How to Become a Therapist in Texas

With a growing number of people seeking mental health support, there鈥檚 been an increased demand for professionals to provide help to individuals overcoming their internal trials. Positions for marriage and family therapists, for example, are projected to grow by 2031鈥攖hat鈥檚 nearly three times faster than the average for all occupations nationwide.

If you鈥檝e ever considered a career as a therapist, there鈥檚 never been a better time. You鈥檇 be on a promising career path that would allow you to put your compassion to work. Keep reading to find out how to become a therapist in Texas and begin making a profound impact in your community.

What types of therapists are there?

Those interested in working in mental health may be surprised to learn just how many kinds of therapist jobs there are. Whether you鈥檇 like to focus on assisting children in a school setting, providing end-of-life therapy in a nursing home or working with clients anywhere in between, you can find a specialty that aligns with your skills and interests.

Consider this sampling of the many types of therapy careers you could pursue:

• Addiction therapist
• Behavioral therapist
• Child therapist
• Clinical therapist
• Couples' therapist
• Exercise therapist
• School therapist
• Trauma therapist
• Nutritional therapist

Regardless of which specialty you鈥檙e interested in, you鈥檒l need to meet certain therapist requirements in order to become a licensed therapist in Texas. Read on to learn more about this process.

Becoming a therapist in Texas: 5 steps you鈥檒l need to take

To practice as a therapist in Texas, you鈥檒l need to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Here is an overview of the steps to achieving this:

1. Acquire a bachelor鈥檚 degree

Regardless of what type of therapist you hope to become, the first step is to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree from an accredited school. There is no specific degree field required, but it鈥檚 a good idea to choose a subject that aligns with the . Courses related to psychology, ethics and research, for example, would be beneficial.

Some common undergraduate degrees for future therapists include:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Sciences
• Sociology
• Communications

2. Earn a master's degree

Next on the list of requirements to be a therapist in Texas is completing a graduate program from an accredited institution. Depending on your desired career path, your master鈥檚 degree could be in counseling, psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a related field.

According to the , appropriate graduate programs must include 60 graduate semester hours and coursework in areas such as:

• Abnormal human behavior
• Counseling theories
• Counselor ethics
• Research
• Addictions counseling
• Couples, marriage or families
• Psychopathology

In order to meet the requirements for Texas LPC licensure, you鈥檒l need to be sure your master鈥檚 program includes a supervised practicum experience or internship. This practicum must consist of 300 or more hours, with at least 100 hours of direct client contact.

3. Complete post-graduate supervision hours

After graduating from your master鈥檚 program, you鈥檒l need to acquire directed, post-graduate experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting. Texas LPC applicants must complete at least 3,000 hours of supervision, with at least 1,500 hours of client contact under the direction of an approved supervisor. This process typically takes 18鈥�24 months to complete.

4. Pass the licensing exam

The last step to becoming a licensed therapist in Texas is to apply for your LPC license, which involves achieving a passing score on the (NCE) and the .

The NCE is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors and is made up of 200 multiple-choice questions. This exam is designed to assess the applicant鈥檚 knowledge, skills and abilities in effective counseling services. The Texas Jurisprudence Exam is a no-fail assessment conducted online that evaluates the applicant鈥檚 familiarity with Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors鈥� rules.

5. Begin practicing and continuing education

Once you鈥檝e completed all of the steps outlined above, you are officially licensed to practice as a therapist in Texas. You can now apply all your training and passion toward a meaningful career helping others.

In order to maintain your Texas LPC status and remain eligible to practice, you鈥檒l need to renew your license every two years. This involves paying a renewal fee and completing 24 hours of continuing education during each two-year period.

Take the first step toward becoming a therapist

If you鈥檙e ready to help meet the rising need in your community, it鈥檚 time to start planning your path forward. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology at 18禁色情片 Texas (CTX) can help you build a strong foundation of knowledge to launch a promising career in therapy.

Students in the psychology bachelor鈥檚 degree program are exposed to new ideas and theories on human behavior and experience that can equip them for thriving therapist careers, explains Dr. Monica Yndo, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Concordia.

鈥淏ecause of our work in and outside of the classroom, our students leave here educated, but they have also developed in their own identity,鈥� Dr. Yndo elaborates. 鈥淲e鈥檝e exposed them to new cultures, ideas and perspectives. Our students are leaving the University more well-rounded than they arrived.鈥�

For more information about how CTX can help get you started on fulfilling the requirements to be a therapist, visit our BA in Psychology program page.