How To Become a Licensed Professional Counselor: Tips for Current Professionals
Changing careers can feel daunting, but moving into an in-demand field like counseling can help ease the stress. According to Mental Health America, nearly one in four adults experience mental illness; however, there is only one mental health provider for every 340 people in the U.S. It is no surprise, then, that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS) predicts the demand for counselors to grow much faster than the U.S. average through 2033.
Individuals interested in pursuing a new career in this field need to understand how to become a licensed professional counselor. This process involves following several steps, including completing the required education — such as obtaining a master’s in counseling psychology — gaining experience, and getting licensed.
What Is a Licensed Professional Counselor?
Before learning how to change careers and transition to the mental health field, it’s important for potential counselors to fully grasp what a licensed professional counselor is.
Licensed professional counselors use various behavior-related therapeutic strategies to help individuals improve their well-being. They assess clients for symptoms of distress, converse with clients about their experiences and emotions, and identify triggers related to a client’s challenges. They will also develop individualized plans to help clients overcome or mitigate the negative effects of these triggers.
The goal of counseling isn’t necessarily focused on the issue driving the behavior. It’s focused on helping an individual cope with the issue in a positive rather than negative manner.
Key issues that licensed professional counselors may address with clients include work or financial stress, relationship issues, social challenges like prejudice or bullying, and conditions like anxiety and grief. They may work in private practices, hospitals, schools, nonprofit organizations, and other locations.
How To Become a Licensed Professional Counselor: Steps and Tips
The opportunity to help someone improve their well-being can be an appealing reason to become a licensed professional counselor, especially for those who feel burned out by their current careers and are looking for a change. While there are challenges to switching careers, the mental health field often offers long-term satisfaction that can make it worth the effort.
There are some key steps and tips involved in successfully transitioning to a career as a counselor.
1. Confirm the Career Change
One step that should be included in any guide on how to change careers and become a licensed professional counselor is to do the appropriate research. Individuals interested in this type of transition need to fully understand what such a change means in the short and long term. Potential counselors should explore the pros and cons of the role, understand how it differs from related careers, and determine if counseling aligns with their interests and long-term goals. If possible, they should consider reaching out to current counselors to get insights from those already in the profession. And, of course, they need to understand what time, money, and other resources they must invest in becoming a licensed professional counselor and what they can expect in return in salary, job outlook, career satisfaction, etc.
Individuals who have done the research and confirmed that counseling is a field they want to pursue can feel good about moving through the next steps.
2. Complete Educational Requirements
A master’s degree in counseling or psychology is typically required for licensed professional counseling roles. It’s common for individuals to already hold an undergraduate degree in psychology, social work, counseling, sociology, or a related field. If an individual earned a different type of undergraduate degree to prepare for the career they’re leaving behind, they may have to take additional courses related to counseling prior to enrollment.
These educational requirements help individuals gain knowledge of the essential theories and techniques associated with counseling. They also help people develop the attributes needed to become good counselors, such as advanced communication skills, compassion, and cultural competence.
3. Gain Experience
After earning a degree, individuals must complete a specific number of supervised clinical hours to ensure they are fully capable of providing therapeutic care that produces positive results. Individuals typically complete some or all of these hours as part of their degree program. While the number of clinical hours varies by state, the typical requirement ranges from 2,000 to 4,500 hours.
4. Obtain Licensure
After completing a sufficient number of supervised clinical hours, individuals must become licensed in their intended state of practice via a licensing exam. Each state has its own licensing requirements, but most counselors end up as licensed professional counselors or licensed mental health counselors. It is crucial for individuals to confirm the requirements in their intended state of practice prior to completing their education.
Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor Is a Change That Can Make a Difference
Learning how to become a counselor after deciding on a career change can be intimidating, yet immensely satisfying, in the long term. The fundamental endgame of counseling is to help people improve their mental and emotional well-being. This means every successful outcome substantially improves the lives of others.
Felician University’s online Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) program combines online coursework and in-person field experiences, which allows students to obtain counseling knowledge and apply what they’ve learned in supervised real-world scenarios. The program includes courses such as Development Models of Personal Growth and Assessment and Treatment Planning, alongside 100 practicum hours and 600-plus internship hours.
Learn how Felician University can help you embark on the next chapter of your professional life.
Sources:
- BetterHelp, “A Guide To Becoming a Therapist Later in Life”
- Healthline, “How To Choose a Counselor vs. Therapist”
- Indeed, “How To Change Careers: A Step-By-Step Guide”
- Mental Health America, “The State of Mental Health in America”
- National Institute of Mental Health, Mental Illness
- OpenCounseling, “What Kinds of Therapists Are There? Decoding the Alphabet Soup”
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Verywell Mind, “Mental Health Counselor Training, Skills, and Salary”