2 answers
Isabel
Student
Delhi charter Township, Michigan
1
Question
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What are things to help me become a therapist?
What are some challenges that come when trying to become a therapist? What classes can I take now in high school to help me develop the skills of a therapist?
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2 answers
Christopher Glowacki
Clinical Psychologist
2
Answers
Sacramento, CA
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
Hi Isabel,
Great question! There's definitely some practical things you can do and some intangible things that can help separate you from your cohort (which I'll explain in a second).
Regarding things you can do or classes you can take, each high school is different with curriculum they offer though I remember there being an elective Psychology 101 class when I was in high school. Nowadays some schools even offer AP Psych which is great because it can give you exposure to what current college students are learning at a local college/university.
One thing I did not do in high school was seek out other opportunities aside from classroom learning. I'd probably first make your interests of career choice of wanting to become a therapist known to a trusted mentor/advisor/teacher because they can encourage and support you, as well as inform you of any potential learning opportunities or experiences they might be aware of. I also would consider even reaching out directly to a local undergraduate psychology program via their contact page and share that you're searching for an unpaid internship or involvement in some kind of summer internship program or research project-type thing. At this stage of the game for you, any experience is great experience. I'm of the mindset it doesn’t hurt to ask so why not! I don't know of any specific ones off hand but depending on where you live or plan to go to school, high schoolers showing initiative and asking to be involved for the sake of improving their chances to be accepted into a graduate program can only make you look more competitive!
Some intangible things that will vary by person that can improve your chances of becoming a therapist are personality characteristics specific to the job: empathetic, compassionate, thoughtful, kind, friendly, non-judgmental (amongst others). Most anyone can be taught a specific type of therapy or therapist skill but if you don't have any of these abovementioned traits, psychology might be a tough road ahead!
As for your question about challenges when becoming a therapist, this also can vary. Could be something like not getting into the school you want, the job you want, obtaining a degree and realizing it's not the right fit for you - lots of stuff! Personally, that's why I think it's super important to connect with a mentor or trusted advisor sooner rather than later to help you see what a day-to-day experience of a therapist or psychologist looks like so you can make the most informed decision. 😊
Great question! There's definitely some practical things you can do and some intangible things that can help separate you from your cohort (which I'll explain in a second).
Regarding things you can do or classes you can take, each high school is different with curriculum they offer though I remember there being an elective Psychology 101 class when I was in high school. Nowadays some schools even offer AP Psych which is great because it can give you exposure to what current college students are learning at a local college/university.
One thing I did not do in high school was seek out other opportunities aside from classroom learning. I'd probably first make your interests of career choice of wanting to become a therapist known to a trusted mentor/advisor/teacher because they can encourage and support you, as well as inform you of any potential learning opportunities or experiences they might be aware of. I also would consider even reaching out directly to a local undergraduate psychology program via their contact page and share that you're searching for an unpaid internship or involvement in some kind of summer internship program or research project-type thing. At this stage of the game for you, any experience is great experience. I'm of the mindset it doesn’t hurt to ask so why not! I don't know of any specific ones off hand but depending on where you live or plan to go to school, high schoolers showing initiative and asking to be involved for the sake of improving their chances to be accepted into a graduate program can only make you look more competitive!
Some intangible things that will vary by person that can improve your chances of becoming a therapist are personality characteristics specific to the job: empathetic, compassionate, thoughtful, kind, friendly, non-judgmental (amongst others). Most anyone can be taught a specific type of therapy or therapist skill but if you don't have any of these abovementioned traits, psychology might be a tough road ahead!
As for your question about challenges when becoming a therapist, this also can vary. Could be something like not getting into the school you want, the job you want, obtaining a degree and realizing it's not the right fit for you - lots of stuff! Personally, that's why I think it's super important to connect with a mentor or trusted advisor sooner rather than later to help you see what a day-to-day experience of a therapist or psychologist looks like so you can make the most informed decision. 😊
Melissa Alvarez
Therapist
5
Answers
Elkhart, Indiana
Updated
Melissa’s Answer
I'm not sure about specific high school classes but I do know of some outside sources where you can learn for free. I have taken advantage of apps such as Alison that offer free courses. As the first responder said it is important to have certain qualitites about you before becoming a therapist. Sometimes these are natural to us, other times we have to work at it. As far as challenges go I will share some of mine since I am still a brand new therapist. First, I was frightened at the idea of becomming a therapist after schooling was over. I lacked the confidence and felt my schooling was inadequate. I did want to start off in community mental health but was not offered a position. I ended up starting in private practice which offered more challenges as I was faced with thinking about running a business and trying to appear confident. Many people start off in private practice so it's not impossible. Community mental health offers a great wealth of knowledge and experience and is very different from private practice. Both have pros and cons. In private practice you will make more an hour but only get paid if a client shows up and building my schedule has been tough at first. In community mental health you get paid for being there all day but work long, hard hours which can lead to burnout. My practice has a policy in place where I still get paid if the client cancels in less than 24 hours or just does not show up. Clients can be finicky about cancelling which has created resentment for me which I am working though. Since I do not have a second job, this affects me financially. Also always be working on yourself as a person. I still go to therapy and love it. I work from home which I love but also offers many challenges such as feeling isolated. Good luck and keep working hard. You're on the right path!