Each state offers several licenses with a variety of boards that govern each license. The training and requirements for each are unique to that license; however, many requirements overlap.
LG or LC: Licensed Graduate or Licensed Clinical: many states use these titles to differentiate between levels. An LG is a Licensed Graduate has a masters degree. They are in the process of receiving their full license and under supervision by a more experienced clinician who already has a license. Every licensed clinician must practice under supervision in their first years of between graduate school and full clinical licensure. Once an LG completes the required number of client hours and supervision hours (which vary by state and licensing board), they receive their full Licensed Clinical title (LC). Examples are LGMFT or LCMFT, LGPC or LCPC.
Some states do not differentiate between LG’s and LC’s. These are often denoted by only an “L” in the title – such as LSW, LPC, or LMFT.
Various licenses and titles:
Social Worker (SW)
Professional Counselor (PC)
Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)
Art Therapist (ATR)
Doctorate in Psychology (PsyD)
Doctorate in Philosophy of Psychology (PhD)
Doctorate in Education (EdD)
Non-licensed practitioners:
Pastoral Counselor: Have a graduate degree, are ordained by a faith denomination, and are endorsed by a specific church body. They may be certified by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC). These individuals are not governed by state or federal licensures, are not considered mental health providers, and are not eligible for health insurance coverage.
Certified Coach: Coaches are not considered mental health providers (and are not eligible for health insurance coverage). They are certified by private training schools after completing educational training, supervised coaching hours, and examination. They do not require graduate degrees or a state license.
Lay counselors or Pastors: may have a master’s or doctoral degree, may be ordained by a church denomination, may have formal counseling classroom training, and may have completed supervised client hours.
Do I need someone who has a license?
When you are meeting with a therapist or counselor you are offering personal, intimate, and vulnerable parts of yourself. Do some research to see if the therapist or counselor will honor and respect what you offer. A person who is licensed by a state or endorsed by a church body will likely, but not always, have some accountability and need to adhere to a code of ethics as well as state and federal laws. These ethical codes and laws exist to protect you – the client – from being mistreated or abused by a clinician. Some people offer counseling without a license or endorsement, so there is less protection for their clients.