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The Adler Graduate School (AGS) offers one degree for mental health practice: The Master of Arts in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy.
The student takes one or more licensing tracks within his or her master’s degree program: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), and/or Licensed School Counselor (LSC).
These licenses afford many possible career paths once a student completes his or her graduate work. Some students develop their plan of study to obtain dual licensure (i.e., LMFT and LPC or School Counseling and LPC).
We can assist you in trying to decide where to begin if you seek to become a professional mental health provider. This starts with your initial consultation with Ms. Evelyn Haas, Director of Admissions and Student Services.
Following this, any of the licensing program directors are happy to meet with you to provide additional information (Mr. Chris Helgestad for School Counseling; Dr. Herb Laube for LMFT; or Dr. Roger Ballou for LPC and LPCC).
Here are brief descriptions of the various licenses offered through the AGS and their different practice settings:
Licensed School Counselor (LSC): For students interested in working as counselors in the K-12 school systems, either private or public.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): For students interested in working primarily with couples and families. Allows for independent clinical practice. Reimbursable by managed care.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): Basic and general clinical license affording the opportunity to practice independently. The LPC license is not typically reimbursed by managed care, though some LPCs are having varying degrees of success as out-of-network providers. LPCs can practice independently and operate cash-based practices.
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC): May ultimately be viewed as the highest standard for master’s level, independent clinical practice. New legislation signed by the Governor in May 2007 states that LPCCs are qualified to serve individuals, groups, and families. Predicts to be reimbursable by managed care. Effective date of new license was August 1, 2007.
Finally, it should be noted that anyone pursuing LPCC will likely qualify to earn LPC along the way.
Ms. Haas has grids that show how to pursue each of the three independent clinical licenses at the Adler Graduate School (LMFT, LPC, and LPCC) as well as School Counseling.
In the end, we advise that you start by asking: What type of clientele am I most interested in serving? Then work backwards.
If you are inclined toward working with elementary, junior high, or high school students in a private or public school setting, then LSC is the best choice.
If you are inclined toward an emphasis on couples and families, then LMFT is going to be a fine license to hold.
If you are inclined toward working with more a combination of individuals, couples, and families, then ultimately LPCC may be the license for you.
On the other hand, if you think you might want a small side-bar clinical practice where you will not work directly with insurance companies (only a cash-based practice), then LPC may be all you need.
In Minnesota, you have many options to practice professionally as a mental health provider. Furthermore, the Adler Graduate School is geared-up to support you in numerous licensing directions (LMFT, LPC, LPCC, and School Counseling).
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