Licensing: It is usually best to choose a therapist who is licensed by the regulatory board in your state. Licensing typically ensures that a therapist has obtained a graduate degree and one or more years of post-licensure training and supervision. It also gives recourse to the regulatory board should a question of poor treatment or ethical misconduct arise.
Clinicians with degrees such as MSW, MA, and MS –and licensure status such as LCSW (licensed clinical social worker), LPC (licensed professional counselor), or LMFT (licensed marriage and family therapist) –have earned a Masters degree, typically by attending a graduate school for 2-3 years. An internship, and another year or two of training and supervision, may also be required before the clinician can sit for the state licensing exam.
For more detailed information on background information you should look for when choosing a specialist, please visit http://westsidebehavioralblog.info/
This article is offered as a public service by Westside Behavioral Care, Inc., a company that provides outpatient counseling, psychotherapy, and mental health services across the greater Denver metropolitan area.
