinical licenses in the fields of psychology, counseling and social work.
What will help Behavioral Therapists increase their earning potential?
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.: Mixing unusual majors and minors-to stand out in the crowd often can help student marketability. For example I recently have been working with a psychology student to establish a business minor. This can prepare the student work in human resource management as well as the human service field.
Obtaining an advanced graduate degree often helps.
Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson
Assistant Professor & Coordinator of School Counseling ProgramNicholls State University
Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Studies
What technical skills for a Behavioral Therapist stand out to employers?
Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson: In addition, recent graduates will need to be familiarized with using telehealth platforms due to more remote learning needs. Plus, recent graduates will need to familiarize themselves with their basic facilitative skills to establish rapport quickly to have brief sessions. Also, I would recommend students receive competency-based credentials and become licensed in at least one additional state. Lastly, I would recommend students familiarize themselves with crisis intervention and trauma counseling.
In sum, graduates have to be aware of how their roles may shift due to job displacement, furloughs, and restructuring. Due to new challenges presented in the COVID-19 pandemic, graduates have to be prepared to address the possibility of being faced with high caseloads, secondary traumatization, role conflict/ambiguity, and tension in the workplace. As a precautionary measure, neophytes should adopt a holistic self-care regimen and professional network to ameliorate the mental health condition.
Dr. James Dalton Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health CounselingFreed-Hardeman University
Counseling Program
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. James Dalton Ph.D.: The pandemic has forced a shift to technology-assisted interactions in a wide variety of areas including education. I do not expect education to remain as reliant upon technology-assisted interaction as it has been in the past year. Neither do I expect our nation to return to almost complete reliance upon face-to-face interactions. Instead, I believe we will see technology-assisted education and technology-assisted school counseling integrated into the services of the majority of K-12 schools. Therefore, I believe we will see an increase in distance interactions with students through school counseling. Large districts may long-term employ some school counselors from off-site, or may incorporate off-site counselors into the services they provide.
Additionally, the pandemic has not decreased the mental health and wellness needs of our students, but instead has further demonstrated the existence of these needs and the difficulty many schools and communities have in meeting the needs of our most vulnerable populations. I expect this to lead to an increase in services that are provided by or integrated into schools including mental health counseling and trauma-informed counseling and services.
For both reasons, I expect school counseling jobs to have a greater variety of opportunities in the years ahead.
Stacie Hays
Associate Vice President of Career Services & Professional DevelopmentMorningside College
Career Services Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Stacie Hays: I think one of the biggest trends we will see is an increase and continuation for remote work or work from home opportunities. Specifically, I think the pandemic has allowed employers to really see and understand that you don't need someone in the office to succeed with work tasks. I think this will cause employers to increase their searches for the right candidate, not only the local candidate, or one that is willing to relocate. This opens up opportunities in a way that perhaps we have not seen before.
What skills stand out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Stacie Hays: Definitely being adaptable or flexible is going to continue to be one of the most desired skills that employers will be looking for. In our current professional environment, it is so important to be nimble and able to change focus quickly to capitalize on opportunities. I also believe the ability to prove to employers that one can self-initiate on tasks will be paramount. Employers in general are looking for more evidence that links employees to specific experiences that illustrate their skills and abilities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavioral Therapists to find work opportunities?
Stacie Hays: I'm a huge proponent of utilizing labor market research in searching for jobs. One site I'm particularly fond of is Careeronestop. Here you can search for occupations, get a report, and learn more about job demand. You can also see each state's job demand for certain occupations, which makes it easy to see what state's would have more need for students with those specific majors. I'm also a fan of searching for your local state's workforce development system, as well as chamber of commerce sites or LinkedIn to determine what employers are part of that community's economy. Overall, I recommend using lots of job search websites and then going back to your favorites when you start job searching in earnest.
