Therapy Careers
Start your therapy career
There are a variety of credentials that a mental health professional can obtain to become a licensed therapist. Before diving into a therapy career, it may be beneficial to get a mountain view of how you envision your mission and the type of therapy on which you would like to focus. Depending on what specialty you choose, your needed therapist requirements and credentials may differ slightly. For example, if you work with families or have an interest in working with married couples, you might pursue an LMFT (licensed marriage and family therapist) credential. Regardless of what population you have a passion to serve, at some point, you will need to earn at least a master’s degree. You’ll also probably need to complete an internship and/or supervised hours of therapy to develop the clinical skills and licensure required to administer counseling on your own.
To work as a therapist with BetterHelp, you can be located anywhere in the United States, but you must have completed 2,000 hours of clinical supervision and must be fully licensed by the state board to provide therapy. Examples of credentials acceptable for an online position at BetterHelp are state-issued licenses such as LCSW, LMFT, LPC, and Psy.D.
Therapist: An emerging field
In recent years, online therapy has been a burgeoning field, and it’s only expected to grow. The New York Times wrote about the explosion of virtual therapy as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, including the fact that many therapists have grown comfortable with this new way of doing business. While the pandemic might have encouraged a lot of growth in online mental health services, peer-reviewed studies had already shown that online therapy is just as effective as face-to-face therapy when it comes to treating common mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
More and more people are seeing the practical draws and benefits of virtual therapy as well. For adults with busy lives and schedules or those who live in remote places, it saves time to not have to commute to an office. For others, being able to remain in the comfort of their own home may alleviate some of the same anxiety on which they wish to work with their therapist.
In this article, we summarize the basics of traditional therapy jobs, mental health jobs, and online therapy jobs in general.
When you search for online therapy jobs, consider being specific about your search to avoid searching through thousands of unrelated job listings. For example, if you browse “therapy jobs online,” you’ll likely receive results for all therapy jobs online, including job titles like school therapists, hospital counselors, admissions counselors, enrollment counselors, or any other therapists online or in your area that aren't what you seek.
Therefore, it’s important to tailor your “therapists needed” job search to find the best job postings that match your skills and abilities. For example, you wouldn't want your search to return results for an occupational therapist, physical therapist, or respiratory therapist, since those are different fields of work. Similarly, if you search for information on “counselor jobs”, you may find yourself sifting through non-mental health related fields, like genetic counseling. Be mindful that roles like “patient financial counselor” often don’t actually include a therapy component, so it's important to make sure you're applying for a job that aligns with your goals, even in clinical settings.
Keep in mind that some platforms or employers hire therapists on an employee basis as a full-time job. In other cases, a company may post online therapist jobs for independent providers only. As an independent provider or contractor, you’ll receive a 1099 or 1099-MISC form instead of a W2 as you would at a full-time job, to report your income and file taxes. As an independent contractor, you’ll also provide your own health and life insurance.
Virtual therapy careers
If you’re already a therapist, you can find online therapy clients to expand your practice without having to spend thousands of dollars on advertising to grow your business. There are online therapy and teletherapy jobs available on automated platforms like BetterHelp that may make the process of expanding easier and more affordable. Online therapy can become a lucrative career where you practice your craft and help people improve their mental health.
What topics do people often discuss in therapy?
*If you are facing or witnessing abuse of any kind, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788. You can also use the online chat.
The nature of a therapist's job can depend on whether they work for a larger practice or manage their own business. Depending on how their business is structured, a therapist’s daily work may involve other, non-therapy-related tasks, such as answering patient billing questions, collating outstanding balances, coordinating payment for sessions, efficiently handling incoming requests and inquiries, and providing informational services to potential patients.
A therapist’s day-to-day work can also vary based on the type of therapy they administer. For example, a school therapist might spend a large portion of their day speaking in-person to new students and other school personnel. An online therapist, on the other hand, might spend more of their time conducting sessions on multiple channels, such as voice calls, messaging, or video calls.
Part-time careers
One advantage of being an online therapist is the flexibility of the position. You can work the hours that are convenient and make sense for your schedule, without having to worry about commutes or business trips, which makes for a winning combination. Online therapy allows you to take appointments from a variety of locations, with no need to spend time in a busy office or call center environment.
When you work independently, you don’t have to worry about the challenges of managing a regular full-time job, and you can accept clients at your discretion. You can meet with clients during daytime or evening hours—whatever works best for you.
What makes BetterHelp a leader in therapy?
