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
James, to me your comment was the most significant one I’ve read thus far. You’ve spoken a mouthful and I am so glad to have stumbled upon this post. I have a masters degree in Mental Health Counseling; Forensic Counseling (specialization). I am not currently licensed, nor practicing. However, I wholeheartedly agree with what you’ve stated in your post and I thank you for having the audacity to know who you are and, more importantly, whose you are. No piece of paper or validation by man can stand against that.
God bless!
The whole licensure process was tainted for me when I was grossly exploited during my clinical internship. What happened to me amounted to wage theft, abuse, and improper supervision—all by licensed mental health professionals. The state actually investigated and banned my clinic from having interns due to their egregious violations. Yet those responsible never lost their licenses. But I never got mine. The clinic would not sign off on my hours and the state said I had no recourse.
Yes, making people work 3000 hours for free is common in the mental health field—a field that is supposedly bound by a code of ethics. Those ethics don’t seem to include paying people for labor. What I saw during my internship led me to conclude the licensing process does little to protect the public. Bring on the life coaches.
Hi I am still confused with all this information and different opinion. As a Massachusetts resident can I start seeing clients who will pay out of pocket as soon as I get my master’s degree? I know I have to pass the exam and get the post master’s supervised hours. But is it legal to to see clients before having my license?
I’m not sure specifically about MA, but in other states you can see clients as long as you are working for a LCSW or in a mental health agency (such as a hospital or mental health clinic). You cannot see clients privately, as in a private practice, or outside of that agency, until you have the advanced (clinical) license (LCSW).
Gabi,
No, in MA you cannot work with clients in private practice until you have your license. I was licensed for over 10 years and held a successful private practice in Central MA until I had a ton of quirky health issues that forced me out of work. I had to go on SSDI and for the first two licensing cycles I renewed my LMHC but then let it lapse when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to work for longer than I had hoped. I also decided in the beginning to get the CEU’s for my LMHC and so I got trained in life coaching (the CEU’s can also be used for counseling CEU’s, some can). Over time I realized I needed to find something to do from home by phone and being a counselor is much too risky by phone alone so I chose to get my certification in life coaching. I”m now a BCC (Board Certified Coach through NBCC’s CCE) and have not renewed my LMHC yet. If I don’t renew it this cycle (November 2015) then I would possibly have to take the exam again because it’s been almost 5 years inactive. Upon lots of research I learned that if I keep my LMHC active I will not be able to provide coaching out of state (which is one of the most appealing aspects of coaching, being able to be totally portable yourself and to be able to coach individuals all over the world), EVEN if I DON”T do any counseling at all, just having the LMHC, it being a “higher license” would make me liable to that license and that code of ethics which is very different than the ICF or even the BCC’s code of ethics for coaches. I have no desire to work with folks with serious mental health issues and in my private practice of therapy for 10 years I could say that at least half of most folks in therapy really don’t need “therapy” but life coaching would be a better fit and be able to produce faster results with greater client satisfaction that counseling. I’m still not 100% sure of what I’ll do by November, because I’m still limited with health issues, and my intention is still to do only coaching, so I’ll keep you posted on how that progresses. Coaching and counseling are NOT the same AT ALL and I can tell you that being trained at ILCT (Institute for Life Coach Training) has taught me that 100 times over! The phone sessions are very focused and direct communication is vital. The client is in charge of the session but the coach is in charge of making sure the client achieves her/his goals for each session and that at the beginning of the call those goals are clearly expressed and understood. Each session is carefully and mindfully kept on track. Counseling allows for lots more flowing and meandering and “tangential-ness” if you will, this is not an aspect of coaching most times. I hope everyone here is getting clearer on what licensing means to them. For me it’s a love/hate thing and if I don’t ever want to do therapy again I don’t need to give the state of MA over $250 plus bucks every two years and take 30 CEU’s every two years for the rest of that license. It’s a money trap for sure, and yes, potentially a legal nightmare if you don’t follow every regulation to the letter. Overall, I just feel that having the liability and major responsibility for others as a therapist (licensed of course, the only way to practice) has is tough, if you want to assist others with achieving goals and those without mental health diagnoses, just life challenges like we all have, then coaching is the MUCH better bet!! 🙂 Good luck!