If you are interested in how to become a counselor in California, please spend some time gaining awareness of standards and requirements. The Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor applies to some, but not all, of California counselors. Substance abuse counselors can be certified with less than a Master’s degree. School counselors are certified by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Click here for more information on general counselor certification. Your First Step: If your plan is to pursue counseling in California, though you are able to take any major you want as an undergraduate, we recommend relevant ones such as Psychology, Social Work, or Counseling. Make sure
that your academic performance is as strong as can be, as graduate school for counseling is known to be quite competitive. Your Second Step: Your work experience (either paid or volunteer) in counseling and human services can help you tremendously. Look around for viable volunteer opportunities. Some notable organizations include Momentum for Mental Health and the Mental Health Association of Orange
County.
Bachelor’s Degree College Graduates(CACREP– The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs). Rehabilitation counseling programs are usually accredited by CORE (The Council on Rehabilitation Education). First: It is important that you start looking for graduate programs immediately. People who are aspiring school counselors will need to find a counseling program consisting of at least 48-hours of supervised coursework with students. Keep in mind that it can take longer to become and LPCC in the state and it is important that your program meets the requirements set by the board. Second: Be sure you finish all required coursework and supervised practice requirements. As an LPCC candidate, you must complete a minimum of six semester hours of supervised field work. Third: Start the paperwork process early and have be sure to complete your background check. You will undergo LiveScan fingerprinting reguardless of if you are becoming a clinical or school counselor. LPCC hopefuls who are living in a different state will have a different method. Fourth: Prior to being appropriately licensed as an LPCC in the state of California, candidates must finish 3,000 hours of overseen work experience. A minimum of 150 work hours must be completed at a community clinic or local hospital. All overseen practice hours will need to meet the requirements of the California State Board. While you complete your work requirements you will be credentialed as an intern. You may start your practice prior to graduation as long as it’s within 90 days of receiving your degree. If you graduated with a degree in school counseling you will not need to meet this requirement, you will just need recommendation from your institution. Fifth: The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination will be required by all aspiring LPCC. You will first receive approval from of California’s Behavioral Sciences Board to continue on to the exam. This examination, like others, is overseen by the National Board for Certified Counselors. There will also be the California Law and Ethics Exam that will need to be completed as well. Sixth: Once you complete your overseen practice, you will apply for your LPCC credentials. There will be additional paperwork that will need to be completed prior to receiving licensing. Click here for more information on Counselor licensing details in California. California Counselor Credentialing AgenciesBoard of Behavioral Sciences California Pupil Personnel Services Credentials We wish you the best of success in your pursuit of becoming a counselor in California. LICENSURE AS A PSYCHOLOGIST - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)PSYCHOLOGY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS1. What are the requirements for initial licensure as a psychologist? Answer: The following are the necessary requirements for licensure as a psychologist:
2. What are the steps in the psychology licensure process? Answer: If you have never been licensed at the doctoral level in California, a U.S. territory or Canadian province, there are 3 steps in the licensure process that you will need to follow: Step 1: Take and pass the EPPP. To obtain eligibility, submit an Application for Licensure as a Psychologist with the fee and verification of 1) a minimum of 1,500 hours of qualifying pre- or post-doctoral supervised professional experience and 2) an earned qualifying doctoral degree. Step 2: Take and pass the CPLEE. After passing the EPPP, submit the CPLEE request form with verification of a total of 3,000 hours of qualifying supervised professional experience (If you have already been approved with 1,500 hours of supervised professional experience in Step 1, submit 1,500 hours of qualifying post-doctoral supervised professional experience.). Step 3: Request Initial Licensure. After passing the CPLEE, submit your request for initial licensure with the fee and any outstanding items for your application The Request for Initial Licensure form will be provided to you at the examination site after passing the CPLEE. Note: Prelicensure coursework and fingerprint requirements must be completed prior to licensure. The Board recommends submitting verification for all prelicensure coursework in Step 1 and submitting your fingerprints after you have passed the CPLEE, before Step 3. See the step-by-step guide for In-State Applicants on the Board’s website for the application form and the specific submission instructions for each of the necessary documents. Alternatively, if you 1) have obtained EPPP eligibility from another jurisdiction outside of California, or 2) have passed the EPPP (whether or not you are currently licensed at the doctoral level in another state, Canadian province, or U.S. territory), see the step-by-step guide for Out-of-State Applicants and specific submission instructions for the necessary