Dear Dr. Romance: I am considering being a licensed psychotherapist

Dear Dr. Romance:

I am considering being a licensed psychotherapist. What was your education track if I may ask?

Dear Reader:

Of course you may ask. I was licensed in 1978, so things were quite different then. I took an independent study curriculum to get my Masters in Counseling Psychology at Lindenwood Colleges, and I used the Califo ia BBSE guidelines to set up my courses. That way, I knew my Masters Degree would be acceptable to them. I also needed 3,000 hours of counseling under supervision. Those guidelines also vary. I suggest you contact the licensing board in your state and get the current guidelines for your state. You can also get help from the American Psychology Assn. and any good school that trains psychologists will know what the guidelines are. "Ten Things People Don't Know about Therapy" will help you understand how I view therapy.

Guidelines for becoming licensed vary from state to state. Each state that licenses therapists has a governing board that sets the criteria. In Califo ia, where I practice, the board is the Califo ia State Board of Behavioral Sciences https://www.bbs.ca.gov

Then, of course, you have to get supervised hours. In my day, it was 3,000 unpaid hours, but these days, in Califo ia, you can be paid while you get your hours under supervision.

If you would like a good example of how I work with clients It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction will tell you a lot about how I do therapy.

Good luck with your career.

For low-cost phone counseling, email me at tina@tinatessina.com