By: The Capella University Editorial Team with Irene Abrego Nicolet, PhD, NCSP, LSSP, Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Reading Time: 9 minutes
If you feel drawn to a career where you can make a meaningful impact on other people’s lives, becoming a therapist or counselor may be your path.
It’s a rewarding choice, but the road to get there often comes with questions: Which skills do I need? How will I manage classes alongside work and family? Can I afford the investment of time and money?
These concerns are real, but they don’t have to stop you. With online options and the right plan and support, you can earn the education and complete the training you need to become a therapist or counselor while continuing to move forward in your life.
Explore how the path to becoming a therapist or counselor and see how programs with flexible online learning formats, like Capella University’s, can help you reach your goal.
Therapists are licensed professionals who assess and treat mental and emotional health challenges. They use therapeutic approaches based on five broad categories:
Therapists work with patients to:
Therapists work in many settings. Some practice in hospitals and clinics, helping patients address mental health concerns, while others work in schools to support children with developmental or emotional challenges.
A therapist typically has advanced training in mental health treatment and may use a wider range of clinical approaches to assess and treat psychological conditions. A counselor, on the other hand, does not diagnose and often focuses on helping individuals navigate specific life issues, stressors or developmental challenges. Both support well-being and can help make an impact on people’s lives, but each has its own education and/or residency requirements. Be sure to explore the right program for the career skills you need.
As you strengthen your ability to help others through life’s challenges, you’ll also open the door to a range of meaningful career opportunities.
Understanding the educational pathway to becoming a therapist or counselor is the first step. With the right qualifications, you can pursue licensing and certification and demonstrate the skills to effectively support others toward positive change.
The path typically starts with undergraduate education, then progresses to advanced graduate studies and culminates in hands-on clinical training.
To get started as a therapist or counselor, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. These undergraduate programs provide foundational knowledge in human behavior. During your studies, you’ll learn about fundamental psychological concepts and behavioral theories and gain valuable perspectives that will aid you in your journey.
Next, you’ll need to earn a master’s degree to deepen your knowledge of mental health care. These programs include specialized coursework in therapeutic techniques and assessment methods. Once you have a master’s degree, you may seek to expand your skill set even further by examining theories and research with a doctoral degree.
With flexible learning options like Capella’s online Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy program, you have 24/7 access to your coursework so you can study when it suits you and balance your in-person requirements.
Before you can obtain licensure, you must complete supervised clinical training. This hands-on training is essential to developing your counseling skills as you apply therapeutic techniques to real-world scenarios.
Depending on your state and area of specialization, you’ll need to do about 2,000 to 4,000 hours of clinical training.
As you move through your education, you’ll see there are many types of therapists you could become. For example, you could work with families going through major life transitions or support individuals with specific mental health issues.
People seek therapy for many reasons, from managing stress and relationships to overcoming trauma or improving overall well-being. If you’re passionate about helping others through these challenges, there are many ways to turn that passion into a meaningful career.
Therapists often specialize in specific areas of mental health or wellness. Choosing a specialty allows you to focus on the types of clients and issues that align with your interests and strengths.
Here are several potential roles to consider.
Help individuals work through anxiety, depression, trauma grief and other challenges using evidence-based approaches like CBT, solution-focused therapy and mindfulness.
Support K–12 students’ academic, social and emotional growth. School counselors collaborate with teachers and families, provide short-term counseling and connect students to resources.
Work with couples and families to address and resolve communication patterns, conflict and life transitions. For example, you may draw on systemic and cognitive-behavioral techniques to help clients build healthier relationships.
As many as one in five adults live with a mental illness. As a clinical social worker, you’ll help people manage mental health and behavioral challenges. You’ll assess clients’ needs, develop treatment plans, provide counseling and maintain detailed records to track their progress and outcomes.
Pursuing a career in therapy or counseling doesn’t have to mean putting your life on hold. Many aspiring therapists are already balancing work, family and other responsibilities while planning their next steps. Online coursework can give you the flexibility you need to work around your program’s in-person requirements.
Here’s a step-by-step look at one path toward becoming a therapist or counselor, from choosing your degree program to earning licensure and developing your career.
An undergraduate degree in psychology, social work or a related field can provide a solid educational foundation for pursuing career goals in therapy and counseling.
Next, you may decide to earn a master’s degree in a chosen specialty. This is the degree that qualifies you to pursue licensure and practice as a therapist. These degrees offer a wide array of competencies, and include but are not limited to:
Your specialization, such as addiction or child and adolescent counseling, is typically chosen within your master’s program or through postgraduate certifications later on. For the most advanced knowledge, you may want to explore a doctoral level program. Some but not all roles may even require a doctoral degree.
At Capella University, online counseling and therapy programs make it possible for you to access your coursework 24/7 so you can study when it fits your work and family commitments.
“My education with Capella helped prepare me for different styles of clients and interactions,” says Sarah McCullough, MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate. “My required practicum and internship took me to a private practice that invited me to join full time.”
After or during your master’s program, you’ll complete supervised clinical training (often called a practicum and internship). These hours allow you to apply classroom learning in real-world settings under the guidance of a licensed professional.
States generally require supervised post-graduate hours before you can apply for independent licensure. The number of hours varies by state, but sometimes falls between two and three thousand hours. Make sure you check your state’s continuing education hours.
Once you’ve completed your education and supervised hours, you’ll need to pass a state-recognized licensing exam for your field. These vary from state to state, so you’ll need to check the specific requirements for your region.
Common examples include:
You can check individual state requirements by visiting the NBCC State Board Directory.
Submit your exam results, transcripts, supervised-hour documentation and any other required materials to your state licensing board. You will need to consult the specific rules for your state licensing board before submission. If approved, you’ll earn your license, such as Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
To keep your license active, you’ll complete continuing education hours every renewal period – often every two years.
As you gain experience, you can also pursue additional certifications or post-graduate specializations in areas such as:
Capella offers flexible online programs that let you specialize in your area of interest while balancing your current commitments.
If you love connecting and providing people with a safe space, becoming a therapist or counselor can be a rewarding path. However, this field, like any other, has its challenges. These include:
Knowing what to expect can help you develop self-care strategies from the start to protect your well-being. It’s important to have a good support network and not be afraid to ask for help. Many even have their own therapists to help them through challenging moments.
Becoming a therapist or counselor is a meaningful choice that allows you to guide others toward healing and growth. The path takes dedication, advanced education and supervised training, but the rewards can be life-changing.
Many people worry about cost, time or balancing responsibilities. Those concerns don’t have to stop you. With flexible online programs and strong academic support, you can work toward meeting licensure requirements while continuing to move forward in your life.
Capella University offers accredited counseling and therapy programs designed for working adults.
Everyone’s journey is different and depends on their program, available education credits, financial situation and licensing requirements. Enrolling in a flexible online master’s program can help you move at a pace that works for you.
Therapists typically have more training and can diagnose mental health disorders. Counselors generally focus on less “complex” issues and provide more solution-focused support.
Yes, but you’ll need to ensure the program meets your state’s licensure requirements. It should meet the same standards that traditional programs offer. Pursuing an accredited program can help establish the standards and quality that a consumer can expect from a program. Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds program accreditations from the APA, CACREP, CSWE or COAMFTE.
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