CODE OF ETHICS IN COUNSELLING

American Counselling Association (2005). Some of the key aspects under the different sections
of the Code are shared below briefly.
Section A: The Counselling Relationship
Welfare of clients: Counsellors encourage client growth and development in ways that foster the
interest and welfare of clients and promote formation of healthy relationships.
Informed Consent: Clients have the freedom to choose whether to enter into or remain in a
counselling relationship and need adequate information about the counselling process and the
counselor.
Confidentiality: Clients have the right to confidentiality and to be provided with an explanation
of its limitations.
Non professional interactions: Non-professional relationships between counsellors and present
and former clients should be avoided.
Establishing Fees: In establishing fees for professional counselling services, counsellors
consider
the financial status of clients and locality. In the event that the established fee structure is
inappropriate for a client, counsellors assist clients in finding comparable services of acceptable
cost.
Section B: Confidentiality, Privileged Communication and Privacy
Counsellors recognize that trust is a cornerstone of the counselling relationship.
Respecting client rights: Respect for the clients rights to privacy and confidentiality.
Section C: Professional Responsibility
Knowledge of standards: Counsellors have a responsibility to read, understand, and follow the
ACA Code of Ethics and adhere to applicable laws and regulations.

Professional competence: Counsellors practice only within the boundaries of their competence.
Monitor Effectiveness: Counsellors continually monitor their effectiveness as professionals and
take steps to improve when necessary. Counsellors in private practice take reasonable steps to
seek peer supervision as needed to evaluate their efficacy as counsellors.
Continuing education: Counsellors recognize the need for continuing education to acquire and
maintain a reasonable level of awareness of current scientific and professional information in
their fields of activity.
Accurate advertising: When advertising or otherwise representing their services to the public,
counsellors identify their credentials in an accurate manner that is not false, misleading,
deceptive, or fraudulent.
Non-discrimination: Counsellors do not condone or engage in discrimination based on age,
culture,
disability, ethnicity, race, religion/ spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital
status/ partnership, language preference, socioeconomic status or any basis.
Section D: Relationships With Other Professionals
Counsellors develop positive working relationships and systems of communication with
colleagues to enhance services to clients.
Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation
Counsellors use assessment instruments as one component of the counselling process, taking into
account the clients personal and cultural context.
Section F: Supervision, Training, and Teaching
Counsellors aspire to foster meaningful and respectful professional relationships and to maintain
appropriate boundaries with supervisees and students.
Section G: Research and Publication

Counsellors who conduct research are encouraged to contribute to the knowledge base of the
profession and promote a clearer understanding of the conditions that lead to a healthy and more
just society.
Section H: Resolving Ethical Issues
Counsellors behave in a legal, ethical, and moral manner in the conduct of their professional
work.
Training program for counselors
Certificate Courses on Counselling for those who wish to improve their counselling skills and
learn more about counselling as a whole.
1. Refresher training on counselling skills This could be for counsellors who have undergone
the last training about a year ago. This will help the counsellor revisit all the essential skills of
counselling and continue to motivate the counsellor to practice this on the field.
2. Relationship skills workshop This focuses on the importance of couple counselling, teaches
the counsellor necessary skills to build the relationship between the couple. Some topics include
conflict resolution, assertiveness, constructive criticism, giving and receiving feedback etc
3. Counselling Approaches for children Various ways in which counselling can be practiced
with children. This deals with disclosure to children, how, when is the appropriate time, under
what circumstances etc. An introduction to Art therapy, play therapy, drama therapy and
storytelling as therapy for children.
4. Group Counselling The Dos and Donts of Group Counselling, how to conduct a group
counselling session. Stages of group and the role of the counsellor as facilitator in conducting
group therapy.
5. Addiction Counselling The role of the counsellor in handling addictions, understanding the
concept of addiction as an illness that needs to be treated. The emotional and physical
dependency of substances that are abused.