Sheryl Covitt
Adjunct Faculty in the School of EducationLoyola University Chicago
School of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Sheryl Covitt: -Diversity in skills: virtual, hybrid, in-person
-Flexibility with assignments: being able to teach multiple groups/topics in a variety of settings
-Use of technology
What skills stand out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Sheryl Covitt: I make sure that the resumes candidates share with me are clearly and concisely written and make a positive impression quickly, as this is the first document an interviewer will read. The description of each of their school-based experiences should include action words that describe what they did and with whom. Using key words such as progress monitoring, cultural/racial diversity, differentiation, working with families, relationship building, use of technology (this is a big one!), and collaboration will (hopefully) encourage the interviewer to explore that further with the candidate during the interview. I also let them know that resumes should include skills and accomplishments that are relevant to schools' needs. This requires them to do his/her research about the school district prior to submitting a resume to that school and before going in for the interview.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavioral Therapists to find work opportunities?
Sheryl Covitt: I can't speak to locations outside the Chicagoland area but I can surmise that in communities around the country, urban, suburban and rural, there is a huge need for teachers especially as there has been a documented increase in the number of teachers retiring due to the pandemic and/or are of Baby Boomer age. Per the literature, there is an increased need for teachers in special education which includes pre-K, inclusion and lo-incidence, English as a Second Language, and specialty areas in both elementary and high school.
In Chicago, the need for teachers is city-wide-not just in the high-need areas. Chicago Public Schools has The Early Offer Program which provides student teaching candidates a chance to interview with a member of the CPS teacher recruitment staff well in advance of the traditional hiring season. If they think the candidate is a good fit, they will extend a guaranteed offer to teach in CPS, and then work with them throughout the spring and summer to meet principals and find a teaching position that is an ideal fit for you. As I understand the caveat with this program, it's that they seek to place candidates in schools in high need areas of the city and this may dissuade candidates from pursuing this option.
There ARE teaching jobs available and some of variables that candidates need to seriously consider before accepting a position are:
-salary
-benefits
-professional development
-supervision/mentoring
-the financial stability of the district and the past trends when balancing budgets
-viability of the content area in terms of district need.
Dr. Maria Felix-Ortiz Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and ChairUniversity of the Incarnate Word
Department of Psychology
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavioral Therapists?
Dr. Maria Felix-Ortiz Ph.D.: No one will forget this pandemic because of the major behavioral changes it has required of us (e.g., masking, washing hands thoroughly and frequently, avoiding crowds, keeping 6-8 ft of distance from others), the tragic loss of life, and the negative effect on the economy. Because of the effect on the economy, many graduates may have some more difficulty than usual in finding employment. However, this may be a good time to pursue graduate studies!
Recent graduates might work in volunteer positions with nonprofits until they can land a good entry-level position. Volunteers can make important new connections, develop new skills, and sometimes even be hired into the organization they're assisting or into a partner organization. There are even opportunities to volunteer to assist organizations "online": Most social service organizations are delivering services through online meetings. We were fortunate to have the internet (something that didn't exist when I was looking for my first job), because it will be an important resource for new graduates. The pandemic will produce a generation of graduates that are more comfortable with speaking and interacting through online meetings.
What type of skills will young Behavioral Therapists need?
Dr. Maria Felix-Ortiz Ph.D.: My colleagues and I have noticed that students are not able to communicate as well as previous generations. While many are reading a lot on social media, they are not reading the kind of nonfiction and fiction that will develop their writing and speaking skills. Graduates can be competitive if they have strong reading skills, the capacity to innovate as part of problem solving, if they can speak and communicate effectively, work well with others, and take the initiative to improve their workplace, company product or processes. Manager and administrators want individuals who are enthusiastic about being a team player.
What experience really stands out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Dr. Maria Felix-Ortiz Ph.D.: A good cover letter! Unfortunately, many applicants forget the importance of submitting a cover letter for the resume and HR usually skims a cover letter to see if the applicant's skills match the skills described in the job advertisement. Use the language of the job description to describe skills you may bring to the work! Beyond this, applicants can impress those hiring with an internship or research assistantship where the student has worked for two or more semesters, with skills in a second language and culture OR being very "fluent" in technology, with a substantial study-abroad experience, and/or some sort of research product (e.g., a poster, a paper accepted to a journal).
