What Do Clinical Therapists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for clinical therapists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what clinical therapists do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Clinical Therapists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about clinical therapists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Clinical Therapists diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Popular Job Titles For Clinical Therapists
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Behavior Specialists
- Behavioral Health Clinicians
- Therapists
- Family Services Counselors
- Behavior Therapists
- Respiratory Therapists
- Military and Family Life Counselors
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
- Clinical Therapists
- Behavioral Therapists
- Behavior Support Specialists
- Marriage and Family Therapists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for clinical therapists can be found.
Best Industries for Clinical Therapists
Clinical Therapists Jobs By Industry
- Individual and Family Services: 32.8%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 30.8%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 14.7%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.7%
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities: 3.2%
- Other Residential Care Facilities: 1.5%
- Other: 10.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of clinical therapists can be found working in the Individual and Family Services sector. In 2022, about 32.8% of all jobs for clinical therapists were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Offices of Other Health Practitioners (30.8%), Outpatient Care Centers (14.7%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.7%), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (3.2%) and Other Residential Care Facilities (1.5%).
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What Do Clinical Therapists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what clinical therapists do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work clinical therapists do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that clinical therapists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for clinical therapists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Clinical Therapists
Based on 40,094 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Clinical Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 14,571 | 36% |
| Social Work | 13,762 | 34% |
| Mental Health | 13,610 | 34% |
| Treatment Planning | 12,241 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 12,124 | 30% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Clinical Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 10,970 | 27% |
| Teaching | 4,896 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 4,887 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,749 | 12% |
| Presentations | 4,428 | 11% |
Based on 40,094 job postings related to clinical therapists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 36% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, mental health, treatment planning, behavioral health and family therapy were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for clinical therapists, followed by teaching, coordinating, planning, presentations and multilingualism.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 14,571 | 36% |
| Social Work | 13,762 | 34% |
| Mental Health | 13,610 | 34% |
| Treatment Planning | 12,241 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 12,124 | 30% |
| Family Therapy | 9,721 | 24% |
| Crisis Intervention | 5,717 | 14% |
| Case Management | 5,398 | 13% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 4,855 | 12% |
| Psychiatry | 4,805 | 12% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 4,692 | 12% |
| Working With Children | 4,397 | 11% |
| Human Services | 3,903 | 10% |
| Group Therapy | 3,798 | 9% |
| Psychotherapy | 3,702 | 9% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 3,616 | 9% |
| Clinical Experience | 3,180 | 8% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 3,176 | 8% |
| Patient Treatment | 3,159 | 8% |
| Special Education | 3,108 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 10,970 | 27% |
| Teaching | 4,896 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 4,887 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,749 | 12% |
| Presentations | 4,428 | 11% |
| Multilingualism | 4,146 | 10% |
| Management | 4,043 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 3,492 | 9% |
| Good Driving Record | 3,472 | 9% |
| Professionalism | 3,436 | 9% |
| Relationship Building | 3,291 | 8% |
| Writing | 3,259 | 8% |
| Leadership | 3,221 | 8% |
| English Language | 3,208 | 8% |
| Detail Oriented | 3,172 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 3,043 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 2,859 | 7% |
| Advocacy | 2,632 | 7% |
| Empathy | 2,533 | 6% |
| Teamwork | 2,498 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Clinical Therapists
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Specialists | 10,439 | 9.8% |
| Behavioral Health Clinicians | 9,702 | 9.1% |
| Therapists | 12,121 | 11.4% |
| Family Services Counselors | 3,957 | 3.7% |
| Behavior Therapists | 7,692 | 7.2% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was behavior specialists, with 3,791 unique job postings. Behavioral health clinicians were second, with 2,748 postings, followed by therapists, family services counselors and behavior therapists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to clinical therapists.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Specialists | 10,439 | 9.8% |
| Behavioral Health Clinicians | 9,702 | 9.1% |
| Therapists | 12,121 | 11.4% |
| Family Services Counselors | 3,957 | 3.7% |
| Behavior Therapists | 7,692 | 7.2% |
| Respiratory Therapists | 8,115 | 7.6% |
| Military and Family Life Counselors | 6,568 | 6.2% |
| Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists | 8,708 | 8.2% |
| Clinical Therapists | 8,324 | 7.8% |
| Behavioral Therapists | 3,796 | 3.6% |
| Behavior Support Specialists | 2,028 | 1.9% |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | 3,423 | 3.2% |
| Licensed Therapists | 4,658 | 4.4% |
| Autism Behavioral Therapists | 2,173 | 2% |
| Family Therapists | 2,157 | 2% |
| Behavior Technicians/ABA Therapists | 5,370 | 5% |
| Behavior Intervention Specialists | 1,565 | 1.5% |
| Licensed Clinical Therapists | 2,434 | 2.3% |
| Licensed Behavioral Health Clinicians | 1,281 | 1.2% |
| Child and Family Therapists | 2,094 | 2% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for clinical therapists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for clinical therapists.
How much do clinical therapists make?
Clinical Therapists: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.