Career Spotlight: Licensed Professional Counselor
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Grand Canyon University offers the Master of Science in Professional Counseling, a degree program designed for individuals who are passionate about helping people who struggle with psychological, behavioral, social and emotional issues. Graduates of this program may be academically prepared to meet Arizona’s licensure requirements as a licensed professional counselor (LPC). Continue reading for insight into the licensed professional counselor career path:
Career Overview
Licensed professional counselors provide mental healthcare to patients who have mental imbalances, disorders or illnesses. They help these individuals with maintaining their mental health and setting goals while functioning as a case manager, counselor, educator and consultant. LPCs are also responsible for maintaining patient records that are related to their therapy.
Work Environment
Licensed professional counselors may run a private practice. However, it is also common for LPCs to work in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and treatment centers. When working in a facility rather than private practice, these professionals typically report to a program director or supervisor.
Day-to-Day Tasks
In their everyday work, LPCs may conduct psychological assessments, maintain patient records and make recommendations. They might also develop and implement plans that suit the needs of individual patients, as well as lead group and individual counseling sessions.
Ongoing Training
LPCs must be licensed as counselors for the state that they work in, and they can only perform duties that fall within the scope of their license. To maintain their licensure or meet employer requirements, these counseling professionals may need to attend in-services, conferences, workshops and training programs.
Grand Canyon University is dedicated to helping learners develop an educational foundation for pursuing their career goals. To learn more about counseling degrees at GCU, visit the College of Humanities and Social Sciences website or click the Request More Information button on this page.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
