Psychotherapist

About this occupation

Psychotherapists assist and treat healthcare users with varying degrees of psychological, psychosocial, or psychosomatic behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions by means of psychotherapeutic methods. They promote personal development and well-being and provide advice on improving relationships, capabilities, and problem-solving techniques. They use science-based psychotherapeutic methods such as behavioural therapy, existential analysis and logotherapy, psychoanalysis or systemic family therapy in order to guide the patients in their development and help them search for appropriate solutions to their problems. Psychotherapists are not required to have academic degrees in psychology or a medical qualification in psychiatry. It is an independent occupation from psychology, psychiatry, and counselling.

A specialisation of psychologist.

• Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
• Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
• Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
• Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
• Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
• Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.

Typical education (US)

Post-Doctoral Training

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Social, Investigative, Conventional

Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking, Speaking

US median pay: US$100,580 a year (2025), 75,990 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyExtremely important (5.0)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.1)
• SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyVery important (3.6)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Post-Doctoral Training

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.