If you want to become a therapist and already have your own practice, but no degree in counseling, you can follow in my footsteps. This post will provide some tips on how to become a therapist without a degree.
Becoming therapist is an occupation that many people would love to take up but are not even sure if they would be cut out for the job. How can you know this before you start training? Well, read on and find out how you can become a therapist without a degree.
I’m sure you’ve all heard the sayings “if you don’t ask, you don’t get” and “you can have it all.” Well, I found myself wondering if becoming a therapist without a degree is even possible. Sure, we’ve been able to get by with books, college degrees and experience — but many in the field of psychology are questioning whether the nature of what it means to be a psychologist is changing too quickly for the public’s liking.
How to become a therapist without a degree
If you’re looking to get into the field of counseling, it can be disheartening to learn that many schools don’t recognize degrees earned via online psychology schools and instead require a college degree earned at an accredited 4-year university. Fortunately, there are other options that may be right for you:
As with most things in life, when we become therapists we learn something new about ourselves. As a matter of fact, many don’t even realize that the journey requires us to grow and become better versions of ourselves. We can make this journey easier by embracing the process.
How Might Becoming A Therapist Help You Become A Better Version Of Yourself?
Being a therapist is an incredibly rewarding career, you spend your working life helping others who are struggling in their lives to understand their thoughts and feelings and learn to cope with them so they can continue with their lives to the best of their ability.
But there are other reasons why someone would look into how to become a therapist, it doesn’t just have to be about helping other people and getting a feel-good feeling from doing so. Undertaking a new career in therapy can actually improve your self in many different ways.
You Get To Learn New Things
While your formal training will bring a wealth of new knowledge, there is also the ability to learn something new during your career as a therapist.
This can come in many forms, from advanced training courses in specific areas to learning on the job. Many therapists find they learn new things from their clients, from thought patterns that weren’t taught in the classroom, to the behaviour of others and how it is perceived by those who have been affected.
Therapy sessions aren’t a constant stream of patients talking about their negative experiences. In fact, there is always a lot of general ‘chit chat’, which helps create that bond between a therapist and their clients. While it may not apply to your professional life, you will always learn something new, from interesting facts to new recipes.
Think of it a lot like always going to a coffee with a friend, you never know what you might discuss after becoming a therapist.
Help Those You Love
Another reason for enrolling in a clinical mental health counseling program in order to become a therapist is the ability to help those you love. While it is never recommended that you provide therapy yourself as you are personally involved in their lives, there are other ways to help.
Therapists can detect disorders in others, you may be able to alter someone you love that they need professional help before they realise it themself. Or perhaps they are portraying the typical ‘I’m fine’ persona, but you can use your knowledge to let their next of kin know that they should have a discussion with them and get them to find some help.
The sooner someone sees a professional, the better it will be in the long-term and it greatly helps them cope with their mental health. People are more likely to see a therapist if someone they know and trust urges them to do so and spotting the signs early can literally save a life.
Re-evaluate Yourself
While we all try to be the best person possible, many of us have traits that we don’t even realise could be upsetting or damaging to others. With the skills you learn becoming a psychotherapist or therapist, you can begin to recognise these in yourself.
You will begin to better understand your own personality and actions and even if they are not traditionally ‘bad’, you will be able to acknowledge how they can affect those around you. You may have a friend or family member with certain difficulties you could react adversely to something that others do not. Knowing and acknowledging these can help you build better relationships with others.
Apply Your Skills Elsewhere
After training, you can use your skills in other avenues. Perhaps you wish to volunteer in your spare time, work part-time as a therapist and part-time in another profession or when you retire, you may wish to help others to keep you busy and maintain a rewarding lifestyle.
Many transferable skills can be applied elsewhere in other professions. For example, you may go into teaching and detecting vulnerable children and helping where possible, especially if they don’t have the support they need at home, is just one example.
Career Progression
While a career helping others can be rewarding, working in a job where you can live comfortably and provide the best possible life for your family is also crucial. There is always room for improvement in a career as a therapist and the more you train, the higher the income.
The best part of this is progression is much quicker than other professions and you can achieve that dream wage faster than you think.