6. Mental Health Issues Counsellors could be trained on the various mental health issues like
depression, suicide, low self esteem, etc, Techniques like problem solving, breathing exercises,
improving self esteem etc. Some assessment and intervention tools will go a long way in
improving the counsellors ability to identify mental illness and to deal with these issues
professionally.
7. Disclosure and informing the partner about ones HIV status is the most difficult for every
PLHA. The counsellor should be taught certain techniques in helping their clients to disclose
their status as well as tell their partner/ spouse ones own status.
8. Dealing with Stigma and Discrimination Helping clients deal with the stigma and
discrimination on a day-to-day level. Identifying if the stigma is real or if it is self-stigma. 9.
Adherence Counselling This workshop help the counsellor identify the various aspects that they
need to discuss with the client before ART begins. It involves the counsellor employing certain
skills in handling these sessions.
10. Stress Management and team building Counsellors must learn the art of identifying stress
and learn effective ways of relieving the same. Counsellors must also learn the importance of
building teams. When counsellors see illness and death on a regular basis, it is possible for
counsellors to face a burn out. This workshop help the counsellor avoid such a situation.
11. Grief Counselling - Grief is a natural, healthy process that enables one to recover from
terrible emotional wounds. Understanding the nature of grief can help one to better cope with
loss. Grief that is left unresolved may trigger depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, or other serious
problems.
12. Counselling through Human development -This workshop will take one through the life-long
process of human development. From this workshop one will be able to understand the
counselling needs at different stages of human life and the challenges faced in each stage.
13. Crisis interventions - Crisis intervention is a crucial stage in the healing process for victims.
This workshop focus on how to help victims confront the reality of what happened, begin to deal

with the crisis, and to beyond the pain and emotional trauma toward new strength and
opportunities for growth and change.
Educational Requirements
The educational and licensing requirements vary depending upon the state in which you wish to
practice and the specialty area you choose. In most cases, a minimum of a master's degree in
counseling, psychology or social work is required to become a counselor. The type of degree you
ultimately choose to pursue will also depend on the type of counseling you want to perform.
Counseling programs are often located in a university's school of education, health science or
psychology. Some of the possible areas of study that may be offered include:

School counseling

Student affairs counseling

Career counseling

Mental health counseling

Community counseling

Marriage and family counseling

Substance abuse counseling

In order to gain licensure, most states require at least a master's degree. For some specialty areas,
such as school counseling, states may require graduation from an accredited school counseling
program and additional continuing education credits. For marriage and family counselors, many
states require a master's degree and an additional two years of supervised clinical experience in
order to be licensed.
Licensing requirements can also vary depending upon the work setting. For example, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that while counselors employed in a college career center may
not need to be licensed, some states require career counselors employed in private practice to
have a professional counseling license.

In addition to earning state licensure, some counselors opt to become certified by a professional
certification board. The National Board for Certified Counselors offers a National Certified
Counselor credential as well as certifications in sub-specialty areas including addiction
counseling, clinical mental health counseling and school counseling.
If you are interested in becoming a counselor, start by doing some research on your State's
educational and licensing requirements for different counseling specialty areas.
Requirements
Education
Most counselors have a bachelors or masters degree, but an associates degree is a great place
to begin a counseling career, particularly if a person wants to maintain flexibility in his specific
counseling path. In general, an associates degree is required for addiction counseling, career
counseling and life coaching. An associates degree also introduces a person to the wide variety
of counseling career choices.
After an associates degree, an individual interested in, for example, marriage and family
counseling, personal growth counseling, psychotherapy, some types of addiction counseling or
crisis counseling needs to obtain a bachelors degree or even a masters degree. Other counseling
careers, such as psychoanalysis and some social work, require a PhD or other doctorate degree.
A more direct path to counseling is to obtain a bachelors degree in counseling, psychology or
social work, and then narrow down to a specialization through a masters degree program. If an
individual knows which specialty he or she is most interested in, this is the fastest path. Most
colleges and universities have counseling departments, and one of the best ways to understand
the field is to speak to a college counselor about the options available.
Training
Beyond the classroom training, most counseling programs have a mentoring aspect as well. This
constitutes a period of time when an experienced counselor oversees students in all aspects of
counseling, ensuring that the students gain the necessary skills. Depending on the state,