What type of skills will young Behavioral Therapists need?
Edward Dunbar: Additionally, new graduates will need knowledge and skills in telehealth, integrative care and medicine, trauma, and case management. Whereas prior to the pandemic students had limited knowledge of the importance of client case management, the pandemic has required students to learn about community resources and helping clients with concrete short term goals.
What experience really stands out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Edward Dunbar: Crisis counseling, suicide prevention training, and case management
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Andrew Wiley Ph.D.: Before the pandemic, the number of students who needed special education was already on the rise. There is no question that the pandemic will increase that number even further. This pandemic has had a negative impact on the learning and development of millions of kids. Reversing the damage will require an influx of dedicated and skilled specialists on a national scale.
Also, there was an acute shortage of licensed special education teachers before the pandemic. Now, the demand for qualified special educators will be greater than ever before. In addition to offering an incredible range of career opportunities, special education offers a unique opportunity to make a tremendous difference for children and their families. This is true now more than ever before.
What skills stand out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Dr. Andrew Wiley Ph.D.: Graduates from the special education program at Kent State demonstrate adaptive expertise. The "expertise" is in specially designed instruction and interventions in academics, life skills, social skills, communication - whatever the special educational needs of students with disabilities may be. The "adaptive" refers to the ability to collaborate with other professionals to solve problems. What stands out on resumes is expert training in both research-based special education practices and the ability to function within a team. Kent State's special education program provides both.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavioral Therapists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Andrew Wiley Ph.D.: There is a demand for fully credentialled special educators in every part of the country. The demand is highest in both rural and urban areas, but suburban districts also need special educators. Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan are all good places for a career in special education because of the particularly high salary compared to cost of living. But again, there are many special education careers to choose from anywhere in the United States. The demand continues to grow.
Daniel Hall Ph.D.
Program Director, Assistant Professor of Counselor EducationUniversity of Lynchburg
College of Education, Leadership Studies, & Counseling
What type of skills will young Behavioral Therapists need?
Daniel Hall Ph.D.: As I just mentioned, counselors will now be expected to have skills specific to online delivery of services. The ethical challenge will be that this skill set should be founded upon solid, professional training in teletherapy, not just offering services without related pedagogy, experience, and supervision. Also, because counseling practice will have undergone this "sea change" everyone in the profession will need increased measures of two qualities that were always inherent in the professional practice: flexibility and the ability to cooperate and collaborate both within an agency and across a service community.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavioral Therapists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Amy Pearce Ph.D.: A great thing about psychology is the number of options available to degree-earners! Psychology majors aren't confined to one job title or geographical locale. Work opportunities will be largely dictated by the experience and skills acquired along the path of earning a bachelor's degree. This is why, in addition to the requisite coursework, it's important to gain relevant applicable experiences and acquire additional training and skills. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, or their O*NET Online, are good places to start searching for projections on specific careers and factors related to employability in psychology. Although a bachelor's degree in psychology doesn't make someone a psychologist, a myriad of opportunities exist in business, academic, and human service settings, which are in every city.
Kim Jones Ph.D.
Professor, Chair of Clinical ConcentrationUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock
School of Social Work
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Kim Jones Ph.D.: As a result of the pandemic, the need for mental health services will increase due to the devastating impact the pandemic has had. The pandemic, with its resulting stress, social isolation, loss of loved ones, and income, has resulted in increased levels of reported depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug use. It has also negatively impacted children's emotional, educational, and psychological well-being.
It is reported that one in five U.S. citizens (47 million) have a mental health condition. These individuals are particularly vulnerable to relapse and a worsening of their conditions due to the stressful impact of the ongoing pandemic. The pandemic, in many instances, has also interrupted their usual regimen of mental health care.
Social workers will see a 13 percent growth rate in jobs between 2019 and 2029.
