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
And you don’t need a degree or a license to do that!
Imagine a world in which you did. Weird and scary.
I found this article helpful and many of the comments spot on. But I think we are missing the point as to why licensure is not required for things like “counseling” and “psychotherapy.”
The reason is because neither is a science. There is no valid or proven theory that demonstrably works for specific mental problems on anything like a consistent basis. In a multitude of studies (sorry, I can’t remember if they were randomized and controlled, but I think some of them were), the therapies tested were no better than placebo in creating improvement in the clients. So that is one reason the state can’t, and shouldn’t be able to, require people to get “licensed to practice psychotherapy” or “counseling.”
The other reason is the field itself is too broad. I mean, come one, giving advice to a friend can be considered “counseling”. And if I talk about a theory in a textbook I read in college, am I “doing” psychotherapy? And what about pastors and priests? Someone studied a holy book and expounds on it from the pulpit and meets parishioners in his office during the week. Should that be regulated by the State? What a mess if it was.
Degreed Psychologist and licensed psychotherapists get the respect they deserve – more than they deserve in my opinion. They will have the power to shut down non-licensed interlopers at such time as they can PROVE what they do works better than what a Tony Robbins (who is just a high school graduate, by the way) does.
Sorry if I ended snarky there. I just think we are at least a hundred years away from any kind of general theory of mental health and pathology treatment. At this point in time we all seem to be talking out of our asses. Seriously. Me, too!
Fortunately, the number one treatment that HAS been shown to work in clinical studies better than any other – CARING!
Dear Tom,
I greatly appreciate your candor regarding non-licensed counseling/psychotherapy. I feel your remarks on counseling are accurate. The cost of education and licensure has likely stymied the potential careers of some very good, naturally gifted, caring individuals, who have always possessed excellent listening skills or developed and honed these skills over time. I am seeking licensure after six yrs of community mental health counseling and two yrs practicing as a School Guidance Counselor. Even with my education and experience I know of individuals who possess the ability, but not the credentials, to provide better counseling to some than I ever could. Limitations set by bureaucracy, not just in the field of counseling, is preventing many individuals from engaging in a better-fit career role, while placing others (by means or association) in career roles which are a poor-fit. The impact and/or further potential impact on our society is evident and increasingly frightening. Thanks Tom. Best wishes, Kirk
I just resigned from a job where I was gathering supervised hours toward licensure. The paperwork load and unreimbursed outreach travel were beyond overwhelming. I am now looking into working unlicensed on a cash basis. My opinion is that the whole insurance system has gotten out of control and become impossible to manage, thus the overwhelming paperwork and my underwhelming paycheck. I haven’t even had time to take proper care of myself, let alone my clients. Working unlicensed will actually IMPROVE the quality of my services.
How did that work out for you? I was also an outpatient therapist. I currently work for a job where I manage anywhere from a 40-60 client caseload and get paid ~$16/hour. We bill insurance, but the money never makes it into my hands! The burnout is extreme!