| Many people think of a therapist as someone who | | | | time. |
| has a Ph.D. in psychology, but the reality is that | | | | Depending on your state of residence, you might |
| there are several different types of health care | | | | be able to practice as a licensed psychologist with |
| professionals who provide counseling services to | | | | a master's degree in psychology. Even if you |
| clients, and not all of them have Ph.D.'s. | | | | cannot practice as a licensed psychologist, you |
| Therapists may specialize in the areas of | | | | would still have a variety of other options available |
| substance abuse, occupational rehabilitation, family | | | | to you with this degree. |
| counseling, or social work. Of course, you will need | | | | You might also consider obtaining a master's |
| to decide early on exactly what type of therapist | | | | degree in counseling. This would allow you to work |
| you want to be so that you can choose the most | | | | with families, couples, children, or adults in a |
| appropriate educational program to help you meet | | | | variety of different settings. To obtain this type |
| your goals. | | | | of master's degree, you should expect to devote |
| To help you make this decision, you need to think | | | | at least two to three years of time in graduate |
| about where your interests lie. Do you want to | | | | school. Of course, this will depend on how much |
| work with children, or would you prefer to work | | | | time you have available to attend classes each |
| with adults? You might prefer to work with | | | | semester, as well as how heavy a course load |
| families or couples who need relationship | | | | you feel up to dealing with while in school. |
| counseling. Then again, you might discover that | | | | If you become a licensed clinical social worker |
| you have a special interest in helping people to | | | | (LCSW), you will be allowed to provide a certain |
| overcome substance abuse, and you might want | | | | level of therapy to clients in a number of different |
| to focus your efforts in that direction. | | | | types of settings. The particular types of clients |
| Regardless of which path you choose, you should | | | | that you are allowed to treat will depend upon the |
| be prepared to attend college for several years. | | | | legislation in your state of residence. |
| Even though all types of therapists do not need a | | | | Work Options |
| Ph.D., they do all require a certain level of | | | | Regardless of the path you choose for becoming |
| advanced education in order to be fully qualified | | | | a therapist, you will have the option of choosing |
| and licensed within their state of residence. | | | | to work for a variety of different entities, or you |
| Starting Out | | | | might simply choose to work for yourself. Being a |
| You should begin your educational journey by | | | | therapist is an excellent work from home |
| obtaining a bachelor's degree in psychology. | | | | business, particularly if you have a sufficient |
| Though it is possible that you could still enter a | | | | amount of room to have a completely separate |
| particular field with another type of undergraduate | | | | office space. |
| degree such as education, health, or sociology, it is | | | | This is actually a very important aspect of |
| recommended that you start out by pursuing a | | | | working from home in this particular field, as you |
| psychology degree. | | | | do not want your clients to have to walk through |
| You will have the most career options available to | | | | personal areas of your home to reach your |
| you if you ultimately obtain a Ph.D. These | | | | designated business area. This could make some |
| individuals can work as licensed psychologists in a | | | | people feel extremely uncomfortable. So, if you |
| number of different disciplines. Obtaining this | | | | plan to work from home, make sure you create |
| degree can take an additional four to eight years | | | | an office space that has an outer door to allow |
| of college after you have earned your bachelor's | | | | your clients to visit you without feeling like they |
| degree, however, so if this is your goal, be | | | | are invading your personal space. |
| prepared to attend a lot of classes for a long | | | | |