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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

$68K-$85K per year

Senior psychotherapists with more experience and responsibility usually earn

$87K-$118K per year

Source: Te Whatu Ora 2022 -2024

Job opportunities

Chances of getting a job as a psychotherapist are average due to stable numbers of people in the role.

Pay

Pay for psychotherapists varies depending on experience, qualifications and employer.

Psychotherapists working for Te Whatu Ora Health NZ

  • Qualified psychotherapists usually earn $68,000 to $85,000 a year.
  • Senior psychotherapists, who may also supervise staff, can earn $87,000 to $118,000.

Pay for psychotherapists working in private practice depends on their experience and the success of their business.

Sources: Te Whatu Ora, 'APEX & Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Psychotherapists Single Employer Collective Agreement, 4 July 2022 to 31 June 2024'.

(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

Psychotherapists:
  • 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

To become a psychotherapist you need to:

  • have a qualification, or a qualification and work experience, that meets the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand's registration criteria
  • be registered with the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand.

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

A tertiary entrance qualification is usually required to enter further training. 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
Check out related courses

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
  • government departments such as Department of Corrections, Ministry of Education, Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki, 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.
A psychotherapist taking to a client

Psychotherapists treat people with mental or emotional problems

Last updated 9 October 2023