Psychotherapist
Kaihaumanu Hinengaro
Alternative titles for this job
Psychotherapists provide talk therapy to help people manage and improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Pay
Psychotherapists usually earn
$60K-$105K per year
Psychotherapists can earn
$48K-$132K per year
Source: TEC research
Job opportunities
Vocational PathwaysPay
Pay for psychotherapists varies depending on experience, qualifications and employer.
- Psychotherapists usually earn $60,000 to $105,000 a year.
- Psychotherapists can earn $48,000 to $132,000.
Pay for psychotherapists working in private practice depends on their experience and the success of their business.
Source: TEC research.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
Psychotherapists may do some or all of the following:
- assess clients' mental health and emotional wellbeing
- develop personalised treatment plans for clients
- provide individual or group therapy treatment sessions
- help clients address the effects of childhood influences and past trauma
- help clients understand and control their emotions and behaviour
- monitor client responses to treatment and write reports
- maintain client files.
Skills and knowledge
Psychotherapists need to have knowledge of:
- psychotherapeutic and psychological theory and treatment methods
- social and cultural issues that may affect clients
- analysing and assessing human psychology and behaviour
- current research and research methods.
Working conditions
- usually work regular business hours, but may work evenings or weekends and be on-call
- work in private practices, non-profit agencies, voluntary organisations and public hospitals
- may work in emotionally draining and stressful circumstances
- may travel to visit clients or attend workshops and conferences.
Entry requirements
You need a qualification to become a psychotherapist and experience may be useful.
You need:
- a bachelor's degree in counselling, applied counselling, health science in counselling, or social services (counselling)
- an Annual Practising Certificate
- to pass a police check.
You may need:
- a Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health and Addiction
- a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Mental Health and Addiction Counselling
- a Master's degree in Counselling or Counselling Studies
- experience in similar work
- to be registered with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors
- an Annual Practising Certificate.
The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 means that if you have certain serious convictions, you can’t be employed in a role where you are responsible for, or work alone with, children.
Secondary education
You need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Useful subjects include English, social studies and health education.
Personal requirements
Psychotherapists need to be:
- empathetic and concerned for the wellbeing of others
- non-judgemental
- able to keep information private
- able to relate well to people
- able to influence people.
Useful experience
Useful experience for psychotherapists includes:
- social work
- community work or counselling
- life experience
- work helping or caring for people
- research in related fields.
Registration
Psychotherapists need to be registered with the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand and have a current Annual Practising Certificate.
Find out more about training
- NZ Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists
- www.nzacap.org.nz
- NZ Association of Psychotherapists
- (04) 475 6244 - admin@nzap.org.nz - www.nzap.org.nz
What are the chances of getting a job?
There are few permanent full-time positions advertised for psychotherapists.
However, they often work part time as psychotherapists in private practice and combine this with paid work as a case worker, counsellor or addictions counsellor.
Psychotherapist appears on Immigration New Zealand's Green List. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled psychotherapists from overseas to work in New Zealand.
Forty percent of psychotherapists work part time.
According to the Census, 600 psychotherapists worked in New Zealand in 2018.
More demand in rural locations
Demand for psychotherapists is higher in rural areas, for example work as a private contractor for ACC. However, these jobs are not always full time.
Self-employment common and types of employers varied
Sixty-five percent of psychotherapists are self-employed. They may also work for:
- Te Whatu Ora Health NZ
- government departments such as Department of Corrections, Ministry of Education, Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, ACC and Defence Force
- iwi organisations
- non-governmental organisations such as Red Cross
- addiction, trauma and abuse centres
- universities and polytechnics.
Sources
-
Immigration New Zealand, Green List, January 2023, (www.immigration.govt.nz).
-
New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists website, accessed April 2021, (nzap.org.nz).
- Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.
- The Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand website, accessed April 2021, (www.pbanz.org.nz).
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Progression and specialisations
Psychotherapists may progress to academic research, teaching, clinical, advisory or management roles.
Psychotherapists can also specialise in areas such as:
- child and adolescent psychotherapy
- group/family psychotherapy
- clinical supervision.
Psychotherapists treat people with mental or emotional problems
Last updated 12 November 2024