BetterHelp has been a pioneer in the world of online therapy. As the world’s largest online therapy platform, it has an impressive network of more than 25,000 therapists. With over 500,000 text messages and over 100 million chats, voice calls, and video therapy sessions to date, BetterHelp is using thousands of talented therapists to provide outstanding customer service to clients every day.
What is a typical salary?
An online therapist can make a sustainable income and support themselves and their family by getting paid independently.
For example, clinical psychologists require a higher level of education (a doctorate degree) than counselors and therapists, so their average base salary is considerably higher than that of other health practitioners. However, the location of the therapist and their clinical practice can impact earning potential as well. For example, the median salary for a therapist working in California is just under $70,000 a year.
The mental health professionals in the online division at BetterHelp can earn as much as $8,500 per month, depending on the time commitment of the therapist and their caseload.
How do I apply?
You can apply for a therapy job through BetterHelp Careers online. On BetterHelp’s website, you first select your license type, whether as a marriage and family therapist, a professional counselor, a social worker, or a psychologist.
Is BetterHelp still filling therapist positions?
Yes, BetterHelp is still filling therapist positions. There are many outstanding people out there who are facing challenging life situations, and you can help them by working remotely. Online therapy is increasing in popularity, and BetterHelp is responding to the demand for therapists by increasing its roster of licensed therapists.
Takeaway
FAQs
Can therapists make a lot of money or have high salaries?
The average total cash compensation for therapists varies widely depending on where they are located, whether they choose to run a non-public practice or work in the public sector, their experience level or job title, and possibly the schools they received their degrees from. The base salary for a therapist falls somewhere between $40,000 a year and $130,000 a year. Annual incentives can vary as well depending on where the therapist is employed.
What is the highest paid therapist?
Psychiatrists have higher salaries than any other type of therapist because, unlike other types of therapists, they have to attend medical school and then complete a four-year residency. Psychiatrists are officially certified as doctors and can prescribe medications. Their median salary range typically falls between $100,000 a year and $660,000 a year. Salary ranges can vary widely based on the same factors that affect a therapist’s salary, mentioned above. For example, the mean base salary for a psychiatrist in Los Angeles, California, is $295,000 a year. On the other hand, a psychiatrist might expect to make $245,000 in Chicago, Illinois.
Is becoming a therapist worth it?
Finding the perfect career that can be both fulfilling and enjoyable can be challenging. Some even consider career counseling a big help in this area If you would enjoy helping people who experience mental health challenges in a therapeutic relationship, therapy may prove to be a highly fulfilling career decision. The salary is also competitive, and you may find more flexibility working as a therapist than you would at other jobs, especially if you work as an online therapist.
Is mental health a good career?
Career options in mental health and therapy are fast-growing due to the industry having more projected job openings in coming years than other careers and professions, like real estate or advertising. You may also want to research various therapist salaries in your specific location and compare them to your pay target. Aside from attractive salaries, a career in mental health can allow you to help people improve their relationships and mental health.
What is a good salary? what is a good range of salaries?
Average salary also depends on job titles for a therapist. For example, social work is often one of the most under-compensated positions in counseling, with an average salary range of between $30,000 and $70,000. Job seekers looking to maximize their potential salaries may want to look more heavily at psychiatry or behavioral psychology.
If they choose to work full-time, their salary ranges can vary widely depending on whether they're running their own practice or working under another therapist, which may take a portion of their pay. Time spent in your profession can also affect compensation: a more experienced therapist can usually charge a higher price per session than a new graduate working in entry-level positions can. Whether you practice in a city can make a difference too, especially when it comes to marketing your services in the local economy. According to ZipRecruiter, top earners in California can make an average of around $101,000 annually.
However, working under a public institution like the government or a clinic / hospital usually includes base and annual incentives throughout the year to encourage therapists to set and reach their goals.
Is a PhD in psychology worth it? What are psychologist salaries like?
A PhD in psychology may be worth it if you decide to pursue research within the psychology field or want to teach psychology at a collegiate level. Psychologists tend to have more of a research focus than therapists, who usually prioritize building personal, one-on-one relationships with their clients. The exception to this is behavioral psychologists, who usually do see clients for counseling sessions.
Psychologists also tend to have higher salaries than family therapists, with the higher end of their average salaries coming in at $180,000 a year. This is usually attributed to the increased amount of training that psychologists have to go through in order to perform their research.
Are counselors in high demand?
Can you make a living as a counselor?
How stressful is being a counsellor?
Do I need a degree to become a counsellor?
What's the difference between a counselor and a therapist?
Does job counseling have a future?
How do I start an online counseling business?
How do counselors make money without a degree?
What degree do most counselors have?
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