How to Become a Counselor in Idaho

Below are basic guidelines for those wishing to earn their counseling certification in Idaho. Most of these requirements, such as earning your Master’s degree, completing 3200 hours of supervised experience and passing the NCE examination, are likely to continue to be mandatory in the Idaho counseling licensure process. However, it is wise to contact the Idaho State Professional Counseling Licensing Board at (208) 334-3233 to make sure you are on the right track.

I’m a High School Graduate

Being an Idaho high school graduate already researching Idaho counseling licensure requirements bodes well for your future.

The next step you should be taking right now is to learn how you can enroll in a college or university and begin advancing your education. To become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho, you are required to complete a master’s program in counseling or a related field. However, first you should be learning about associate or bachelor’s degree programs.

Click on the links below to browse schools offering programs in psychology and counseling.

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 consider looking for a school offering a master’s or doctoral degree program in counseling. You can request information from additional schools offering counseling programs in Idaho.

Make sure the schools you are considering offer the right programs for Idaho counseling certification by first examining educational requirements. You can find Idaho counseling licensure educational requirements on the following Idaho State Licensing Board of Professional Counselors webpage.

Step One:

After receiving your degree, you must earn 1000 hours of supervised counseling experience, 400 of which should be in direct contact with clients. The supervisor must meet Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors approved qualifications and provide a specified of amount of face to face supervision.

You can find more information regarding Idaho counseling licensure requirements for supervised experience on the following Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors webpage.

Step Two:

After you have met education and experience requirements, you can download and submit your Idaho counseling licensure application to the Idaho Licensing Board for review.

You can find a link to download an application in .pdf format on the following Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors webpage.

Step Three:

When the Board has evaluated and approved your application, you must choose a date to sit for the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and submit the Notification of Intent to Sit form at least 45 days before the exam.

You can find more information about the NCE on the following NBCC webpage, and a link to exam dates and to the “Notification of Intent to Sit” form by scrolling down on the following Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors webpage.

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