Psychotherapists
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Psychotherapists are a type of clinical psychologists who help their patients and clients understand and help their mental and emotional issues. They are also known as therapists or shrinks. Therapists may interview their clients and give them tests to help recognize the patients problem and help them cope (www.bls.gov 1). Therapists are legally bound and are expected to respect their patients privacy and confidentiality. They are not to tell anyone what their clientele tells them.
They undertake an initial review of their client. With their clients, they discuss the effects of their early influence and talk about and explore issues with clients. Therapists help clients understand their needs and emotions and how to manage them. Whats more, they talk about how to achieve the patients need (kiwicareers.govt.nz 1).
Psychotherapists treat a variety of difficulties, from severe depression, phobias, and addiction, to family break ups and a death of a loved one (Conklin 1 and iseek.org1). Some of the types of tests a psychotherapist may give are ink blot tests or a word association test. Sometimes it is not just one person. Sometimes its group therapy, for maybe just the family or a group of people who have similar problems.
A therapists salary varies depending on if they are in private practice, meaning they are self-employed, or are hired by a company or group of people. Those in their own practice obtain their pay from their clients and patients. Those employed by another are paid by their superiors. Private practice therapists are, at and average, paid $20,000 to $60,000 a year. Many start out as volunteers before beginning paid work (kiwicareers.govt.nz 2 and Career Discovery 1).
Therapists in private practice must provide their own benefits while salaried therapists benefits are provided by their employer. Hired psychotherapists receive a pension plan, get paid holidays and vacations, and health insurance. In addition, they receive sick days and personal days. Of course, private practitioners vacation time, pension plans, and personal days depends on themselves (Career Discovery 2).
One may work up to 40 hours a week. Their work hours are flexible depending on the type of work and the needs of the individual psychotherapist and to accommodate their clients. They may have Saturday hours as well (Career Discovery 3). They may also work irregular hours (kiwicareers.govt.nz 3).
Therapists in private practice usually have comfy offices (www.bls.gov 2). Psychotherapists also work in a range of places such as public institutions – hospitals, mental health care centers, etc. – voluntary organizations, non-profit agencies, and private practices. They work with their clients and, if they are employed, their colleague and superiors (kiwicareers.govt.nz 4).
The turnover rate for psychotherapists is low. Most tend to stay. Nevertheless, reasons for leaving