Where Do Child Therapists Work in Georgia?

In the state of Georgia, qualified child therapists have tons of different options as to where they work and the exact jobs that they do. If you are planning on embarking upon a career in child therapy in the state, then it's important that you know what you want to do and the educational path you need to follow in order to get there. This will keep you from wasting countless amounts of time, energy, and money. In order to help you start thinking about the job you might like to have, we've listed some of the top child therapy positions in Georgia.

1. Clinical Child Therapists: By far, clinical child therapists are the most common type of child therapists in the state of Georgia. They are also some of the most highly paid, and are generally what most people think of when they think of "therapists." Professionals working in this aspect typically work in the practices of other professionals or may even open their own practices. They set their own rates, within the limits of the profession and the practice if not their own, and they can work as little or as much as they like. Their responsibilities include diagnosing patients, creating treatment plans or plans of action for their clients, working with them to meet goals on a one on one basis, making referrals to other professionals when needed, reporting suspected child abuse and/or neglect to the proper authorities, and adjusting treatment plans as needed.
2. School System Therapists: Many therapists also enjoy working within the school system. There, they might hold counseling sessions with troubled students, help classrooms or teachers that are having problems, or investigate cases of abuse or other wrongdoings against children. As employees of the state, these therapists typically make less than those working in clinical settings, but they get excellent benefits, ample time off, and sturdy retirement funds.
3. Child Protective Services Therapists: Some therapists also work with children in abusive situations or children who have recently come out of such situations. They might help children in foster care or group homes or even help some children to make the transition from being in foster care or wards of the state to becoming adopted. Their main focus and goal is to help children at difficult points in their lives to eventually grow into well adjusted adults.
4. Child Therapy Specialists: Specialists in the field can work in any of the above capacities, though they focus on one particular need or problem. For example, they might work with only eating disordered children and adolescents or only with those children who have a specific problem, such as autism. They generally supplement their educations with specializations and certifications in specific areas.

These, of course, are just a few of the many ways in which child therapists might work in the state of Georgia. Other therapists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or with families as a whole. No matter the way in which you want to work with children, you can do it by pursuing a career in child therapy.