Protecting the Public
Dear Anthony,
I wanted to thank you for writing such an interesting article in the November issue of Counseling Today regarding Life Coaches. I am a recent graduate in Community Counseling and just passed the LPC exam.
Here in Dallas, a lot of so-called “hypnotist/hypnotherapists” pass themselves off as therapists and life coaches. It’s amazing because they have NO clinical training to practice mental health. I’m wondering if there are any laws out there to protect the public.
For example, there is a guy in Dallas who is top listed on Google for Hypnotherapy.
The guy claims to be a “board certified hypnotherapist”…but in reality it requires no formal education nor licensure. If you look at his site, he claims to treat all kinds of clinical issues … including addictions. There are an awful lot of people out there claiming to by hypnotherapists, but are not licensed by the state to perform therapy. I’m wondering what I can do as a counselor to change this situation?
Sincerely,
Jeremy Porter
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Dear Jeremy,
Thank you so much for reading, and for your comments about, my column!
The issue of licensure you describe is complicated, evolving all the time, and differs by state.
In Massachusetts, where my practice was founded, the term “Mental Health Counseling” is regulated. However, other terms, such as “psychotherapy” and “counseling” have not always been regulated. Note: they might be now, but in my discussions with the board of licensure in the mid 2000s there were not regulated.
Hence, at that time persons could hang a shingle and provide services called “psychotherapy” or “counseling” and –depending on what they were actually doing—they might be working within the law. Truly, every time a term is regulated it seems someone comes up with a new title that’s note regulated. Consider “life coaching”, “mentorship”, “listening services”, “life consulting” or who knows what else.
It seems, you are having a similar experience, with someone providing services under the term “Hypnotherapy.”
However, regardless of the title one is using, they might still be in violation of laws for practicing medicine, or psychology / mental health services, without a license. It seems the person you’re citing is claiming to treat additions, depression, etc…. I’m not sure about your local laws, but it seems such claims might very well might cross the line in your state.
If you’re trying to practice in the same marketplace, I think that a good approach for you and other licensed mental health professionals (counselors, social workers, psychologists) is to emphasize your strengths to potential clients. This might include:
1 – Showing the difference in caliber of education and licensure you possess
2 – Being eligible to accept clients’ insurance (which unlicensed providers can’t do)
3 – Patient/Client Privilege — The legal protection of client privacy licensed counselors have, but others don’t.
Jeremy, I hope this helps!!
Sincerely,
Anthony
Dr. Anthony Centore
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Anthony Centore
Okay. I have an Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and I’ve worked in mental health for over 10 yrs. My focus has been in the field of juvenile justice and case management. I am now interested in becoming a therapist but I cannot obtain a license simply because my degree is not in Social Work or Counseling itself. I’ve lived in a few states and received my supervision hours and training in a CSP setting. The state I worked in does not require licensing and one can work as long as there is one licensed therapist in the building to sign off on your work. I have since moved to a state that requires licensing and I’m having a difficult time obtaining work in the field. I find this to be ridiculous, especially since I am now working as a criminologist who trains new counselors and I seem to understand the mental health industry better than they do. Is this fair? I’m well educated and I also have a certification in substance abuse. The problem is that each state has its own requirements. Perhaps this should be regulated across the board so that everyone with a Master’s Degree in social services has an equal opportunity at becoming a counselor and helping others. Fyi- There are counselors I work with that cannot pass the exam yet have Master’s Degrees in counseling. They are still able to work and are given a year to obtain their license. Should this be fair?
You comment on being licensed vs not licensed but at least you have a degree to show that you received some kind of formal training. What about the people out there that are advertising as “consultants” for relationships, individuals, couples, additions, etc but have no degree, not certification, and “think” they are experienced through life but if you pull a background check and find that this same person under another name has tons of judgements against him for cheating people out of money in another like of business.
Who regulates these people? Who stops them from being “experts” when they are not?
Does anyone know (for the state of Texas) who to contact to report this type of individual?
I agree with Jennifer. I found my way here because I stumbled upon a massage therapist in Oregon who was claiming to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I thought, “What experience does a massage therapist have with treating severe trauma (which is often considered difficult even by Psychology PhDs)?” Turns out NONE.
This woman is simply mixing post modern feminist theories and feel good mantas with massage and claiming she can “treat” PTSD. This makes me so angry. There should be a law against claiming you can treat severe mental illness when the only license you have is for massage therapist and your “method” is “intuitive”.
As someone who has worked with credentialed trauma therapists, I know that a massage therapist has no business claiming to treat PTSD when a massage license is all she has. Is there someone I can report her to?
You are going to report her for trying to help someone with ptsd? How do you know she can’t help someone with ptsd? I have complex ptsd and THE best methods have been massage, meditation, hypnosis and EMDR, which all seem to calm, reset and reprogram the mind. I don’t know why you are angry I am angry with you for trying to keep me from finding real healers not the ones with a piece of paper. Some people are just born to help people. Let me decide if it helps me or not. Mind your own business! Nobody likes a snitch.