Although LPC, LPC-I, and LPC-S look like limited letter alphabet soup, each abbreviation designates the qualifications of the counselor. LPC stands for Licensed Professional Counselor. Licensed Professional Counselors have earned a Master’s degree in the field of counseling, passed the National Counseling Exam and/or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam, applied for and met the requirements for their respective state’s licensure process, and they have completed their state’s required hours of supervision. Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisors, or LPC-S, have completed the same requirements as an LPC as well as the requirements necessary to supervise the work of other Licensed Professional Counselors.
The “I”, which stands for intern, in LPC-I is the designation used by the Labor Licensing and Regulation Board of South Carolina to differentiate licensed counselors who earned their Master’s degree in the field of counseling, passed the National Counseling Exam and/or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam, applied for and met the requirements for the state’s licensure process, but have not yet completed the state’s required hours of supervision. Counselors are required to spend a minimum of two years completing supervision hours. Supervision ensures that each client receives thorough evaluation, and optimal treatment.
Collaborative Means 