THTherapist
TH
Career

Therapist

By the numbers
Typical pay
/ yr
Education to start
Future demand
by 2034
People in this job
Figures shown for ·closest of 3 O*NET occupations
The work
A day, hour by hour
08:30
Prep & review

Skim each client's notes before sessions begin — spot patterns, flag risks.

09:00
First session

Client opens up about a hard week; listen, reflect, hold space.

10:00
Crisis moment

Client hints at self-harm — assess risk and build a safety plan together.

11:00
CBT session

Walk a client through thought records to break a spiral of anxious thinking.

12:00
Notes & records

Write session notes while details are fresh; update treatment plans.

13:00
Care coordination

Call a client's psychiatrist to align on medication and therapy goals.

14:00
Group therapy

Facilitate six clients supporting each other — guide without dominating.

15:30
Afternoon sessions

Two back-to-back individual sessions; shift gears fully between each client.

17:30
Self-care debrief

Decompress, process the day's emotional weight, reset for tomorrow.

Things you do
  • Listen deeply as clients open up about their struggles and pain.
  • Guide clients through exercises to shift harmful thought patterns.
  • Step in during a crisis and help a client make a safety plan.
  • Build a personalized treatment plan based on each client's goals.
  • Run group therapy sessions where people support each other.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Is what my client just shared a crisis I need to act on right now?
  • Should I gently push back on this, or just hold space and listen?
  • Is this client making real progress, or are we going in circles?
  • Do I need to break confidentiality to keep this person safe?
  • Is my own emotional reaction getting in the way of helping this client?
Education Pathways · how you get there
100 in 100 went the college route · 0 in 100 found another way in
Education mapped from O*NET:
If you like this, also look at