What skills stand out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Kim Jones Ph.D.: The necessary skills for today's market include the ability to implement evidence-informed mental health approaches, the ability to display empathy, knowledge of crisis intervention models, organizational skills, good work ethic, both verbal and written communication skills, cultural competence, and the ability to adapt to changing technology.
Jamie Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorEast Tennessee State University
Department of Counseling and Human Services
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavioral Therapists?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: We know that many of our graduates are drawn to the field of Human Services due to the issues they have faced in their own lives. We have seen an uptick in students sharing the fact they have struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences during our remote teaching and advising. We need to be aware of Trauma-Informed teaching and outreach as a program and as a university.
What type of skills will young Behavioral Therapists need?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: Students need training in Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma-Informed Care, Active and Compassionate Listening, and the abilities to support and advocate for people that do not share your life experience and perspective.
What experience really stands out on Behavioral Therapist resumes?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: Community involvement and activism can set a potential candidate apart from other applicants.
What Behavioral Therapist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: Cultural competency, knowledge of social emotional learning, and familiarity with the tenets of Response to Intervention (RTI) are all skills that will help enhance educators' competitiveness. If a graduate needs to take a gap year, there are many ways to ensure that they continue to develop these skills. They might serve as a mentor to an at-risk student (many schools have active mentor programs), teach in an after-school tutoring program (these can be set up for remote or in-person instruction), or work on improving their knowledge of the different languages spoken by families in the community where they are hoping to work. Enhancing one's knowledge of anti-racism teaching practices will help make a graduate more effective as an educator as well as more competitive in the job market.
What general advice would you give to a Behavioral Therapist?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: Most of the students in our Educational Leadership program at the University of Oregon are full-time educators already, and they enter our program to enhance their expertise and earn a doctorate while continuing to teach or work in school administration. For these students, graduation often provides the opportunity to take on new leadership responsibilities in their schools or districts. The advice I give to them is to remain in contact with their colleagues from the program, to remain actively engaged in learning and supporting one another, and to seek ways to support others in their schools and districts who demonstrate an interest in developing their leadership skills.
For people graduating with degrees in Educational Leadership who are just starting their careers in education, I advise taking the time to think critically about new initiatives that come their way and to seek input from experienced educators about the viability of ideas before they rush to adopt or promote them. Sometimes an idea might be appealing on paper yet be fraught with challenges in terms of implementation.
As educational leaders, it is important to be able to understand both the strengths and the limitations of the research based on which "evidence-based practices" are promoted.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: With so much uncertainty about the future, many school districts and institutes of higher education imposed hiring freezes in the spring of 2020 and started the 2020-2021 academic year without the influx of new hires that we would typically see at the start of a new school year. The approval of vaccines with demonstrated efficacy against COVID-19 should, hopefully, prompt a return to a more normal job market in the coming spring. The job market will likely be quite competitive, with new graduates vying for open positions with those who were not offered positions in education last spring.
Given the challenges that schools have faced during the pandemic, I believe we will see an increasing need for culturally-competent, highly-skilled educators who can think critically and allocate limited resources creatively. Schools across the country are likely to struggle with budget shortfalls, as high unemployment rates reduce states' tax bases and as other high-priority needs compete for the limited money available. Thus, finding jobs might be more challenging than in the past.
In terms of the skills that will be needed to be competitive in the job market, the pandemic and resulting move to remote instruction for many in education will increase the demand for educators with expertise in developing literacy and numeracy, particularly in the early grades (K-5). Those with an understanding of how to use student performance data to screen for students at risk, to identify their areas of need, to provide instructional supports to meet those needs, and to monitor the progress being made so that instruction can be adjusted on a regular basis will be in high demand.
In addition, disparities in access to educational technology and the resulting disproportionality in "learning loss" as a result of the move to remote instruction for students from different demographic backgrounds will increase the demand for educators who have experience working with students from low-income families and those experiencing homelessness, as well as demand for educators who have demonstrated their ability to work effectively with students from different ethnicities.
With the continued focus on increasing the diversity of the educator workforce to better match demographics in the United States, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Southeast Asian educators will continue to be in high demand.