What is the Training Like to Become a Child Therapist in Colorado?

Colorado residents who think they might enjoy a career in the field of child therapy should know that reaching their career goals will not come easily. While there are many wonderful educational and internship opportunities awaiting prospective child therapists throughout the state, one has to be willing to work extremely hard and to devote oneself completely to the field in order to truly take advantage of them. Those who possess the kind of drive and initiative are practically guaranteed success in whatever career they put their mind to.

The first and most important step to becoming a behavioral therapist is, of course, education. To work in any field related to child therapy, even in an entry level position, at least a bachelor's degree is required. Ideally, bachelor's degrees should be in a related field, such as child psychology, general psychology, child development, or even sociology. A degree such as this can typically be earned in around four years, and is easily supplemented for specific jobs with a specialized certificate program. The better jobs, however, - the ones most people think of when they dream of becoming child therapists- are only available to those who posses at least a master's degree.

Master's degrees can only be earned after earning a bachelor's degree, and they can take anywhere from one to three years to complete, depending upon the exact degree program and the amount of time the student has to devote to taking classes each semester. With a master's degree, all of the doors in the field swing right open. Those with graduate degrees can choose to seek licensure or accreditation or they can even go on to earn doctoral degrees for even more opportunities in the field. PhD programs can take quite a while to complete, often as long as seven years on average, and most people work in the field while pursuing them. They are excellent ways to increase salary or to get a huge promotion

. In addition to the education that goes on in the classroom, prospective child therapists will also need to gain some "real world" education. Most people will choose to do this through experiential learning opportunities known as internships. Internships may be paid or unpaid and can be done at any facility where people practice child therapy. It is usually best for students or graduates to complete an internship at a place of business that is extremely close to the type of place where they one day hope to work.

Internships can include very small, basic responsibilities like office tasks and what may seem like busy work, but there will also be important opportunities for newcomers to the field to observe and learn from the work being done. Those who do well on their internships will often be rewarded with a job offer at the completion of the internship. Even when this doesn't happen, many people make important connections during internships that can help them to find employment later.