How to Become a Therapist and How to Be a Client
It is likely that you have an image in your mind when you hear the word therapy. These images are likely drastically different depending on whether or not you have experience as a client in session. As a current or former client, you likely picture a place where you have been challenged, grown, and hopefully there are feelings of comfort that come up as well. If you have not been in therapy, you may likely visualize someone with a clipboard in an ornate chair passing a box of Kleenex to a client laying on a sofa facing the other direction baring their soul. Not every therapeutic relationship takes the same approach of an “expert” probing your darkest thoughts. And no, it’s not always because of your mother. I mean.. sometimes it is… but not always.
So if not an “expert”, not psychoanalyzing deep secrets, and not your mother… then what? Let’s explore. In this post I will go over the role of the therapist and the role of the client.
Who is a therapist?
First, who is a therapist anyways? First and foremost, although I can not speak for all, I have worked with and learned from many therapists, and all that I have connected with came into this field with a deep seeded desire to help the people we serve. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by people who share the same vision and hope to try and help as many people, in whatever way we might be able to. I have yet to meet a therapist that meets the pop-culture criteria of a master manipulator who always has the right answers to “cure” any ailment. I have known people who decided to come into the profession because they have “always been told that I give good advice” but those individuals either change their viewpoint and mindset deeply or do not make it through the training to become a therapist. Therapy is not about giving advice or having the answers, it is about witnessing and believing in the ability of the people we serve to find the answers within themselves to reach where they want to be. So if it’s not about giving answer, what do therapists learn and what do they do anyways?
Therapists go through extensive training and education prior to ever coming into contact with their clients. The most traditional path would begin by completing a bachelors degree in psychology or a related human-services discipline. Then, to become a therapist, the next hurdle is an application for graduate school. For my program, we had to submit materials and essays then were chosen if we would move forward to the in-person interview rounds. Based on the interviews, there were three possible outcomes of either not moving forward, being accepted provisionally with evaluation of prep courses, or admittance to the program. This program was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. The courses not only focused on us as students but how we could grow as people even before becoming clinicians. I could go on and on but let’s keep moving forward.
After two years of courses, therapists (at least those in an accredited program) complete a one year internship where clinicians complete 1,000 hours of supervised experience in the field prior to graduating. That may sound like a lot of hours, but wait… there’s more! These are the hours required to get a provisional license, meaning that a clinician must work under a supervisor with a license for an additional two years and collect another 2,000 hours of supervised practice to become a licensed therapist. Depending on the specific license and on board certifications, these hours and requirements can increase. For instance, since I chose to pursue dual-licensure to become a licensed therapist and a licensed addiction counselor (LAC). In order to receive my LAC, I had to complete an additional 3,000 hours of supervised practice under another licensed addiction counselor and take additional courses. All of that coursework, hour collection, licensing tests, and a few existential crises to get some of those fancy letters next to your name that say, “Hey, I did the thing!”
This is a highly simplified version of the person sitting in the chair across from you, and it would take another post to explore theoretical orientation, continuing education, and the fact that outside of being a therapist, your therapist is another fellow traveler in this crazy thing we know as life. I hope it de-mystifies the clinician and now, let’s transition to the more important person in the room, you!
What is the role of the client?
It may seem like a ridiculous statement but it is true in more ways than one, without the client, there would be no therapy. Yes… yes… that might be obvious, but therapy can be unique in the fact that there may be times when the client shows up for therapy but has not come for therapy. This could be because the client was mandated to treatment, coerced by someone who was concerned about them, or the client has come for a guru and not to invest in the process. I have worked with clients that have thrown up walls, shut me down, or berated me (not often, and in most cases a therapeutic relationship can still be salvaged). Even if a client has given up on themselves or the situation, the therapist is there to hold onto hope and help the client become the light in their darkness.
Although there is no right way to do therapy and each relationship, approach, and interaction is individualized, there are some common traits that I have seen to help clients get the most out of their investment in therapy. Those would be: coming into therapy with a goal or some hope for direction moving forward (even if that path is unclear), to be honest and curious about their experience, to share and explore, and to view themselves as the director of their journey.
All of these things come with time and it may take a bit to build a solid therapeutic alliance with your clinician. That is one of the beautiful things of therapy, that you build a relationship unlike those that you have with others in the world, and through that relationship work towards living the life you envision. It is important that you feel comfortable, supported, and appropriately challenged. It is through this strong relationship that a therapist can challenge and work with you to see things in a light you might not have considered before.
If you are in a therapeutic relationship that is not a strong fit for you or something isn’t working, try and share some feedback, I regularly encourage clients to share feedback and let them know that if I can do something to be a better fit for them, I want to. I am also willing to admit when I am not the right fit and if I can’t be what the client needs, I want to help them find that right fit with another clinician. I have personally stayed with a previous therapist longer than I should have because I was worried about making them feel bad. Therapy is ultimately what you make of it and that includes advocating for what you need. Your time is a valuable resource and therapy needs to be what you need it to be. Find a therapist who shows up for you fully, do what you can to show up fully yourself, and trust in your ability to heal, grow, and thrive.
Conclusion
Therapy has been a truly impactful force in my life and it is my deep belief in the resiliency and ability of the people we serve that helps me be the provider I aspire to be. I personally have been engaged off and on in therapy for the last decade at times to cope with depression, at times to work on my self-esteem and inner critic, and at times to work on finding ways to be the best version of myself I can be. I once had a professor tell me, “You will never take a client further in counseling than you are willing to go yourself.” And that inspired me to do my inner work so I could show up as a companion to those who are ready to do the work within themselves.
Looking to Get Started?
If you are interested in finding a good fit or working to make your current therapeutic relationship more effective, feel free to reach out and I would be happy to provide resources, help find referrals, and help support how I can. Looking for a quick way to get started? Try going onto PsychologyToday and look for local providers in your area. Most clinicians will offer an initial consultation so that you can ask questions, get a feel for the provider, and start a new step in your journey.