Psychotherapist vs Therapist

A psychotherapist is someone who uses specific forms of talk therapy to treat people for emotional problems and mental illnesses, while a therapist may practice a wide range of mental therapy techniques, including talk therapy, in order to treat the mental health and well-being of their patient.

What degree do you need to be a psychotherapist?

You need a master's degree in psychotherapy to become a psychotherapist. You should start by obtaining a bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field, and then pursue your master's in psychotherapy.

What should I study to become a psychotherapist?

To become a psychotherapist, you should study sociology, education, and health sciences. While an advanced degree in psychology will offer many different career options, other programs may also be of interest to you.

How To Become A Psychotherapist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a psychotherapist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Jim Sliwinski Ph.D.

A Psychotherapist is an allied medical professional who specializes in psychotherapy - the treatment of mental health problems using psychological methods instead of medical methods.

Psychotherapy is also known as "talking therapy," and it helps patients to overcome mental and emotional problems and deal with their problematic beliefs, thoughts, behaviors, or compulsions with an aim to improve their well-being.

A Psychotherapist's job is extremely sensitive and requires that one has the necessary skills and experience. Skills such as verbal and listening skills, empathy, patience, and confidence are all essential for a psychotherapist.

A good grasp of psychological treatments is also essential to the role of a Psychotherapist. The typical workweek for them is 40 hours a week, five days a week, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

What general advice would you give to a psychotherapist?

Dr. Jim Sliwinski Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Psychology, Defiance College

I encourage all undergraduate psychology majors to consider graduate school. A bachelor's degree in psychology is becoming much more of a pre-professional program. That's not to say that there are not many jobs out there for individuals who only have a bachelor's, but full-time jobs, with benefits, are becoming harder to come by.

ScorePsychotherapistUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $69,921

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.3

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.16%

Black or African American 5.00%

Hispanic or Latino 10.46%

Unknown 3.60%

White 76.53%

Gender

female 72.62%

male 27.38%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a psychotherapist

Explore psychotherapist education requirements

Most common psychotherapist degrees

Master's

55.2 %

Bachelor's

37.3 %

Doctorate

4.1 %

Start to develop specific psychotherapist skills

Skills	Percentages
Social Work	19.30%
Patients	15.19%
Individual Therapy	13.22%
Crisis Intervention	6.54%
Mental Health	4.04%

Research psychotherapist duties and responsibilities

Provide individual, group therapy and rehabilitation services for clients with co-occurring disorders, trauma, addiction, grief, etc.
Perform case management services and prepare rehabilitation plans.
Administer cognitive and personality assessments, provide written summary of results to therapists, and provide verbal feedback to patients.
Cultivate and nurture positive, productive relationships with patients, families, and community providers to promote effective coordination of resources.

Prepare your psychotherapist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your psychotherapist resume.

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