certification and licensure may require varying degrees of time in a mentorship program. Most
state licensing boards have websites where more information on the specifics may be found.
Licensing and/or Certification
Positions where an associates degree is sufficient generally do not require licensing. Some kind
of certification may be required, depending on the state in which the counselor is employed.
Without a doubt, however, obtaining certification greatly increases the chances of
employment. The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) awards general certifications
to counselors and are given after passing a national examination. The examination is typically a
part of state licensing procedures. You can find more information about the exam here. The
NBCC also awards specialty certifications in Mental Health (CCNHC), School Counseling
(NCSC) and a certification as a Master Addictions Counselor (MAC).
Necessary Skills and Qualities
Counselors are expected to maintain high ethical standards, keeping their clients personal
information confidential. A successful counselor needs highly developed communication skills,
both written and oral. Counselors also need to maintain professional boundaries, train in critical
thinking skills, be detail oriented, and maintain accurate records. They need to show sympathy
and empathy while at the same time maintaining professional balance and the ability to make
critical, sometimes life-changing suggestions to their clients.
Entering the Caring Professions
For those who want to become professional counselors, there are many routes to the goal. From
the modest training required for life coaching all the way through doctoral degrees for
psychologists, society offers different educational programs and schools.
Types of Counselors

Modest investment counseling careers: life coach, career counselor, hypnotherapist,

emergency first-respondent counselor.

Medium investment counseling careers: marriage counselor, addiction counselor, school

psychiatrist, institutional counselor, crisis counselor.

High investment counseling careers: psychologist, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, social

worker.
Modest Counseling Careers
There are few counseling careers that dont require both licensing and extensive education; often
an education up to and beyond the Ph.D. level. However, there are a number of forms of
counseling that often require only limited training, degrees as low as an A.A., and some few may
even lack a licensing requirement, depending on your regional laws.
The majority of these positions are associated with non-intrusive forms of counseling, in which
no medical expertise is needed, no probing into private lives is likely to occur, and the basic
ability to provide practical coaching in life-skills is the primary necessity. Career
counseling, life-coaching, some forms of emergency counseling such as would be used for shortterm support, may fall within the range of low-investment counseling careers.
Medium Investment Counseling Careers
This mid-range assortment of careers constitutes the primary services provided. A B.A. or B.S. is
the minimum amount of education expected, with a M.A. and occasionally Ph.D. degrees being
more common. Licensing is virtually mandatory. Professions in this group include marriage and
family counselor, addiction counselor, many forms of personal growth counseling,
psychotherapist, and school psychologist.
High Investment Careers in Counseling
The most advanced levels of counseling are often those either specializing in severe forms of
mental illness, long-arc therapies, or work that is deeply rooted in academic work and research.
This can include clinical psychiatry at the highest level of that field, psychology, medical
psychiatrists, and more. Many social workers may hold a Ph.D. in a counseling field. Postdoctoral work is not uncommon, and for researchers and academicians, such training may simply
be a constant obligation.
Finding Training Programs
There are many training programs and schools at all levels of counseling training. Depending on
your goals, you may be able to obtain the training you need through a local community college, a
college or university, or through an online training program, college, or university. With a steady

demand for workers in the counseling professions, you can count on finding many willing to give
you training.
Be careful: many programs, especially those not associated with a state accredited college or
university, may give you less value than you hoped. Before you enroll in a program, take the
time to call state, county and federal licensing bureaus to determine the actual requirements to
become a licensed professional in a particular field of counseling. Establish that the program
youre considering does provide that set of training and that the work you do will be recognized
by licensing boards.
Making Use of Local Institutions
On the lowest levels of training, your local community college or state university are probably
your very best resources. Even if you dont make use of programs they offer, their counseling
services can provide you with superior information and guidance as you assemble the necessary
training to become a counselor. If you do wish to attend a state-run community college, or
university, the cost may be the lowest available for the highest value of training.
Online Training
For many low and mid investment counseling careers, online schools and programs can also
provide a great option, especially to students with difficult schedules or serious geographic
restrictions. Be very careful, however; be sure to choose an accredited program, and be sure to
establish with licensing boards that the program you choose does meet the requirements for
license. Also, be aware that in many instances, licensing involves actual internship, serving in the
field as a trainee. Often, this final portion of your qualifying study cant be provided by an online
program, and must be arranged locally.
Resources for Training and Degree Programs
Its useful to have guidance and information as you navigate the complex maze of counseling
education and licensing. You can begin with information found in educational sites. Be sure to
seek and make use of information from your local schools and licensing boards. By doing your
footwork ahead of time, you can spare yourself tragic mistakes and costly detours.

