Mental Health Therapist Interview Questions & Answers


Mental health therapists provide essential care for people who are struggling with mental health conditions. They help patients identify and understand the root of their problems and develop strategies to improve their mental health.

Mental health therapists can work in hospitals, schools, or within a private practice.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Mental Health Therapist or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Mental Health Therapist position, these Mental Health Therapist interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Mental Health Therapist Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Mental Health Therapist interview questions.

  1. What, in your opinion, is the most important quality in a Mental Health Therapist?
  2. How do you determine the best course of treatment for your patients?
  3. What are the most common mental health issues that you treat in your practice?
  4. Describe a time when you were able to console an emotional patient. How did you do it?
  5. Describe your process for keeping detailed notes on each of your clients and your overall progress with them.
  6. Have you ever failed to properly diagnose a client or offer helpful counseling? What did you do?
  7. What would you do if you felt overwhelmed by the number of clients you were responsible for?
  8. What has been your most rewarding experience as a Mental health therapist?
  9. If a patient was making significant progress but started to regress, how would you handle this situation?
  10. If a client refuses to follow your advice, how would you handle this?
  11. What is your approach to working with couples or families?
  12. How often would you recommend clients come in for therapy sessions?
  13. We want to make sure our patients feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with our therapists. How would you get a shy or withdrawn client to open up and share their thoughts and feelings with you?
  14. Which personality types do you find the most challenging to work with and why?
  15. What are your favorite therapy methods?
  16. Are you certified or licensed in mental health therapy?
  17. What is your approach to working with patients who have a history of substance abuse or addiction?
  18. Provide an example of a time when you had to help a patient who was resistant to treatment.
  19. What do you think is the most important thing that mental health therapists can do to support their clients and help them achieve their goals?
  20. What would you do if you noticed that one of your clients was having a negative impact on another client’s progress?
  21. When a patient makes significant progress, how do you celebrate this achievement with them?
  22. There is a new treatment that hasn’t been widely adopted by the therapy community yet. Would you be willing to try it with your clients?
  23. Describe your process for keeping up with the latest trends and developments in the field of psychology and therapy.
  24. What makes you the ideal candidate for this mental health therapist position?

Mental Health Therapist Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Mental Health Therapist interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  2. Tell Me About Yourself
  3. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  4. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  5. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  6. What is Your Greatest Strength?
  7. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
  8. Why Should We Hire You?
  9. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  10. Why Do You Want This Job?