Counselor Licensing Requirements in Alaska
Have you been searching for Alaska’s counselor licensing requirements to perform your counseling practice safely and effectively? If you are looking to become an LPC, you have come to the right place. In order to become a licensed counselor in Alaska, you should first adhere to certain standards and requirements. To remain competitive to become licensed in Alaska, one must have strong test scores, education, and professional fitness.
The procedure will be different based on whether or not you completed you education and if your are obtaining you licensed in Alaska or another state.
For any inquiries please contact the Alaska Board of Professional Counselors at (907) 465-2551.
In the state of Alaska, counseling can be a very rewarding career, with the average counselor earning between $50,130 and $71,170(according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), it isn’t difficult to see why this is becoming an increasingly popular career choice. Not unlike other states, Alaska requires those interested to meet the minimum requirements before a license can be issued.
Alaska Counselor Credential Titles
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)Alaska Counselor Education Requirements
Master’s degree or higher in counseling or a related professional field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education approved by the board, with at least 60 graduate semester hours in counseling. The degree must include coursework in 8 core areas. Related professional field includes psychology, marital and family therapy, social work, and applied behavioral science.
Alaska Counselor Experiential Requirements
2 years/3,000 hours of post-master’s supervised experience in professional counseling, including 1,000 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. The face-to-face supervision can be by telephone or electronic means because of the remote location of the counselor, if approved by the board. Supervision must be under an LPC or other licensed mental health professional approved by the board. The supervisor must be approved prior to the beginning of the supervision.Alaska Counseling Exams Required
NCE OR NCMHCE or Successful completion of another nationally recognized examination for professional counselors that is equivalent to the NCE and/or NCMHCE.Requirements for Clinical Supervisors
Five years of counseling experience as a licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, psychologist or psychological associate, physician, or advanced nurse practitioner who is certified to provide psychiatric or mental health services, and completion of at least six contact hours of continuing education related to supervision of mental health professionals within the two years preceding the date of application. Supervisor must be approved by the board.Requirements for Out of State Applicants
Licensure by credentials: The board may issue a license under this chapter to a person who is licensed in another jurisdiction to practice professional counseling if the board finds that the other jurisdiction has substantially the same or higher licensure requirements as Alaska. The board may not license a person who is under investigation in Alaska or another jurisdiction for an act that would constitute a violation of Alaska’s LPC Statutes and Regulations, until the investigation is complete and disciplinary sanctions, if any, are imposed and carried out.Scope of Practice
“PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL OF COUNSELING” means, subject to (C) of this paragraph, the application of principles, methods, or procedures of the counseling profession to diagnose or treat, other than through the use of projective testing or individually administered intelligence tests, mental and emotional disorders that are referenced in the standard diagnostic nomenclature for individual, group, and organizational therapy, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of human relationships and systems; if otherwise within the scope of this paragraph, “practice of professional counseling” includes: a. The professional application of evaluation techniques, treatments, and therapeutic services to individuals and groups for the purpose of treating the emotional and mental disorders; b. An applied understanding of the dynamics of the individual and of group interactions, along with the application of therapeutic and counseling techniques for the purpose of resolving intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict and changing perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in the area of human relationships; and c. Consistent with regulations adopted by the board under AS 08.29.020(a)(4), administration and use of appropriate assessment instruments that measure or diagnose problems or dysfunctions within the course of human growth and development as part of a counseling process or in the development of a treatment plan. Now that you are familiar with the counselor licensing requirements in Alaska, visit our How to Become a Counselor in Alaska page for a more detailed look into the steps you will need to take to make your dream of becoming a counselor a reality. Additional Information AK Board of Professional Counselors P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK 99811-0806 907-465-2694 https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/ Application fee: $200.00 Initial Licensure fee: $650.00 *NOTICE: AS OF JANUARY 29, 2009 ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A REPORT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION.Source: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/