A clinical therapist with state licensure who provides individual, family, or group psychotherapy — typically LCSW, LMFT, LPC, or LMHC depending on training and state. Works across mental health diagnoses and life issues, using evidence-based or eclectic therapeutic frameworks.
Most days tend to involve a caseload of scheduled therapy sessions (typically 22-30 per week in productive practice), case documentation, treatment plan updates, and the consultation and supervision work that supports clinical practice. You'll often work across diagnoses (depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, life transitions), adjust treatment approaches to individual clients and presenting issues, and balance therapeutic depth with documentation requirements.
The variance between settings is real — private practice offers autonomy, control over caseload, and higher hourly rates but trades benefits and infrastructure; community mental health agencies serve high-acuity caseloads with Medicaid billing; group practices blend private practice independence with shared resources; EAP and managed care contracts trade rate per session for steady referrals; hospital-based behavioral health serves higher-acuity inpatient and outpatient populations. Licensure (LCSW, LMFT, LPC, LMHC, varies by state) anchors paths.
People who tend to thrive here are comfortable with the emotional intensity of clinical work, capable of holding therapeutic relationships across long arcs, and patient with documentation and insurance dynamics. Continued education and specialty certifications support advancement. The work tends to offer deep client impact and the meaning of clinical practice, with the trade-off being the emotional weight of ongoing trauma exposure and the burnout risk — for those drawn to clinical therapy, the work tends to root deeply.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Social Services roles →A clinical therapist with state licensure who provides individual, family, or group psychotherapy — typically LCSW, LMFT, LPC, or LMHC depending on training and state. Works across mental health diagnoses and life issues, using evidence-based or eclectic therapeutic frameworks.
Median pay for a Licensed Clinical Therapist is about $64K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $43K to $112K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, and Writing.
Most people in this role hold a master's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 12.6% through 2034, with roughly 65,870 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Outpatient Therapist, Behavior Therapist, and Behavioral Therapist.
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