How To Get Licensed As A Counselor

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How To Get Licensed As A Counselor

Submitted by Ellie L on 10/26/2009

In the United States, if you are a counselor you will get most of the respect from the people around you especially from those you have helped psychologically. The license is you should have is the Mental Health Counselor License which will give you enough credibility to practice counseling. However, licensing happens in the State level so you can expect that requirements will be different from other states. But you can practice the same profession. The following are the steps on how to get licensed as a Counselor;

Step 1
Before anything else, you should have your degree; whether an MBA or Doctorate, but in any case, you must have your own degree in counseling and psychology or a related degree. Studying the normal human development and growth is also a plus in any counselor related profession so if you have the chance, don’t let it pass.
Step 2
One of the most important parts of the Counselor licensing is to undertake a 300 hours of supervised practicum and application of the learned strategies. Commitment to the professional environment under the supervision of a licensed counselor is a must to be able to get the Metal Health Counselor License. At the end of the supervised period, an approval of the University should be obtained.

Step 3
Now, if you have already finished the supervised practicum, you may check the requirements given by your state or your country to get licensed as a counselor. For sure, there would be fees; there are registration fees, processing fees or anything at all. But remember, pay only those you really need to be paid as mentioned in the requirements provided by the state.

Step 4
There would be a National Counselor Exam which you must take and pass before anything certification is issued upon you. If you can complete the exam, you will be provided with temporary Mental Health Counselor License. It simply means that there is another requirement to attain the final certification to become a licensed Counselor.

Step 5
And the last and final requirement for you to undertake is the 3000 hours of counseling experience. Half of which must be supervised by the licensed Mental Health Counselor. This means that you will have to practice your counseling degree for 18 months before your license will be issued upon you. You just need a little patience for this. That’s all!