How to Become a Counselor: Education

and Training Requirements
Find out how to become a counselor. Research the education requirements and learn
about the experience you need to advance your career in counseling.

Requirements for Becoming a Counselor

Counselors can work with children, adolescents and adults. They may work
in clinics, mental health facilities, schools or in private practice. Typical
work of a counselor may include offering support to families or couples
facing difficulties or guiding adolescents and young adults who are making
decisions about their education and career options.
Several types of programs prepare individuals for the different kinds of
counseling. All fields of counseling require practitioners to complete
master's degrees and become licensed in the state in which they work.
The following table presents the core requirements for becoming a licensed
therapist, as stated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
Common Requirements
Degree Level

Master's degree

Degree Field

Marriage and family therapy, clinical social work, mental health

counseling, school counseling

Licensure

Licensure is required in every state.

Experience

Supervised clinical practice is often required before a counselor

can become fully licensed.

Key Skills

Good listening and communication skills, ability to develop

relationships with many different types of people, organizational
skills for keeping detailed client records

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

A prospective counselor will begin his or her education with a bachelor's
degree. A student may choose a related major, such as psychology,
education or social work, or he or she may choose an unrelated major. If
choosing an unrelated major, the student will need to take some electives
in psychology. Coursework in general psychology, abnormal psychology,
psychology of adolescence, personality psychology and statistics may be
useful for preparing for graduate school.
Success Tip:

Complete work or volunteer experience in a counseling setting. Students may

choose to gain work experience as volunteers or interns in settings that will
expose them to the counseling profession. Having hands-on experience and
witnessing the daily demands of a counselor may better prepare students for
graduate school. Completing such experience also demonstrates commitment
to the profession and puts students in touch with professionals who may be able
to write letters of recommendation for graduate school applications.

Step 2: Earn a Master's Degree

Earning a license in any field of counseling requires a master's degree. The
degree program that a student pursues will depend on his or her career
objectives, the population he or she wants to work with and any theoretical
leanings he or she may have. Each type of degree leads to a different
professional title, and every type of program requires a period of fieldwork
or clinical practice supervised by an approved counselor.
Social work programs with a focus in counseling prepare students to
become Licensed Clinical Social Workers, while programs for school

counselors focus specifically on counseling in the school environment.

Master of Arts in Counseling programs tend to have individual-centered
theoretical leanings and prepare graduates to become Licensed Mental
Health Counselors (LMHCs). LMHCs can work with individuals or groups and
may specialize in a certain population or mental health disorder. Programs
that prepare students to become Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
focus on techniques for improving the relationships of family members and
couples.

Step 3: Apply for Provisional Licensure

In many states, graduates of master's programs must first complete a
certain period of supervised clinical experience before they may become
fully licensed. However, many states offer provisional licenses for
graduates who meet all other requirements for licensure. A provisional
license allows a counselor to conduct clinical work under the supervision of
a qualified licensed counselor. A contract with an approved supervisor may
be a requirement for gaining provisional licensure. Provisional licensure
often expires after a certain time period. Upon expiration of the license,
counselors usually must apply for full licensure.

Step 4: Complete Work Experience

Supervised work experience after graduation usually lasts for two years
and requires 1,500-4,000 hours. Requirements vary depending on the
profession and a state's requirements. Oftentimes, school counselors are
not required to complete this step and can be awarded licensure
immediately upon graduation from a master's degree program.
Counselors completing work experience should check with their state's
requirements for structuring and documenting the experience. There are
often rules about how much time must be directly observed by the
supervising counselor and what types of tasks a provisional counselor can
count towards the hourly requirement. Failure to comply with the state's
standards can cause a delay in obtaining full licensure.

Step 5: Obtain State Licensure

Professionals using titles such as Licensed Mental Health Counselor,
Marriage and Family Therapist, School Counselor and Licensed Clinical
Social Worker must hold current state licensure. Initial licensure is usually
obtained by submitting evidence of completing an approved graduate
program, fulfilling work experience requirements and passing an
appropriate examination.
Passing a state or national examination is a common requirement for
entering any of the counseling fields. Some states provide their own exams;
however, many rely on industry regulative boards to provide exams, such
as the Association of Social Work Boards Clinical Examination, the National
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination or the Association of Marital
and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards Exam.

