Licensed Mental Health Therapists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of licensed mental health therapists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for licensed mental health therapists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of licensed mental health therapists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for licensed mental health therapists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Licensed Mental Health Therapists?
Do licensed mental health therapists need a degree? What kind of experience do licensed mental health therapists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for licensed mental health therapists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Licensed Mental Health Therapists
Jobs Postings for Licensed Mental Health Therapists By Education
- Master's degree: 64,926 (36%)
- Bachelor's degree: 43,074 (24%)
- No Education Listed: 31,033 (17%)
- High School or GED: 21,174 (12%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 19,617 (11%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of licensed mental health therapists. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 36% of positions. In 24% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 17% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Licensed Mental Health Therapists
Jobs Postings for Licensed Mental Health Therapists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 24,596 (37%)
- 2-3 Years: 34,229 (51%)
- 4-6 Years: 6,965 (10%)
- 7-9 Years: 358 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 435 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for licensed mental health therapists. In 51% of job postings for Licensed Mental Health Therapists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 37% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 10% of job postings for licensed mental health therapists.
What Kind of Degree Do Licensed Mental Health Therapists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for licensed mental health therapists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 12 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective licensed mental health therapists, and in 2021 a total of 242,141 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective licensed mental health therapists.
Top Degree Programs for Licensed Mental Health Therapists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Licensed Mental Health Therapists (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 7,598 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 5,428 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 7,598 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 5,428 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 5,416 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other. | 4,069 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,202 |
| Applied Psychology. | 2,058 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 328 |
| Trauma Counseling. | 56 |
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What Skills Do Licensed Mental Health Therapists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by licensed mental health therapists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for licensed mental health therapists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Licensed Mental Health Therapists
Based on 145,263 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Licensed Mental Health Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 65,656 | 45% |
| Social Work | 48,342 | 33% |
| Treatment Planning | 48,051 | 33% |
| Psychology | 47,447 | 33% |
| Case Management | 31,110 | 21% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Licensed Mental Health Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 42,433 | 29% |
| Management | 20,682 | 14% |
| Planning | 18,167 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 15,993 | 11% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 15,711 | 11% |
Based on 145,263 job postings related to licensed mental health therapists, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 45% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, treatment planning, psychology, case management and substance abuse were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for licensed mental health therapists, followed by management, planning, coordinating, ethical standards and conduct and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 65,656 | 45% |
| Social Work | 48,342 | 33% |
| Treatment Planning | 48,051 | 33% |
| Psychology | 47,447 | 33% |
| Case Management | 31,110 | 21% |
| Substance Abuse | 28,964 | 20% |
| Crisis Intervention | 28,403 | 20% |
| Behavioral Health | 27,856 | 19% |
| Family Therapy | 18,472 | 13% |
| Human Services | 17,550 | 12% |
| Psychiatry | 15,217 | 10% |
| Psychotherapy | 14,784 | 10% |
| Mental Diseases | 13,730 | 9% |
| Discharge Planning | 11,842 | 8% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 11,772 | 8% |
| Group Therapy | 11,732 | 8% |
| Trauma Care | 10,611 | 7% |
| Medical Records | 10,201 | 7% |
| Community Mental Health Services | 10,082 | 7% |
| Mental Health Counseling | 9,762 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 42,433 | 29% |
| Management | 20,682 | 14% |
| Planning | 18,167 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 15,993 | 11% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 15,711 | 11% |
| Writing | 14,946 | 10% |
| Leadership | 14,293 | 10% |
| Problem Solving | 12,398 | 9% |
| Advocacy | 12,161 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 10,793 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 10,287 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 10,239 | 7% |
| Multilingualism | 10,058 | 7% |
| Professionalism | 8,578 | 6% |
| Time Management | 8,172 | 6% |
| Scheduling | 8,095 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 7,910 | 5% |
| Detail Oriented | 7,625 | 5% |
| Microsoft Office | 7,574 | 5% |
| Good Driving Record | 7,300 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about licensed mental health therapists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for licensed mental health therapists.
What do licensed mental health therapists do?
How much do licensed mental health therapists make?
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