LPC Certification in CT
How do I become an LPC in Connecticut?
What is a licensed professional counselor (LPC)?
A licensed professional counselor, or LPC, works one-on-one with clients or administers group therapy. LPCs typically provide mental health counseling and psychotherapy for issues including mental disorders, emotional disorders, behavioral problems, and addiction disorders.
CT LPC Certification Criteria
Becoming an LPC in the State of Connecticut requires a number of steps.
Note: Those having matriculated into a master’s degree after 2017 require an alternate set of requirements. Please visit the CT DPH website to learn more.
- Earn a Master’s Degree in Counseling
- According to the state of Connecticut, the first step in becoming a counselor in CT is to earn a graduate degree. CT General Statutes 383c states that Professional Counselor applicants must have “completed at least sixty graduate semester hours in counseling or a related mental health field at a regionally accredited institution of higher education that included coursework in each of the following areas: Human growth and development; social and cultural foundations; counseling theories; counseling techniques; group counseling; career counseling; appraisals or tests and measurements to individuals and groups; research and evaluation; professional orientation to mental health counseling; addiction and substance abuse counseling; trauma and crisis counseling; and diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders”
- Complete Necessary Clinical Experiences
- Connecticut law requires that applicants complete a 100-hour practicum, and a 600-hour internship.
- Pass the NCE
- Successful completion of the NCE is a legal requirement to move forward with the LPC.
- Complete Educational Requirements
- Supplemental coursework is likely necessary to meet requirements. UConn's LPC Certificate can bridge this gap.
- Arrange for 3,000 Hours of Supervision
- After completion of the certificate program you will be eligible for the LPC-A (LPC-Associate). LPC-As will need to complete 3,000 hours of supervised work in a counseling setting and complete the NCE to complete their training and apply to become a full LPC. CT Statutes state, “acquired three thousand hours of postgraduate experience under professional supervision, including a minimum of one hundred hours of direct professional supervision, in the practice of professional counseling, performed over a period of not less than two years”
- Complete the following Application and Forms
- CT DPH Verification of Course Study Form Form must be completed by your master’s degree granting institution.
- CT DPH Postgraduate Clinical Hours Verification Form
- NBCC NCE Score Verification Request Form
- Submit State of CT License fee
- Pay your application fee via CT.Gov’s eLicense portal
Note: Those having matriculated into a master’s degree after 2017 require an alternate set of requirements. Please visit the CT DPH website to learn more.
Specific requirements concerning LPC licensure within the State of Connecticut include multiple facets, as well as occasional updates. Please check with the CT DPH for official policies.
LPC Certification Resources
The following websites can be helpful in providing guidance concerning LPC certification and the field of practice.