How to Become a Counselor in Indiana

When interested in how to become an LPC in Indiana, one must make sure to adhere to all standards and requirements to perform the job well. An aspiring counselor will require a Master’s level education on the path to becoming a professional counselor. Indiana licenses addictions counselors at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. The Clinical Addiction Counselor will require at least a Master’s degree. For more information on Mental Health Counseling Organizations, please click here.

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Future LPC: For Indiana High School Student or High School Graduate

Your First Step: Look into undergraduate degree programs such as in Psychology or Social Work. Many factors are used by admissions committees to evaluate candidates; they include ones such as resume, personal statement, transcripts, references, and test scores. Focus on making solid grades as an undergraduate. Make yourself as strongly competitive as you can. Your Second Step: Gain substantial volunteer or work experience in the counseling field. Paid projects and volunteer experiences are both viable. How to Become a Counselor in Indiana

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:
  • Those aspiring to mental health counselor will require sixty semester hours. 12 content areas of coursework should be identified by the Board; and 1,000 hours of practicum and internship will be needed, as well.
  • Those interested in school counseling should enroll in a graduate program in guidance counseling that prepares them for working with students of different ages.
  • For those aspiring to work as clinical addictions counselor, it is wise to enter a graduate program that focuses on counseling for addictions or something comparable. The program should encompass 27 coursework semester hours in specific Board-set content areas. It is required that the student have 700 practicum hours, internship, or related field experience. Those who enter an addiction counseling program that has CACREP-accreditation will be in store for 60 semester hours.
Second: School counseling graduates are able to immediately apply for their license as Initial Practitioner. Third:
  • Graduates of counseling in mental health can start work under supervision, without actually being licensed. One must have 21 months of experience with “under supervision” work and the accruing of 3,000 hours. (Those in a doctoral program are able to accrue hours before completing the degree.)
  • “Clinical addictions counselor licensure” will usually require two years of solid experience.
  • Those who have an initial school counselor license must complete the Indiana Mentor and Assessment program (or Fellowship) before procuring the Proficient Practitioner License.
Fourth: Mental health counselor licensure will depend on achieving passing scores on the NCMHCE; and permission to test will be based on the board. Fifth: A background check is usually a licensure requirement. For more information on licensing requirements in Indiana, please click here.

Counselor Agencies in Indiana

Behavioral Health and Human Services Board Indiana Department of Education We wish you the best of success in your pursuit of becoming a counselor in Indiana.