Licensure Archives - Psychotherapy Notes

California’s 90-day rule for MFTs: An explainer

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 by Ben Caldwell

BBS logo The time period between completing a graduate degree and obtaining an MFT Associate registration number can feel like a strange state of limbo. You’re no longer a trainee, but you’re not yet a registered associate either. Thankfully, hours of supervised experience gained in that time can still count toward licensure — if you fall within the 90-day rule. What is the 90-day rule, and why does it matter so much?

Why you shouldn’t share an exam prep login

April 16, 2019 by Emma Jaegle

We all want to pass our licensing exams. If we don’t pass, we may prolong our progress to licensure by several months. Preparing for exams takes a lot of time and money. One way people have sought to save money is by sharing an exam prep login. In other words, letting a friend or colleague access license exam test prep material under your username and password.

Paying half (or less) of the price feels a lot better than paying the whole price, and sharing an exam prep login provides a sense of community around your study experience. But before offering your password to someone else or using someone else’s account, here are some things you should consider.

Differentiating passing scores and pass rates on license exams

April 2, 2019 by Ben Caldwell

Two of the most frequent questions to come up in social media groups for therapists involve licensing exams: What is the pass rate for [a specific license exam]? And, What is the passing score? Passing scores and pass rates are both good questions, and it’s easy to confuse them.

Sometimes people ask one when they mean the other. And sometimes people ask the question in a way that could mean either one, like “What’s the passing percentage?” Let’s clarify the difference, and answer both.

Decoding counselor alphabet soup: LPC, LPCC, LMHC, and more

February 17, 2019February 19, 2019 by Ben Caldwell

Used under license Around the US, most mental health professions have the same titles. A Psychologist in New York is likely to be pretty much the same, in terms of what they do, as a Psychologist in California, Montana, or anywhere else. Same for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs). In other words, you can recognize the job by its title. If you’re a counselor, on the other hand, you may have any one of several different titles.

Preparing for the 2019 California Clinical Social Work Law & Ethics Exam available now

February 10, 2019February 11, 2019 by Ben Caldwell

I mentioned recently that our old California MFT Law & Ethics Exam prep books kicked ass. But you know what was even better? Our California Clinical Social Work Law & Ethics Exam prep book.

It’s gotten more love than I ever expected, and only now do I see why: With a study guide and practice exam already baked in, it’s a power pack of exam prep. It’s a lot cheaper than the online prep programs available for L&E. And, like our books for the other professions, it’s efficient. We teach you what you need, without a lot of fluff that only serves to make people more anxious.

We gave the book an update for 2019.

Get notified if your supervisor’s license status changes

January 16, 2019January 16, 2019 by Ben Caldwell

Here’s a quick and easy lifehack for California mental health professionals working under supervision: Get automatic email notifications if your supervisor’s license lapses or changes status.

This has been available for a few years, and I’m surprised how few people seem to know about it. If a supervisor’s license lapses, any hours you gain while that license isn’t active will not count toward your own licensure. Unfortunately, I’ve known several folks who lost hours for precisely this reason. It’s imperative — and really easy! — to make sure your supervisor’s license remains current and active while you’re under their supervision.

Preorder Preparing for the 2019 California MFT Law & Ethics Exam

December 3, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

I’ll say it: Our California MFT Law & Ethics Exam prep books kick ass. They’re efficient and effective, and our customers have loved them since they first came out.

But they’re also a little long in the tooth, you know? Laws change quickly, and we’ve seen some significant changes since our blue book first came out in 2015. Our green book (Practice Tests) came out in 2016, and it could use a refresh as well.

So we thought, as we tend to do around here, let’s go big. Sure, we’ve launched a very useful video-based online prep program for the California MFT Law and Ethics Exam, which is less than half the cost of programs offered by our competitors. But we know that a lot of folks still prefer good old-fashioned paper, and if you’re in that group, we’ve got your back.

Studying for counselor licensing exams

October 28, 2018October 29, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

Matthew Henry / Burst / Used under license Licensing exams are a major milestone in the development of a professional counselor (specific license titles vary, but LPC, LPCC, and LMHC are common). While there are differences from state to state, most states use one or both of the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam and National Counselor Exam, and most states require that the exam be taken at the completion of at least two years of full-time, post-masters experience in supervised practice. As you approach completion of the experience necessary to take counselor licensing exams, how can you best prepare? Here are five things that can help:

California MFT Law & Ethics Exam FAQ

September 17, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

Startup Stock Photos / Pexels / Used under license We’re big believers in efficiency around here, and we find ourselves often answering the same questions about the California MFT Law & Ethics Exam. So we’ve compiled a list here with some easy answers for quick reference.