What is an in home therapist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Ron Precht

An in-home therapist is a mental health professional who provides therapy services in the client's home. They work with individuals and families to address issues related to mental health, emotional well-being, and behavior. In-home therapists may provide individual therapy, family therapy, or couples therapy to help clients overcome challenges such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship conflict. They also assist clients in developing coping skills and improving communication.

What general advice would you give to an In Home Therapist?

Ron Precht

Senior Manager, American Massage Therapy Association

Generally, metropolitan areas have had more openings for massage therapists. This is a report from the end of 2019 that has the most recent data we have available. Report

ScoreIn Home TherapistUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,706

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.2

Growth Rate 17%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 11.26%

Black or African American 3.96%

Hispanic or Latino 7.89%

Unknown 3.79%

White 72.61%

Gender

female 78.31%

male 21.69%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress Level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.7

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an In Home Therapist?

Pros

Flexibility in scheduling
Opportunity to work with clients in their natural environment
More autonomy in treatment decisions
Potential for higher pay than traditional outpatient therapist roles
Greater job security due to demand

Cons

Increased risk of safety concerns when working alone in a client's home
Potential for feeling disconnected from colleagues and team members
Lack of control over environmental factors
Difficulty maintaining professional boundaries in a client's personal space
Elevated risk of exposure to contagious illnesses or hazardous living conditions

Key steps to become an in home therapist

Explore in home therapist education requirements

Most common in home therapist degrees

Bachelor's

49.4 %

Master's

42.2 %

Associate

5.2 %

Start to develop specific in home therapist skills

Skills	Percentages
Social Work	26.16%
Community Resources	5.69%
Community Agencies	5.14%
Substance Abuse	4.37%
Group Therapy	3.81%

Complete relevant in home therapist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New in home therapists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an in home therapist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real in home therapist resumes.

Research in home therapist duties and responsibilities

Create and lead PTSD group for women, depression and stress management groups for men and women.
Provide therapy to adolescents and families with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders from diverse backgrounds in a rehabilitation setting.
Co-Coordinate family therapy program for adolescents in therapeutic community (TC) /residential drug rehabilitation facility.
Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.

Prepare your in home therapist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your in home therapist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an in home therapist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable In Home Therapist Resume templates

Build a professional In Home Therapist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your In Home Therapist resume.

Apply for in home therapist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an in home therapist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do in home therapists rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

In Home Therapist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022

Pros

Making a difference in someone's life. Seeing positive changes.

Cons

Late hours after 9 pm or before 9 am

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019