How to become a Counselor in Florida

Below are basic guidelines for those wishing to earn their counseling certification in Florida. Most requirements such as earning your Master’s degree, completing 3000 hours of supervised experience and passing the Clinical Mental Health Counseling examination have been and are likely to continue to be mandatory in the Florida counseling licensure process. However, it is wise to contact the Florida Board of Mental Health Counseling at (850) 245-4474 to make sure you are on the right track.

I’m a High School Graduate

As a high school graduate researching Florida Counseling certification, you are putting yourself in a fantastic position. By doing career research at this point in your formal education, you can take advantage of the career resources available to college students that many disregard.

However, the first and most important step toward your future career in counseling is advancing your level of education. In order to become a mental health counselor in Florida, you must, at the least, have completed a master’s program. But in order to be qualified to enter into a master’s program, you must have completed your undergraduate education.

You can either begin with enrolling in an associate’s degree program or enroll immediately in a four year bachelor’s degree program.

Click on the links below to browse schools offering psychology and counseling degree programs!

Once you have enrolled in a program, take advantage of your school’s career services department and learn how you can find employment or volunteer opportunities that are related to the counseling career path.

Already Received Bachelor’s Degree

Once you have your bachelor’s degree, you should start looking for a school offering a master’s or doctoral degree program in counseling. You can get in touch with schools offering counseling programs in Florida to know more about the mandatory educational qualifications.

Make sure the schools you contact provide the appropriate experience requirements for Florida counseling licensure. Information regarding supervision requirements can be found on the Florida Department of Health webpage.

Step One:

In addition to completing the required master’s coursework, you need at least 1000 hours of university-sponsored supervised clinical internship or field experience.

You can find more information on supervision requirements for Florida counseling certification on the Florida Department of Health website.

Step Two:

Download the application for Florida counseling certification. You can download the licensure application from the Florida Department of Health webpage (click on the “Application for Licensure by Exam” link).

Once completed, submit the application along with all necessary forms and fees back to the Florida Department of Health. You can find instructions, forms and fees information, and the appropriate address on the application.

Step Three:

Once your application has been evaluated and approved, you must then sit for the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). You can find information regarding Florida counseling licensure examination content, dates, locations and more on the NBCC website.

It is also required to complete a class on Florida laws and rules and a class on prevention of medical errors. Information on these required classes can be found on this webpage.

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