Step 6: Meet Continuing Education Requirements

States require licensees to periodically renew their licenses. Renewal
procedures may require paying a fee and completing continuing education
units. States usually stipulate what types of courses are applicable for
meeting the continuing education requirements.

Credentialing
Credentialing is an important component in the development of any profession. The
types of professional credentials available to a rehabilitation counselor fall into four
general categories:

Accreditation

Registration

Licensure

Certification

Accreditation: In the U.S., health care accreditation is normally associated with various
types of programs, such as COREs accreditation of graduate-level RCE programs.
However, there is an accreditation process for individuals available to rehabilitation
counselors in Canada.
Registration: This type of credential may be offered by either a professional organization
or a state agency. In general, applicants must simply meet certain professional criteria.
If they do, they are included in a database or registry that is maintained by the
organization or the state.
Licensure: While similar to registration, licensure has some important differences. For
example, the criteria are more stringent and generally require the applicant to pass an
exam. In addition, the license is granted by a government agency and may be a
statutory requirement for practice in the state.
Certification: This is the most potentially valuable credential for a professional counselor
because it helps document the practitioners ability to serve the needs of his/her clients
effectively. Equally important, the criteria for certification are based on uniform, national
standards with regard to the minimum requirements for acceptable education an
experience.
Although certification is a voluntary process, rehabilitation counselors have come to
recognize that the increasingly complex array of services and settings that comprise
todays delivery system has greatly increased their need for a professional credential
that is recognized and respected by clients, regulators, state and federal lawmakers,
service purchasers, and other professionals in the health care field.
While market demand is one reason to seek certification, accountability is an even more
important factor in the growing number of certified practitioners in the rehabilitation
counseling field. By achieving certification, a practitioner can assure the individuals
being served (and the community at large) that acceptable standards for practice will be
followed.
Certification also helps to define the profession of rehabilitation counseling more clearly
by forcing it to continually re-examine itself in order to identify appropriate service
delivery goals. In an environment that changes as rapidly as health care, certification

often serves as the only uniform standard by which professional rehabilitation

counseling practitioners can be measured. Another important aspect of the process is
that practitioners must take part in continuing education activities in order to maintain
their certification status, thus ensuring that they will be constantly exposed to new
information and approaches.
As a credentialing process, licensure bears many similarities to certification. The
primary difference is that statutory requirements have been established for practitioners
in order to regulate their use of a particular professional job title and their scope of
practice or both. An estimated 42 states currently have some type of professional
license requirement. Although more restrictive in nature, a states licensing process for
counselors often parallels that for certification in that practitioners are required to hold at
least a masters degree in counseling, document a set number of hours of supervised
work experience, and pass an exam in their area of expertise. The standards used by
the states are often modeled after those of national professional organizations.
In examining the licensure process from the point of view of the rehabilitation counseling
profession, the ideal would be a requirement for a general practice license whereby
the governing statutes would identify a basic core of services to be provided by a
qualified practitioner. Advanced practice credentials could then be developed and
administered by the professional organizations in the field, similar to the board
certifications offered for various medical specialties.

National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)

NCSC Application
NCC/NCSC Application

The National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) is a specialty credential which

recognizes counselors who possess a minimum of a masters degree in counseling with
coursework in school counseling and who have passed a challenging national
application and examination process. NCSCs have a strong commitment to the school
counseling profession and to providing high quality services to students, parents,
teachers and communities. Currently there are nearly 2500 NCCs who hold the NCSC
credential.

The NCSC credential is a result of the joint efforts of the American Counseling
Association (ACA), the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and the
National Board for Certified Counselors. The NCSC credential was first offered to
qualified counselors in 1991.
For those who wish to earn the NCSC, but have not earned the NCC, there is
a combined application available.
The National Certified School Counselor Examination (NCSCE) is required for this certification.

What are some of the advantages of becoming an NCSC?

Identification as masters level counseling practitioners who work in school settings
Recognition by other mental health professionals as experts on the mental health needs of
todays school children and adolescents
Demonstration of an ongoing commitment to high quality school counseling services through
continuing education
Salary increases in an increasing number of states and school systems across the country

What is national certification?

