This section defines key counseling terms, including licensed professional counselor, associate licensed counselor, board, counseling services, private practice of counseling, and provisional license.
For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise, the following words and phrases shall have the respective meanings ascribed by this section: (1) ASSOCIATE LICENSED COUNSELOR. Any person that has been licensed by the board to offer counseling services as defined in this section while under the supervision of a board approved supervisor. (2) BOARD. The Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling. (3) COUNSELING SERVICES. Those acts and behaviors coming within the private practice of counseling. (4) LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR. Any person who represents to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words “licensed professional counselor” or “licensed counselor”; and who offers to render professional counseling services in private practice to individuals, groups, organizations, corporations, institutions, government agencies, or the general public in settings of individual or group practice for a fee, salary, or other compensation, implying licensure and training, experience, or expertise in counseling, and who holds a current, valid license to engage in the private practice of counseling, with the exception of those practitioners listed in Section 34-8A-3. (5) PRIVATE PRACTICE OF COUNSELING. Rendering or offering to render to individuals, groups, organizations, or the general public counseling services, in settings of individual or group practice, for a fee, salary, or other compensation, involving the application of principles, methods, or procedures of the counseling profession which include, but are not restricted to: a. Counseling. To render evaluation and therapy that includes, but is not limited to, providing individual counseling, family counseling, marital counseling, group therapy, school counseling, play therapy, rehabilitation counseling, art therapy, human growth and development counseling, couples counseling, chemical abuse or dependency counseling, career counseling, and vocational disability counseling. The use of specific methods, techniques, or modalities within the practice of a licensed professional counselor is restricted to counselors appropriately trained in the use of these methods, techniques, or modalities. A licensed professional counselor or associate licensed counselor may diagnose and develop treatment plans but shall not attempt to diagnose, prescribe for, treat, or advise a client with reference to problems or complaints falling outside the boundaries of counseling services. b. Appraisal activities. Selecting, administering, scoring, and interpreting instruments designed to assess an individual’s aptitudes, attitudes, abilities, achievements, interests, and personal characteristics, but shall not include the use of projective techniques in the assessment of personality. c. Counseling, guidance, and personnel consulting. Interpreting or reporting upon scientific fact or theory in counseling, guidance, and personnel services to provide assistance in solving some current or potential problems of individuals, groups, or organizations. d. Referral activities. The evaluating of data to identify problems and to determine advisability of referral to other specialists. e. Research activities. The designing, conducting, and interpreting of research with human subjects. (6) PROVISIONAL LICENSE. A one-year, temporary licensure status equal to that of a licensed professional counselor or associate licensed counselor with specified stipulations for establishing substantial equivalency according to subdivision (4) of Section 34-8A-7.