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Certifications and Licensure for Counselors: Types, Requirements, Salary, Skills

Today, the world needs more people to hear each other out than to be there. That’s what a counselor does. A counsellor is a qualified professional who hears you out, analyzes your issues related to maybe your career, your mental health, or your marriage, and then advises you on solutions that can improve your overall conditions.

For becoming a counselor, you, yourself must be mentally healthy and should have a stable support system of your own to advise someone else about whatever he/she is going through. A counselor has a great responsibility toward his / her client as one bad piece of advice can lead to dramatic results and can create irreversible circumstances. 

Psychology courses are the go-to subjects that one should pursue in order to become a Counsellor. As per their choice, they can pursue both Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in Psychology, or even can pursue a Ph.D. degree in Psychology. India is home to several top-ranking Psychology Colleges, that can be chosen from to pursue the course.

Who are Counselors

In simple words, a counselor is someone whose job is to listen and give advice to a person, couple, family, or group of an organization. Especially advice for those who are unable to deal with current ongoing situations or childhood fears and can’t maintain their mental well-being. Well, after getting a bachelor’s in sociology, psychology, social work, medical science, or nursing you may pursue a master’s or diploma in counseling in mental health or career counseling, or marriage counseling.

Types of Counselors

There are basically 5 broad classifications of Counselors. They are listed below for your reference,

  1. Licensed Professional Psychologist: A LPP is someone who is a professional, one with a doctoral or master's in mental health services providers, who practices and studies different normal and abnormal states of individuals including mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions related to one environment by using defined ways, observing the responses and interpreting them without adhering to his predictions of oneself.
  2. Licensed Guidance Counselor: A LGC works in the field of education guiding students with problems on the career level or family or personal issues. They may help students gain knowledge about different career paths and in selecting college and counseling. The LGC should know government education policies, foreign policies, and different career scopes.
  3. Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor: A LCAC works for a person, along with their family who is addicted to drugs, alcohol, or smoking, by analyzing and creating strategies and plans specific to that person to help that person recover. The counselor should understand, care, and be non-judgmental in helping an addict. They suggest ongoing therapy, assist improvement and provide necessary guidance.
  4. Marriage Counselor License: A counselor that helps couples, and families to improve their relationships and resolve conflicts by listening, observing, and communicating. They enable couples to speak to themselves and listen to others, help understand each other's feelings and normalize communication. They highlight the relationship’s difficulties and direct ways to turn an unhealthy relationship into a healthier one.
  5. Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor: LRC works on an individual who may have recently had an accident and is facing difficulties in getting back his life on a normal track. They work on various disabilities that one has and use different defined ways to rehab oneself to his old life. They try to create a bridge between a disabled person and a normal life that he may lead shortly.

Certifications and Licensure of Counselors

Some of the main licensure requirements for Counselors are listed below,

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

The requirements to become an LPC include:

  • · A graduate and master's degree in counseling (or one with a major in counseling) from an accredited Institute. 
  • · Must have passed the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE).

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

  • First, of first, Earn a relevant graduate and master's degree in Counseling Psychology.
  • The candidate should have passed the required examination of the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) or the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE).

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

  • They must have a master’s degree in psychology or nursing and obtain a certain amount of training under a professional counselor. 
  • Must have passed the counseling exam; The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) or the National Counselor Examination (NCE)

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor of Mental Health (LPCC)

  • Applicants who have a relevant graduate, master's, and doctorate in Mental health Counseling from an authorized University. 
  • The candidate must have passed the counseling exam; The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) or the National Counselor Examination (NCE) by NBCC.

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)

  • The Candidate must have completed graduation and postgraduate degree with internship experience.
  • The candidate passed the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). Also, can pursue NBCC (National Board of Certified) certification. 

Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP)

  • The Candidate must have completed graduation and postgraduate degree with internship experience.
  • The applicant has passed licenses such as NCE or NCMHCE.

Read More: Certification and Licensure for Counselors Revision Notes pdf

Counseling Certification Requirements

Some of the major requirements for the above-mentioned Certifications are mentioned below,

  • The applicant should be an Undergraduate in psychology, social science, or medical and nursing fields.
  • Master's degree from an authorized University in the field you are interested to pursue further.
  • The applicant must have specific certifications from National or state bodies.
  • Internship experience of respected Counseling Certifications and Licensure. 

Counseling Certification Salary

The average salary for Counseling Certifications has been tabulated below for your reference,

Counselor type Average Monthly Salary (INR)
Licensed Professional Psychologist 40,000 
Licensed Guidance Counselor 33,051 
Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor 42,394 
Marriage Counselor License 49,586 
Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor 42438 

Certifications and Licensure For Counselors: FAQs

Ques. What certifications should a counselor have?

Ans. Bachelor in psychology and relevant field with a master’s in counseling and experience in counseling under professional supervision for definite hours. A passing score in the National or board exam for specializations.

Ques. What’s the difference between a therapist and a counselor?

Ans. The therapist is a regulated practice while counseling is not. The main difference lies in education, training, and licensing.

Ques. Can I be a counselor without a degree?

Ans. Mental health specialists must have a degree before practicing. However, some degrees in counseling do not require a degree. It includes alcohol and drug counselors, peer counselors, career counselors, etc.

Ques. What types of counselors get paid the most?

Ans. School counselors are the most paid counselors followed by career counselors, marriage counselors, and family and mental health counselors.

Ques. How many years does it take to become a counselor?

Ans. It depends on different specialties; however, it takes three to five years on average.

Ques. Are counselors high in demand?

Ans. The demand for mental health counselors is supposed to be raised by 25% by 2029; the reason being aware of mental health.

Ques. Can I get a counseling degree online?

Ans. At the bachelor's level, you can have an online degree but at the post-graduation level, it’s better to have on-site work experience.

Ques. How long is PWP training?

Ans. It typically consists of 45 days of training alongside supervised practice for certain hours.

Ques. Which is better: a therapist or a counselor?

Ans. The counselor is involved in short-term treatment while the counselor is involved in planning strategies that are indeed for a longer period.

Ques. What are some examples of certifications an LPC can get?

Ans. Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Professional, Counselor, and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor are some examples.

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