What does LPC Associate stand for?

LPC Associate stands for Licensed Professional Counselor Associate.

Is an LPC Associate a student?

No. An LPC Associate has completed a Master’s Degree in Counseling or a related field (sociology, psychology) that includes 48 hours of counseling related courses, and completed at least 300 hours of counseling experience known as a “practicum” or “graduate internship”. A Master’s student working with clients to gain experience is typically referred as a “Practicum Student” or a “Graduate Intern”.

What’s the difference between an LPC and an LPC Associate?

The difference between an LPC Associate and an LPC is three-fold.

1. An LPC Associate is someone who holds a provisional license. This means he/she has met all the educational and competency requirements to be an LPC in the state of Texas, but the state wants this person to accumulate more hours of counseling experience and training before he/she is considered fully licensed.

2. An LPC Associate is in the process of completing 3,000 professional counseling hours. It typically takes LPC Associates two to five years to complete 3,000 hours. An LPC has completed all the hours and had them approved by the State LPC Board.

3. An LPC Associate is supervised. LPC Associates are required to be trained and guided by a state-approved LPC Supervisor. An LPC is no longer required to have official supervision, and is able to lead their own private practice.

Is an LPC Associate experienced enough to help with my problems?

Yes! The various graduate school programs and State Board have decided each LPC Associate is equipped with enough knowledge and experience to provide beneficial psychotherapy to others.

If you compare an LPC Associate to a LPC Supervisor who has been counseling clients for 20 years, then of course, the LPC Associate is not as experienced. However, in comparison to everyday “Joe Schmoe”, LPC Associates have ample experience and knowledge that can help. LPC Associates have studied and practiced counseling specifically for years before sitting with you in a therapy session.

Some equivalent comparisons:

Someone who has completed law school and passed the bar exam.

An Associate Professor at a university, who has finished all the credit hours for a Ph.D. and is completing or waiting to defend his/her dissertation.

Also, time often leads to wisdom, as it should, but that is not necessarily a guarantee. One also cannot forget passion, compassion, humility, and empathy — characteristics that are irreplaceable to being a good counselor that are either present or absent within particular individuals, no matter the age or level of experience.