National counselor certification from NBCC proves to the public and employers that the
counselor has met the national standards set by the counseling profession. It is not a
license to practice. In some states, holding a national certification can assist the
counselor in obtaining a state license. National certification travels with the counselor no
matter the state or country of residence. The basic national certification offered by
NBCC is the NCC (National Certified Counselor). NBCC is the largest national
counselor certification program in the world.
What is a state license?

A state license in counseling is literally permission from a particular state to practice

counseling or to call oneself a licensed counselor. Some states have a single license
and some have a two-tiered system. The names of state licenses vary from state to
state. Some examples are LPC, LCPC, LPCC, LMHC, LPCMH, LCMHC, LPC-MH.
Completion of an eligible Masters degree or higher in counseling. This achievement is
documented with a sealed, official transcript showing degree conferral.
48 semester hours of graduate-level credit with 2 semester hours or greater in 8 content areas
listed below and at least 6 semester hours of field experience.
o
o
o
o

Human Growth and Development Theories in Counseling

Social and Cultural Foundations in Counseling
Helping Relationships in Counseling
Group Counseling Theories and Processes

o
o
o
o
o

Career Counseling and Lifestyle Development

Assessment in Counseling
Research and Program Evaluation
Professional Orientation to Counseling
Counseling Field Experience

Passing score on the National Counselor Exam (NCE).

Documentation of post-graduate counseling experience and supervision: 3,000 hours with a
minimum of 100 hours of counseling supervision--both over a 24-month post-masters period.
Supervisors must hold a masters degree or higher in a mental health field. (Important Note:
The post-masters experience and supervision requirements are waived for graduate students
who have completed CACREP accredited tracks.)

The education of school counselors (school counsellors) around the world varies
based on the laws and cultures of countries and the historical influences of their
educational and credentialing systems and professional identities related to who
delivers academic, career, college readiness, and personal/social information,
advising, curriculum, and counseling and related services. [2]

In Canada, school counselors must be certified teachers with additional school

counseling training.

In China, there is no national certification or licensure system for school

counselors.

Korea requires school counselors in all middle and high schools. [75]

In the Philippines, school counselors must be licensed with a master's degree in

counseling.[76]

Taiwan instituted school counselor licensure for public schools (2006) through
advocacy from the[77]

In the USA, a school counselor is a certified educator with a master's degree in

school counseling (usually from a Counselor Education graduate program) with
school counseling graduate training including qualifications and skills to address
all students academic, career, college access and personal/social needs.

About half of all Counselor Education programs that offer school counseling are
accredited by the Council on the Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs (CACREP) and all are in the USA with one in Canada and

one under review in Mexico as of 2010. CACREP maintains a current list of

accredited programs and programs in the accreditation process on their website.
[78]
CACREP desires to accredit more international counseling university
programs.[78]

According to CACREP, an accredited school counseling program offers

coursework in Professional Identity and Ethics, Human Development, Counseling
Theories, Group Work, Career Counseling, Multicultural Counseling,
Assessment, Research and Program Evaluation, and Clinical Courseworka
100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship under supervision of a school
counseling faculty member and a certified school counselor site supervisor
(CACREP,[79] 2001).

When CACREP released the 2009 Standards, the accreditation process became
performance-based including evidence of school counselor candidate learning
outcomes. In addition, CACREP tightened the school counseling standards with
specific evidence needed for how school counseling students receive education
in foundations; counseling prevention and intervention; diversity and advocacy;
assessment; research and evaluation; academic development; collaboration and
consultation; and leadership in K-12 school counseling contexts. [80]

Certification practices for school counselors vary around the world. School
counselors in the USA may opt for national certification through two different
boards. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)
requires a two-to-three year process of performance based assessment, and
demonstrate (in writing) content knowledge in human growth/development,
diverse populations, school counseling programs, theories, data, and change and
collaboration.[81] As of February, 2005, 30 states offer financial incentives for this
certification.

Also in the USA, The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) requires
passing the National Certified School Counselor Examination (NCSC), including
40 multiple choice questions and seven simulated cases assessing school
counselors' abilities to make critical decisions. Additionally, a master's degree
and three years of supervised experience are required. NBPTS also requires
three years of experience, however state certification is required (41 of 50 states

require a master's degree). At least four states offer financial incentives for the
NCSC certification