Oh boy, y’all. Let’s get into it today!
We’re going to talk about Licenses.
This is maybe one of the more complex things to talk about since there’s so much that goes into licensing and what it means to have which license.
I will say here that, by and large, the type of license that someone has may not necessarily matter if you’re looking for an individual therapist.
If the person has a mental health license in good standing and you like their vibe, what they offer, and you think that they’re a good fit for you, then the type of license they have probably doesn’t matter.
What’s most important is the rapport you have with your therapist. Most clinicians will tell you that the relationship with your therapist is the most important, pivotal part of therapeutic work.
There are also pre-licensed clinicians, someone who is obtaining their post-graduate clinical hours before they can apply for licensure, or preliminary licensed clinicians, like an LCSW, who can work independently but is still under supervision and gaining clinical hours.
Pre-licensed and preliminary licensed clinicians are just as effective as independently licensed clinicians, they are simply still under supervision from an independently licensed clinician. They can still see clients and can do exceptional therapeutic work.
So when we’re talking about independently licensed clinicians, we’re usually talking about the following:
LICSWs – Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers
LMHCs/LPCs – Licensed Mental Health Counselors (like me!) / Licensed Professional Counselors
LMFTs – Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
Licensed Psychologists
Now there is A LOT of nuances about licensure that also varies state-to-state. Since I’m physically located in Massachusetts, I’m going to talk more specifically about licenses in Massachusetts. This, of course, makes things all the more confusing since not all the information will be the same state-to-state.
What’s important to remember about ALL of these licenses is that the individuals who hold them have AT LEAST a Master’s Degree (if they are a licensed psychologist, then they hold a doctorate degree), completed all their clinical training through accredited graduate programs, did all of their post-graduate clinical hours and supervision, were approved for independent licenses by their state licensing board, and currently obtain the appropriate CEUs (continuing education) in order to maintain their license, as well as follow ethical standards that are associated with each of their licenses.
Someone who is independently licensed through a state is governed by that state’s licensing board and held to that board’s standards. Most licensing boards have access to information of what it means to obtain and maintain a license, as well as filing for disciplinary action/complaint.
Again, by and large, if you’re looking for an individual therapist, the license type matters a little less. An LICSW isn’t necessarily better than an LMHC, for example. What is important is that they ARE licensed and that you connect with them and they offer the services, modalities, treatment options, etc. that you’re looking for.
Stay tuned for the next few posts that’ll dive into each individual license!
