Who can be called a therapist and how to register?

Do you know who can be called a therapist and how to register as this professional?

The profession of therapist is an area of mental health that plays a crucial role in supporting people's emotional and psychological well-being.

And in Brazil, this issue is becoming increasingly important, given that the WHO, the World Health Organization, itself indicated that Brazil is the country with the most anxious people in Latin America.

Who can be called a therapist?

The term therapist is generally used to refer to any professional who works in complementary or alternative therapies, in addition to therapists in traditional areas of mental health.

In Brazil, we end up using this terminology a lot to talk about professionals who work in the area of mental or emotional health, regardless of their specific training or qualifications.

However, it is important to highlight that there are some associations and organizations that offer professional registrations for therapists, which can be seen as a differentiator in the job market.

The professionals most commonly recognized as therapists are psychologists, who have a background in psychology and often seek specialization in psychotherapy.

Psychologists are highly qualified to assess and treat mental and emotional disorders.

It is essential that individuals seeking therapeutic services verify the qualifications and credentials of the professionals they trust to ensure they are receiving the appropriate care for their needs.

We can find other professionals who also end up being called therapists, such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and specialists in alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and massages.

Differences between a therapist and a psychologist

Although we call the vast majority of professionals in the field of mental health and well-being therapists, we can point out certain differences between psychologists and therapists.

And in addition to knowing who can be called a therapist, we need to understand what differentiates these professionals.

And the main difference is in professional training, which with training in psychology, the professional can be a psychologist and also a therapist, but a therapist cannot necessarily be a psychologist.

There are also differences in the type of treatment, psychologists generally provide long-term care, with regular sessions that can last months or years.

On the other hand, therapists have the flexibility to offer one-off treatments tailored to the patient's specific needs, or therapies that patients can follow independently at home, such as aromatherapy.

It turns out that psychology professionals are more specialized, needing to complete 5 years of college, while therapies may not have all that time, and if they are alternative and holistic therapies, sometimes they do not require higher specialization.

Regardless of whether you choose a psychologist or therapist, it is crucial to look for professionals you can trust and who provide a sense of comfort and security.

After all, these professionals play a fundamental role in promoting mental and emotional health.

How to register as a therapist?

The therapist can work on several fronts, such as psychology, speech therapy, occupational therapies, holistic therapies and integrative therapies.

In any case, regardless of your field, there will certainly be a registry or council to regulate your work.

So, now that you know who can be called a therapist, you can understand more about the registration of these professionals.

Federal Council of Psychology

The CFP, Federal Council of Psychology, is a body responsible for regulating psychologists throughout Brazil.

To register with the National Register of Psychologists, the professional must have a degree in psychology recognized by the Ministry of Education, MEC.

The registration process can be done online, quickly and conveniently, you only need to provide personal, academic and professional information.

The CFP will be responsible for evaluating the documents so that the professional can have their registration finalized. This process takes an average of 30 business days and can cost up to R$$150.

Registration with the CFP is valid for 5 years, and in order to renew it, the fee must be paid again.

Federal Council of Speech Therapy

The CFFa, Federal Council of Speech Therapy, is responsible for regulating the profession of speech therapist.

And in order to value the knowledge of this professional in question, and so that he can obtain the title of specialist, it is necessary to show several documents, such as:

• Completed application, which can be obtained from the CFFa website;
• Certified copy of the declaration of veracity of the Degree in Speech Therapy;
• Certified copy of the declaration of authenticity of the identity card and CPF;
• Proof of residence;
• Speech therapist's professional card;
• Certified copy of the declaration of veracity of the work card;
• And many others.

Federal Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy

COFFITO is another council that regulates professions, it actually regulates the work of occupational therapists, which also allows registration.

The following occupational therapies are recognized by COFFITO: acupuncture, mental health, family health, gerontology and in hospital, social and school contexts.

And to obtain registration, it is necessary to have a diploma recognized by the MEC and never have been convicted of a willful crime.

The council will evaluate your documentation and a fee of R$$150 will be charged in order to have your registration.

Brazilian Association of Holistic Therapists

ABRATH is the Brazilian association of holistic therapists, which regulates these professionals.

It is a non-profit association that was created in 1992, and it is through ABRATH that one can obtain the CRTH-BR, the registration document for these professionals.

To join this association, the professional will need to prove, through certificates, that he/she has 150 to 1200 hours of holistic techniques combined.

There are several categories of holistic therapy, including doula, numerologist, reconnective, reiki, chromotherapy, hippotherapy and many others.

Depending on the type of therapy you are applying for, the amount of hours required will change.

In addition to the certificates, you will also need to present other documents, such as your driver's license, Registration Form, proof of education, residence, no criminal record and be over 18 years old.

To become a member you do not need to pay and it can take up to 7 days for your proposal to be accepted or rejected.

Professional boards and registers play a key role in regulating and supervising professions in a range of fields, including healthcare and other regulated professions.