Become A Behavioral Therapist
Today I will discuss behavioral therapy and the profession as a therapist as well. So stay here and update yourself by every detail because you are going to need it in any case.
What is behavioral therapy?
Behavioral therapy and behavioural counselling is a term used to describe different techniques used to change mall-adaptive behaviour. The goal is to reinforce the good and desire behaviour and eliminate unwanted expressions and feelings. Behavioural therapy has roots in behaviourism principles. It is a school of thought that focus on the idea that we learn from our environment.
There are some types of behavioral therapy :
Below are mentioned some types of behavioural therapy, as for now I am just mentioning names for your convenience but in the next coming articles I will surely share the details of them.
- Applied behavior analysis
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Rational emotive behavioral therapy
- Social learning theory
Working Life Of a Behavioural Therapist
Behaviour therapists work with people with various disorders, such as depression or anorexia. It is to make betterment in behaviour and end the causes of this issue. They work not only with adults but also with children in a group or one-on-one counselling meeting. Behavioural therapists may work alone or work in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centres, or community health centres. These professionals have strong listening skills and empathy, evaluate patients. They provide treatment through in-office and at-home exercises, role-playing, writing assignments etc. Behaviour therapists can work full-time or part-time.
Entry Requirements for Behavioural Therapist
Many behavioural therapists are holding a doctoral degree with a minimum of a master’s license and state-require degree of therapists. Education starts with an undergraduate degree in psychology and continues with graduate programs in psychology or therapy.
Degree for Behavioural Therapist
To become a behavioural therapist or counsellor, one usually only require a college degree (Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2015). A master’s degree, however, can help prospective job therapists find it easier. Mental health counsellors must have a master’s degree in clinical mental health counselling or a related field (Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2015).
Regardless of the type of person who wants to be a therapist, most areas require additional licenses. This license consists of an hour (about 2,000 to 4,000 in a few cases) supervised counselling experience along with a pass.
License/Certification for Behavioural counsellor
As ABA has wide applications in almost every situation in which a certain behaviour or response requires to be taught or encouraged. Here behaviour analysts look for work in many areas outside the typical range of psychological or therapist practice. Apart from practice or career paths, specific requirements for entering the field of applied behaviour analysis is universally recognise:
- Get a master’s or higher degree qualification in behaviour analysis, psychology or education.
- Get real-world experience through supervised practicum or field.
- Pass a national certification exam to further qualify for Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA®) credential.
- Obtain a state license if your state has licensing requirements in place for ABAS.
Although not all countries have provided licensing laws define ABAS’s professional requirements. In fact most countries have gone so far as to also include language in the legislation. This determines their health insurance ABAS qualification needs to provide therapy that must be eligible for reimbursement. In almost all cases, the insurance and licensing laws either require the practitioner to hold BCBA® master-level (Board Certified Behaviour Analyst) certification. Otherwise meet the same educational standards, effectively making the minimum requirements for a master’s degree in order to practice independently in almost all countries.
Skills and Personal Characteristics of a therapist:
- Interest in caring for people by identifying their needs and assisting them to solve problems.
- The ability to show respect and sensitivity to patients with a wide range of various backgrounds, abilities, socioeconomic status and education.
- Ability to respect patient-therapist boundaries and work with sensitive information because they want to treat them as soon as possible.
- Creative approach to problem-solving and the quality to lead and inspire others.
- Ability to work individually as well as a part of a team.
- Having good listening and interpersonal skills.
- Patience because treatment takes time.
- Have a sophisticated language and analytical skills.
- Strong communication skills (written and spoken).
- Critical thinking but should care of the sense of patient as well..
- Emotional stability for overcoming the tension and depression stories by patients.
Job Outlook
Working from substance abuse, behavioural disorders, mental health therapist is projected to grow 25 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to look for addiction and mental health therapy but people require the specialists in such fields.
Salary of a Behavioural therapist:
The average annual salary for that person who holds a Master of Science in ABA is $ 55 402, and some as high as $ 80 287 but totally depends on education level and experience.
It is possible to get a doctorate in the field of applied behaviour analysis and proceed further. In general, the higher the level in ABA as well as more job opportunities and higher salaries exist. In a study on income, unemployment and educational attainment as a whole, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics found that professionals and with a higher level of education have both the lower unemployment rate and the average salary is higher.
Hope this information was beneficial for you.