I strongly support this petition to allow graduates of an accredited graduate psychology program to apply for licensure as a professional counselor in the Commonwealth of Viriginia.

I am currently employed as a rehabilitation counselor for a non-profit organization in the state of Maryland, while also attending Virginia State University as a graduate student in the clinical psychology masters program. From my understandings of this petition, it in no way suggests that the coursework or examination requirements be changed to gain licensure as a professional counselor in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Rather, it stipulates that the requirement of individuals to possess a degree specifically in the discipline of counseling be changed to allow others with comparable degrees in other mental health disciplines to apply for this licensure. To state or in any way imply that providing these individuals the opportunity to take the licensure exam (especially after completing any necessary additional counseling coursework mandated by application requirements) reduces the quality or detrimentally affects the public's perception of counseling services is, in my opinion, an unfair and discriminatory bias.