Licensed
Professional Counselors (LPCs) provide
quality mental health and substance abuse care to millions
of Americans. Professional counselors have a master's or
doctoral degree in counseling or a related field which
included an internship and coursework in human behavior and
development, effective counseling strategies, ethical
practice, and other core knowledge areas.
Nearly every state in the United
States has a licensing board
for counselors. The requirements for licensure
vary slightly from state to state.
Practice as a Licensed Professional
Counselor in Alabama requires:
Completion of a master's degree
program in counseling or a related field that
includes an internship and coursework on human
behavior and development, effective counseling
strategies, ethical practice, and other core
knowledge areas.
Licensure by the Alabama
Board of Examiners in Counseling. Licensure requires
one to three years of supervised experience (as long
as it takes to complete 3000 hours of supervised
experience) and passage of a national examination (NCE).
Participation in continuing
education is required for the renewal of a license
or certification. LPCs must have at least 20 hours
of (NBCC)
approved continuation every
year.
Adherence to a code of ethics that
protects the confidentiality of the counseling
relationship; prohibits discrimination and requires
understanding of and respect for diverse cultural
backgrounds; and mandates that professional
counselors put the needs and welfare of clients
before all others in their practice.
