What Is LPC Certification?
A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) provides services focused on mental and emotional health and well-being. These professionals work with a variety of different clients, including families, individuals, or larger groups. One of the services available when working with an LPC are conference sessions; these meetings allow for the diagnosis and prescription of a mental or emotional illness or the education of methods aimed at preventing such illness. LPCs are also responsible for consistent research on current psychological techniques in their respective fields of approach.
Those looking to attain LPC certification must possess the minimum education of a master's degree in counseling and at least 3,000 hours of directed clinical training. After this, you can take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and maintain exacting recognition of the Code of Ethics and principles of practice. After taking the exam, you can apply for an LPC certificate. Although application requirements vary by state, these four requirements are universal for those looking to attain a counseling certification within the U.S. and be able to legally practice counseling.
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Counseling Certification Programs
Counseling certificate programs are intended for students working toward their master's degree in counseling and can be combined with the program of study to obtain a counselor certification quicker by providing the necessary graduate credits and field experience hours. There are two other options for counseling certification programs, including a post-master's counseling program, which is used to aid in state-specific requirements, or an online counseling certificate, which can be used to apply credit to a master's program at a later time.
A counseling certificate program can be taken separately or with a Master's of Counseling, although combining it with a master's program minimizes the time spent working toward the counselor certificate. Schools like the University of Baltimore or Texas A&M University offer these types of programs, requiring a total of 12-18 credits taken to earn the 60 graduate credits and 125 hours of field training necessary to take the NCE. Schools like Lamar University offer this type of counseling certification program online. The post-master's counseling program works in the same way as the counseling certificate program, but requires the student to already have completed their master's. An example of this type of program is offered at Montclair State University.
An online counseling certificate without any inclusion of a master's degree is also a viable option for those wishing to pursue a career in counseling, although you will not posses an LPC accreditation. Counseling online certificate programs teach specific treatment skills and help improve recognition of mental and emotional illness. These programs will not meet the requirements of counseling licensure, but can allow the opportunity to work as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, a Psychiatric Assistant, or a Peer Counselor. These counseling certifications programs can be found at online institutions such as Capella University.
LPC Distance Learning
While you absolutely can complete an LPC degree program online, it is impossible to earn an LPC certification online because of the in-person requirements necessary to sit for the NCE. There are many colleges and universities that offer full Master's of Counseling educations, or a counseling diploma, online combined with the online LPC certificate programs, meant to aid in preparing students for the NCE quicker. Some examples of these are the University of Denver, offering an online Master's in School Counseling, or NYU Steinhardt offering an online Master's of Counseling and Guidance.
While it would be impossible to complete the 3,000 hours of field training required for the NCE in a remote setting, there are plenty of online exam prep services that can help you prepare for taking the exam in a completely distance learning way.
Popular Career Options
Because counselors have a wide variety of specialization options, employment prospects and salary can vary widely. Possible job titles for counselors include:
- Educational (school) counselor
- Marriage and family therapist
- Mental health counselor
- Rehabilitation counselor
- Behavioral disorder counselor
Employment Outlook and Salary Information
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in the substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counseling field are expected to increase by about 25% between 2019 and 2029. During that same decade, school counselors are expected to see an 8% increase. As with job availability, salaries for counselors vary depending on specialization and education level, with rehabilitation counselors earning a median of $35,950 annually as of May 2019. Marriage and family therapists earned a median of $49,610 a year, according to the BLS in 2019.
Continuing Education Information
Many counselors elect to obtain voluntary certification from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification or the National Board for Certified Counselors. Those who have obtained a master's degree and licensure as professional counselors may decide to continue their educations. Many colleges and universities offer graduate certificates in counseling specializations. The American Counseling Association offers online professional development workshops and programs, as well as an annual Conference and Expo for LPCs to maintain current on field techniques and research and network with their peers.
If you're interested in becoming a licensed professional counselor, you first need to earn a master's degree in a related field. Either during or after obtaining a master's degree program in counseling, it is beneficial for individuals to enroll in certification programs to speed up the process necessary to become an LPC.
