Question

I would like to become a cognitive behavioral therapist with a private practice. What type of degree do i need to get? How long would it take? I live in NH, if that makes a difference. I would like to work with people with anxiety disorders and help them recover. Thanks.

Answer 1

You would need to get a PhD/PsyD in clinical psychology (5-7 years post-college), complete a 1 year internship, and then accrue 3,000 hours to become licensed. It is a long road that takes 7-9 years from start until you can practice independently. I would recommend against this route if you just want to do therapy only.

M.A. programs are 2 years generally, but only some provide training in psychotherapy. You will still need to accrue 3,000 hours to get licensed. I don't know which degrees allow for licensure in NH. The pay for M.A. level therapists is pretty low (about 40-50K). This is not really a good time to become a therapist as Mental health services are the first to be cut and most people cannot afford to pay for therapy out of pocket.