Navigating Therapy Licensure

Licensure can be a confusing and complex process, but understanding it early is key, especially before you commit to a specific degree or training path.

Licensure is optional, but it opens up important career opportunities. A license allows you to:

• Bill insurance companies

• Getting employement in clinical settings

• Treat and diagnose mental health conditions

Is a License Required to Practice?

No. You do not need a license to work in mental health. As an unlicensed professional, you can still support clients as a coach, somatic practitioner, or alternative therapist—but there are a few legal boundaries:

• You can call yourself a therapist, but not a “licensed” therapist or counselor

• You cannot diagnose or treat mental health conditions

• You cannot bill insurance directly

Many people choose not to pursue licensure, especially if their work focuses on holistic, somatic, or non-diagnostic approaches. Still, having the option to pursue a license later can be useful when choosing a degree program.

Why Licensure Is Complicated

There are a few reasons the licensing path can feel overwhelming:

1. Multiple License Types

   There are over 200 types of mental health licenses in the U.S., including LPC, LMFT, LPCC, LCSW, and more. Each has different rules around education, clinical hours, and supervision.

2. State-by-State Rules

   Each U.S. state—and each Canadian province—has its own licensing board with unique requirements. What qualifies you in one state may not be enough in another. You’ll need to look up the licensing board in your state to understand the exact path.

3. Post-Degree Supervision

   Most licenses require thousands of hours of supervised clinical experience after graduation—typically 1,500 to 3,000 hours, spread over 2–3 years, before you’re eligible to sit for a licensing exam.

Licensure isn’t required to build a thriving career in mental health, but it does open doors, especially if you want to work in insurance-based or clinical settings.

If you’re unsure, we recommend choosing a degree that leaves the door open. That way, even if you don’t pursue a license right away, you can always come back to it later.

Your best next step: look up your state’s licensing board and read through their specific requirements. The earlier you understand the path, the more confident you’ll feel as you move forward.