documents to support your application. APPLICATION1. Can I submit my application through the DCA BreEZe Online Services? Answer: Yes. You can apply and pay the fee online through DCA BreEZe Online Services if this is your first application for licensure. See Online Application Instructions for more information. If you have applied previously and your application expired, submit a reapplication with fee by mail. 2. How do I apply to take the EPPP? Answer: Submit an Application for Licensure as a Psychologist with fee or apply and pay the fee on DCA BreEZe Online Services if this is your first application for licensure. In-State Applicants and Out-of-State Applicants may find specific submission instructions and a list of the documents necessary for applying to take the EPPP on the Board’s website. EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS1. What are the degree requirements for licensure? Answer: Possess an earned doctoral degree from a college or institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. The doctoral degree can be in any of the following:
2. How do I find out if an educational institution is accredited by a regionally accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education? Answer: You can find out by searching the accreditation database provided by the by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE). 3. Which are the regional accrediting agencies? Answer: The regional accrediting agencies are as follows:
4. I have a doctoral degree from outside the United States or Canada. Will my doctoral degree qualify for licensure? Answer: It may. The doctoral degree must be evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), or by the National Register of Health Services Psychologists (NRHSPF). The member of the NACES or the NRHSP is required to submit the evaluation to the board directly and include in the evaluation all of the following:
SUPERVISED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE1. What are the requirements for supervised professional experience? Answer: A total of 3,000 hours of qualifying supervised professional experience (SPE), 1,500 of which must be accrued post-doctorally. [CCR § 1387] 2. When can I begin to accrue supervised professional experience? Answer: For pre-doctoral supervised professional experience (SPE), you may begin to accrue the hours after completion of 48 semester/trimester or 72 quarter units of graduate coursework in psychology not including thesis, internship, or dissertation. For post-doctoral SPE, you may begin to accrue the hours as early as on the date you have met all the requirements for the doctoral degree. This date will need to be certified by the Registrar or Dean of the educational institution, or by the Director of Training of the doctoral program. [CCR § 1387] 3. Are there time limitations in the accrual of supervised professional experience? Answer: Yes. You must complete all pre-doctoral supervised professional experience (SPE) within a 30-consecutive month period prior to the date the qualifying doctoral degree is awarded and all post-doctoral SPE within a 30-consecutive month period after you have obtained a qualifying doctoral degree or have met all requirements for the doctoral degree. If you are only applying post-doctoral SPE towards licensure, then you must complete all post-doctoral SPE in a 60-consecutive month period any time after you have obtained a qualifying doctoral degree or have met all requirements for the doctoral degree. The 30- or 60-consecutive month time limitation begins on the first day you begin to accrue SPE. See CCR §§ 1387, 1387.1, 1387.2, & 1387.5 for specific and related requirements. 4. Where can I obtain supervised professional experience? Answer: You may obtain supervised professional experience in any of the following pathways:
See the chart in the addendum of the Board’s Legislative Advisory: SB 801 (Archuleta) – Healing Arts about the exemption status for registration requirements and submission of proof of registration for each pathway. 5. I have accrued some experience under supervision outside the U.S. or Canada, would the Board accept this as supervised professional experience towards licensure? Answer: No. It would be accepted only if the country in which you accrued the experience outside the U.S. or Canada also regulates the profession of psychology pursuant to the same requirements as set forth in section 2914 of the BPC, that is, the other country also requires a psychology license applicant to possess the same qualifying doctoral degree, take and pass the EPPP and CPLEE, complete 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience, complete 6 prelicensure coursework, and submit fingerprints. All supervised professional experience must also comply with the supervision requirements pursuant to CCR § 1387. EXAMINATIONS1. What are the exams that I must take? Answer: Take and pass both the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE). For more information about examinations, review the Examinations section of the Board's website. 2. If I have taken the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) in the past in another state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province, how do I have my scores reported to California? Answer: Request an EPPP Score Transfer from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) to be sent directly to the Board. 3. What is the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE)? Answer: Each CPLEE will consist of 75 scored and 25 non-scored questions for a total of 100 questions, all multiple-choice, in laws and ethics. Candidates have 2.5 hours to complete the examination. Exam questions are developed using the current versions of the California Board of Psychology’s Laws and Regulations and the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. For more information, review the CPLEE Candidate Information Bulletin and the CPLEE – California Psychology Law and Ethics Exam section on the Board's website. PRE-LICENSURE COURSEWORKWhich coursework must be completed prior to licensure? Answer: Coursework in:
FINGERPRINTS1. What is the Board’s fingerprint process? Answer: Applicants must bring a completed a "Request for Live Scan Service" form with them to a Live Scan site. A complete list of the Live Scan sites can be found on the DOJ Applicant Live Scan website. Review the Fingerprint Procedures on the Board's website for more information. Applicants must submit a new set of fingerprints for any application. Fingerprints previously submitted for a Psychological Associate Registration application cannot be used again for a Psychologist License application. 2. What if I live outside of California? Answer: Submit a request for "hard cards" at . The Board will mail the hard cards to you along with instructions. Applicants can only use Live Scan at sites within California. OUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS1. How do I apply for a California license as a psychologist if any of the following apply:
Answer: Submit an Application for Licensure as a Psychologist (by mail or online), a CPLEE Request form (by mail), and the necessary fees and documents to the Board. Refer to the step-by-step guide for Out-of-State Applicants Category C for application forms and specific submission instructions for the necessary documents to support your application. 2. If I am a psychologist licensed in another state or province, can I practice in California prior to obtaining a CA license? Answer: Yes, on a limited basis, if you have submitted your application. BPC § 2946(b) allows a psychologist licensed in another state, territory, or province who has applied to the Board for a license in this state to perform activities and services of a psychological nature without a valid California license for a period not to exceed 180 calendar days from the time of submitting their application or from the commencement of residency in this state, whichever occurs first. CONTINUING EDUCATION1. How many hours of continuing education do I need to accrue in order to renew my license? Answer: At least 36 hours within the two-year period before the license expires. Please refer to the Continuing Education Requirements on the Board’s website for more information. [BPC § 2915] 2. Do I have to take any specific courses to meet the board's continuing education requirements? Answer: No. Please refer to the Continuing Education Requirements on the Board’s website for more information. 3. What topics must a laws and ethics continuing education training cover? Answer: This training shall cover laws and regulations related to the practice of psychology, recent changes/updates in ethics codes and practice, current accepted standards of practice, and application of ethical principles in the independent practice of psychology. [CCR § 1397.61(b)] MISCELLANEOUS1. Does the public have access to a licensed psychologist's home address? Answer: Only if you designate it as your address of record. The Board of Psychology is required to provide an address of record (AOR) for all licensed psychologists. If the psychologist has chosen to use his or her home address as their address of record, this is the address that will be given to anyone who calls to verify their license. Therefore, if you do not want your home address disclosed, you may obtain and use an alternate address such as a business address or a post office box as your address of record. If your AOR is a P.O. Box or mail drop location, you must provide a physical address (business or residential) as the confidential address. [BPC § 27 and CCR § 1380.5] 2. Are psychologists required by law to post in their offices some sort of sign or notice about consumer complaints. Answer: Yes. BPC § 2936 requires such a notice. The law states, "To facilitate consumers in receiving appropriate psychological services, all licensees and registrants shall be required to post, in a conspicuous location in their principal psychological business office, a notice which reads as follows: NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: The Department of Consumer Affairs receives questions and complaints regarding the practice of psychology. If you have questions or complaints, you may contact this you may contact the board by email at , on the Internet at www.psychology.ca.gov, by calling 1-866-503-3221, or by writing to the following address: Board of Psychology Last Updated: September 22, 2022 How do I become a licensed therapist in California?License Requirements. Education. Electronic Transcripts. ... . Register as an APCC. ... . Live Scan. ... . Criminal Background Check. ... . Take and Pass the California Law & Ethics Exam. ... . Accrue Supervised Experience. ... . Apply for Licensure. ... . Take and Pass the Clinical Exam (NCMHCE). How long does it take to become a therapist?Most therapists need a bachelor's degree (which takes four years to earn on average), and then a master's degree (which takes about two to three years on average to earn) or a doctoral degree (which takes about five to seven years on average to earn).
What degree do I need to be a therapist in California?Licensed professional counselors in California must have a master's degree in counseling or psychotherapy with a minimum of 60 credit hours, including specific coursework requirements. If located in California, the program should be on the Board's list of evaluated programs found to meet requirements.
Can you be a therapist without a degree?Counseling is a growing field with a variety of job settings. Some counseling jobs require a degree, but not all. There are many continuing education opportunities available in the field of counseling. Joining a professional organization can help you hone your skills throughout your career.
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How long does it take to become a therapist in california
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