I agree with the previous comments. Because I am a graduate from a Clinical Psychology Master's program, I am not able to obtain my LPC in Virginia. This seems to be based solely on the fact that my program does not have the word "counseling" in the title. I believe my coursework is compatible with any Master's program in Counseling and therefore I have the necessary skills to practice as a licensed professional counselor in Virginia. The clinical knowledge and skill sets that the NCE tests for in order to earn my LPC is the same clinical knowledge and skill sets I learned in my Clinical Psychology program. If the national test encompasses the exact information I learned in school, then I have trouble understanding why Virginia will not grant individuals with Clinical Psychology degrees licensure; that seems to be evidence that there is no difference between a counseling and a clinical program and therefore both can produce competent individuals who can practice counseling. Instead, I have had to find alternative routes to getting my LPC, choosing to get licensed in a different state. I reside in Virginia but commute out of state as a result. Please reconsider your decision, and allow those who have Master's degrees from Clinical Psychology programs to obtain licensure in Virginia.
