Therapist Interview Questions and Answers
In this therapist interview questions article, I have collected the most frequently asked questions by interviewers. These questions are collected after consulting with top industry experts in the field of Clinical Therapy. The problem of mental illness is so common these days that 50 percent of the world's population needs clinical therapy in one way or another. If anyone is thinking of looking for a job in clinical therapy he/she must have passed the interview. If you want to quickly brush up with the interview questions basics, I recommend having a look at this article on clinical therapist interview questions.
Clinical Therapists are more alike counselors who examine the patient’s mental health and treat them with some therapeutic approaches according to their condition. For a Clinical therapist, one must have a master's degree in areas like professional counseling, psychology, social platform, etc. and rollover therapist interviews.
In this article, we review the general background related therapist interview questions and provide you with ten sample answers to help you during the interview.
Most Frequently Asked Therapist Interview Questions
| Psychotherapist | Clinical Psychologist |
|---|---|
| Psychotherapists do not do any research | Clinical Psychologist works as a researcher |
| They work in therapy with clients | They work with clients in a clinical or private setting |
| They can be found in Community Health Centers, School, and Medical Settings. | They can be found in labs and Academic settings |
| They do not require an undergraduate education based on psychology | They do psychology at the undergraduate degree level and at the doctorate level they move into clinical psychology. |
Therapy Session normally starts with certain questions about you and your life. Gathering information helps the therapist evaluate the patient's situation.
- Why you sought therapy.
- Your personal history and current situation.
- Your current symptoms
If you are going for a therapy session you should be prepared for it. Be open and honest about your feelings in front of the therapist and his team.
If one cannot afford therapy but is struggling with mental illness, he/she can opt for mental health apps that help to track mental health data. These apps include proven techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and address everything from depression to eating disorder recovery, anxiety.
Work pressure causes mental health problems and that causes various diseases like disabilities, respiratory disorders, heart disease, musculoskeletal, etc. So, to track mental health these days is a must for every work culture.
In many cases, therapists cannot prescribe medication as they are not medical doctors. So, they refer their clients to psychiatrists when they believe they need medical help to combat mental illness. Since a psychiatrist is a medical doctor, they can prescribe clients medicine and adjust the dosages as needed to help them feel better. So, their relationship is more like a colleague-like relationship as both of them are getting benefitted.
By not revealing the contents or data of therapy by therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists client’s confidentiality should be taken care of.
One can maintain confidentiality in the following ways-
- On voicemail or text information should not be revealed.
- Appointment information of the client should not be leaked to outside parties.
- Without the explicit permission of the client one should not discuss the contents of therapy with a third party.
Virtual Therapy is a therapy that a person seeks through an electronic device like a phone, an application, a video chat, or even a virtual reality device.
All these Virtual therapy options allow people to take treatment in the comfort of their place and hence avoid traveling to see a therapist in person.
There are more than 50 types of therapeutic approaches out of which few are common.
Some of them you will come across with
Client-Centered Therapy- It focuses as much on the client as possible. CCT therapists are more concerned and caring than analytical therapists.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- This therapy treats dysfunctional that leads to mental illness, negative emotion, and maladaptive behaviors and it focuses on thoughts rather than the client as a person.
Existential Therapy- This therapy helps clients manage aspects of the human condition including isolation, meaninglessness, mortality, and freedom.
Gestalt Therapy- This Therapy emphasizes personal responsibility and helps clients focus on the present.
Psychodynamic Therapy- This therapy mainly focuses on insensible feelings/thoughts and the impact of the past on the present.
| Therapy | Counseling |
|---|---|
| Therapy is longer-term than counseling and covers a broader range of issues. | Counseling is a short term than therapy |
| Therapy addresses the root cause and core issue of current problems. | Counseling is recommended for specific issues and situations. |
| A therapist can be a counselor as well | A counselor cannot be a therapist |
| Therapy is recommended for situations like mental illness, depression, or anxiety. | Counseling is recommended for situations like addiction or grief. |
Many job interviews are just to check whether you will be able to work in their organization or not. Sometimes we are competing with someone who is better than us and fits for the job. But that thing you cannot change at the last moment. Give your best and practice, practice, and practice.
Got a question for us? Please mention it in the comments section on this Clinical Therapist Interview Questions and we will get back to you.