What can I do now to become a therapist or psychologist?

Hi Archana,

Clinical psychology and neuroscience (especially cognitive neuroscience) are wonderful fields! I am an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist by education. This field is not as intense as clinical psychology or neuroscience so you are asking some excellent questions! One recommendation is to explore volunteer opportunities at community agencies or mental health service providers to make sure that you would enjoy the field. There are two routes to becoming a clinical psychologist: Bachelor's degree and Master's degree or Bachelor's degree, [Master's degree], Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology. The most important factor is to identify a program that has been accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA has an entire section of their website dedicated to education. This includes information on undergraduate and graduate education. One area that is highlighted on this site is community service. This is a great way to build experience and add to your resume before you enter college.

Once you are in college try to work with faculty who are conducting research in the areas you interested in. My middle daughter is an undergraduate and wants to be a clinical psychologist. She volunteered to travel to Thailand to help work with young children and teach them English. She also assisted with prison inmate exit interviews for prisoners, diagnosed with a psychological disorder, who were going to be released. These types of opportunities and activities will look great on your applications to graduate school in the future.

Dr. Ross

Psychology has different hats and it all depends on what you want to focus on. You can look at number gathering/ statistics approach if you prefer numbers or the counseling aspect of things. Private practice can prove more lucrative but working as part of a team in an agency can be more stable financially. I guess the bigger question you need to ask yourself would be, what part of this profession do I feel most passionate about and can I see my self there long term. Remember, if you love your job you never work a day in your life. Good luck and happy hunting.

To become a therapist or psychotherapist as we are sometimes called you only need a master's degree in counseling and licensure in your state. If you want to teach and do research in the counseling field you will need a doctorate degree. To become a psychologist you will need a doctorate and licensure in your state. Some people who have a master's degree in psychology can become a psychometrist administering assessments under the supervision of a psychologist.