A lot of people are reluctant to begin therapy with an LPC-Intern because they don’t quite know what an LPC-Intern is. An LPC-Intern is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has completed all educational requirements and passed all licensing exams, but has yet to complete the required 3000 practicum hours under the supervision of an LPC-Supervisor in no less than 18 months before they can be fully certified. (That’s 75 weeks on a full-time work schedule and this is in addition to the 500-1000 practicum hours they already completed for their master’s degree!)
In other words, an LPC-Intern is a fully qualified counselor who is in the early stages of their career, but they are by no means a novice! It makes sense that an LPC-Intern might give you pause, but it doesn’t mean they are uneducated or unseasoned, and there are some valid reasons why some clients might prefer seeing an LPC-Intern.
- LPC-Interns tend to offer more flexible appointment times. Because most LPC-Interns are just building their practices and often still depend on another full-time job, they are usually more willing to meet with clients on weekends, early mornings, evenings, and even during lunch.
- You’re getting two counselors for the price of one. Every LPC-Intern is supervised by a more senior LPC-Supervisor who maintains the LPC-Intern’s records, reviews cases, and provides consultation to the LPC-Intern. The LPC-Intern can turn to that supervisor for advice, guidance, or concerns about their clients, which means clients are often getting the input of two therapists at the same time.
- LPC-Interns tend to charge lower rates. Because they are just starting their careers, or simply don’t feel justified charging the same rates as more veteran LPCs, LPC-Interns tend to charge lower rates than other LPCs in their area. Most LPC-Interns don’t have to deal with the burden of overhead costs such as office space and marketing (since they often share the office space of their supervisor), and many still depend on their full-time salaried job and don’t feel the need to charge higher rates. And once fully licensed, most LPC-Interns feel ethically-bound to maintain those lower rates for their current clientele.
- LPC-Interns tend to be more up-to-date on recent research and promising techniques. Because most LPC-Interns have recently completed their final courses for their master’s degree and/or licensing hours, and passed the state licensing exams, they tend to have more up-to-date knowledge and recent access to latest research. They are also more likely to still be in touch and consult with the PhDs and professors in their field of study.
- LPC-Interns often have more experience than you think. Many LPC-Interns come to private practice from similar careers (school counseling, social work, religious and spiritual counseling, crisis work, mediation, mentoring, etc.), and are well-practiced at working with clients in a similar capacity (and often in less controlled environments). In fact, some LPC-Interns might have completed their education courses long ago, but simply never got around to completing the licensing requirements because they were already satisfied practicing their passion in less traditional environments. For whatever reason, most LPC-Interns come to agencies and private practices via a long and fruitful journey in other helping fields.
You will be in good hands!