1) Education in the helping professions usually occurs in Master’s degree programs (M.A., M.S., M.Ed., MSW). Bachelor’s degree programs (B.A., B.S., BSW) generally do not sufficiently prepare someone to provide counseling and therapy. This is also true for some Master’s degree programs as well. You will want to ask a prospective counselor about their specific educational experiences.

2) Supervised experience is generally considered necessary for at least two years after earning a Master’s degree to properly prepare a helping professional to provide counseling and therapy. Also, training outside of supervised experience, while usually not required, is considered an important part of overall preparation. Be sure to ask about relevant training experiences.

3) Passage of recent licensure laws in North Carolina restrict the practice of counseling to those with a state license. Several state certifications provide appropriate exemption from licensure. Most of these credentials require a Master’s degree. However, since many of these are new in North Carolina, some professionals have been allowed to earn the credential (called grandfathering) without a Master’s degree. Find out what credentials a prospective counselor has, and what requirements they met to earn it.

4) Most doctoral programs (beyond a Master’s degree) prepare students for a career in research and teaching, and very few offer education and training in counseling and therapy. Therefore, the doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D.) generally is not considered necessary to provide high quality services in the helping professions. The doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D.) is an exception and often does provide counseling and therapy training as a core part of the program.

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