What is a State Licensed Counselor?
-By Daniel R. Cruikshanks, Ph.D., LPCC (Ohio) and Stephanie T. Burns, Ph.D., LPC (Michigan and Ohio)
While the official name for the license may change by state and can include the initials LPC, LCPC, LPCC, LMHC, LPCMH, LCMHC, LPC-MH, a state licensed counselor seeks to promote wellness and optimal functioning among people across the lifespan. State licensed counselors integrate scientifically based theories of human development, personality and change with best practices models to understand, prevent and alleviate problems in the personal, familial, social, educational, substance, occupational, and health domains of people's lives. The primary tool utilized by state licensed counselors is the counseling relationship. State licensed counselors use the professional relationship to empower diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals. In addition, state licensed counselors utilize empirically based assessment and evaluation procedures to understand human problems, predict human behavior, assist in the development of intervention plans in school, vocational and healthcare settings, and assist in mental health treatment.
The field of Professional Counseling (which is practiced by state licensed counselors) is a professional discipline comprised of several specialty areas. State licensed counselors are educated and trained at the graduate level to practice in their specialty areas, which can include but is not limited to mental health counseling, school counseling, and career counseling. State licensed counselors are guided by a strict Code of Ethics. They are regulated by state law and are licensed by the state in which the state licensed counselor practices.
Who Created This Website and Why?
The mission of statelicensedcounseloradvocate.org is to facilitate advocacy for state licensed counselors who are practicing the field of professional counseling through education in the art of professional advocacy and to encourage professional advocacy by recognizing outstanding advocacy efforts by state licensed counselors.
Founder - Stephanie T. Burns, Ph.D., LPC (Michigan and Ohio), NCC
Stephanie T. Burns, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Western Michigan University in the Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Department where she is the Director of the Clinical Mental Health Program. Dr. Burns is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Ohio and Michigan; a National Certified Counselor (NCC); and the chapter advisor for the Mu Beta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. She is co-chair of the Chi Sigma Iota Professional Advocacy Committee and is the inaugural Edwin L. Herr Fellow for Excellence in Counseling Leadership and Scholarship. Dr. Burns has published nine peer reviewed journal articles on counseling, presented at state, regional, and national counseling association conferences, provided CEU training workshops, and has served on local, state, and national counseling association committees. Her research areas of interest include student learning outcomes, counselor professional identity, the psychometrics of career interest inventories, career development, neurofeedback, counseling outcomes, program evaluation, and supervision. Her counseling honors over the last three years have included two local and seven national awards.
Partner - Daniel R. Cruikshanks, Ph.D., LPCC-S
Daniel R. Cruikshanks, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department at Aquinas College; a Supervising Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S) in Ohio; and a partner in Seneca Counseling & Psychological Services, LLC. Daniel is co-chair of the Chi Sigma Iota Professional Advocacy Committee. He has served as President of the Ohio Counseling Association (OCA). Daniel has presented at state and national counseling association conferences, provided CEU training workshops, and has served on local, state, and national counseling association committees. His research interests include supervision, counselor professional identity, and personality and ADHD.