What Does a Licensed Professional Counselor Do?
| 5 Min Read
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 43.8 million adults in the United States experience mental illness in a given year. There is a growing need for exceptional Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in the U.S. to help this vulnerable population.
Licensed Professional Counselors are master’s-degreed professionals who serve a diverse clientele with different mental, emotional and behavioral difficulties. Although there are many different reasons to become an LPC, individuals who choose to seek careers in the field of professional counseling usually have one thing in common: the desire to help others overcome psychological and behavioral issues in order to lead happier, healthier, and more productive lives. If you are interested in a career in counseling and you want to help others work through life’s challenges, read on to learn more about the LPC designation for counselors.
The LPC Job Description
There is no one job description for an LPC, as mental health needs are vast. Depending on the role you choose, you could work with any number of individuals in various settings. As an LPC, you may focus on working with children and families; with people who are elderly, homeless, immigrants or veterans; or with people who have addictions, mental illnesses, criminal records, employment issues, or disabilities.
LPCs work with a client-centered outlook to:
- Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, including addictive disorders
- Provide direct therapy to clients in individual and group settings (this may include interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapy)
- Research more effective therapeutic treatment modalities to benefit clients and advance the counseling/therapy profession
- Apply appropriate counseling theories, methods, and techniques
- Use culturally appropriate strategies to meet client’s needs
- Facilitate career exploration and offer career consultation
- Understand the legal and ethical standards of the counseling profession
- Apply the major theories of normal human development
As an LPC, you can offer mental health services in a variety of settings, including but not limited to:
- Mental Health Facilities
- Hospitals
- Educational Institutions
- Detoxification and Rehabilitation Facilities
- Correctional Facilities
- Commercial and Private Settings
Top paying industries for counselors include business, professional, and political organizations, insurance carriers, grantmaking and giving services, physicians offices, and religious organizations.
Career Outlook
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately one in four adults in America, and about one in five adolescents between ages 13 and 18, experience mental illness in a given year. This statistic underscores the need for mental health professionals, and the value in becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for counselors is expected to grow 18% between 2022 and 2032, resulting in the creation of more than 71,000 jobs. School counselors will see a demand increase as well, resulting in more than 18,000 new openings between 2022 and 2032. Because many counseling jobs require an LPC title, becoming licensed in your state will opens doors to a wider range of counseling career options.
LPCs hold many job titles, including:
- Mental Health Counselor
- Clinical Case Manager
- School Counselor
- Behavior Analyst
- Correctional Counselor
- Therapist
- Rehabilitation Specialist
- Vocational Placement Specialist
The median annual salary for school and career counselors in 2022 was $60,140, according to the BLS. The BLS lists a median annual salary of $49,710 per year for those working in substance abuse, behavioral disorders, and mental health. The mean annual wage for all counselors was $52,360 in 2023.
LPC Licensure Requirements
Because there are such varied counseling career paths and opportunities for LPCs, professional counseling is an attractive career for individuals seeking challenging, rewarding and plentiful work opportunities. To work as an LPC in the United States, you must meet your state’s licensing requirements. For example, in order to become an LPC in Texas you must:
- Obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling or a counseling-related field from an accredited college or university
- Complete at least 300 clock-hours (minimum 100 clock-hours of direct client contact) of supervised counseling practicum experience in graduate school
- Complete 3,000 clock-hours (minimum 1,500 clock-hours of direct client contact) of post-graduate counseling experience (internship) under the supervision of a board-approved supervisor within 18 months of graduation
- Pass the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and the LPC Jurisprudence Exam
LPC licensure is available in each state, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Check with your state’s professional counseling licensure board to learn more about the specific requirements to become an LPC where you live.
No matter where you live, a master’s degree is the first step towards becoming an LPC. There are many online, flexible programs that provide you with the skills necessary to become a successful counselor in a variety of settings.
Become an LPC with OLLU’s Master of Counseling Program
To gain the knowledge necessary for the LPC examination while embarking on a meaningful and rewarding career path, learn more about the online Master of Arts in Counseling at Our Lady of the Lake University.
Ranked one of the Top 10 Best Online Master’s In School Counseling programs for 2023 by Forbes, the program requires no on-campus residency and fosters the cultural competence necessary to serve the needs of diverse communities. Our experienced faculty deliver courses that combine foundational knowledge with practical, real-world skills.
Choose from three specializations:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Become a clinical mental health counselor and support clients of all ages and cultures as they overcome emotional health challenges.
- Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling: Serve individuals with disabilities facing physical, mental, emotional, or social challenges.
- School Counseling: Help students of all ages get the most from their education by assessing and finding solutions to common behavioral and learning problems, promoting psychological health, and implementing effective career development planning.
As an LPC you can serve and empower individuals in your community who are struggling with their mental health. Over your time in the online program, you’ll prepare for focus-specific licensure or certification, including LPC, CRC, or school counselor certification. Graduate in three and a half years ready to become a licensed counselor and make an impact in the community of your choice.