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Wyoming State Licensing Requirements

Wyoming is a great place for many reasons. One, for some of us, is the great feeling you get from helping others when you become a therapist, professional counselor, psychologist or social worker. But what degree will you need to practice here, and what are the requirements to get licensed in the different helping professions?

Licensure protects the public from unregulated practitioners. By requiring licensure, Wyoming sets standards of education, training and experience for people seeking to engage in the helping professions and promotes high standards for professionals in these fields.

If you want to get the education, training and skills to help people cope with life issues (such as depression, seasonal affective disorder [SAD] and substance abuse), overcome mental-health problems, and generally improve the quality of their lives, keep reading to learn about getting licensed in Wyoming.

Licensure to Practice in Wyoming

Licensing is a mandatory step before you can legally practice social work, psychology, therapy or professional counseling.
Once you’ve earned your degree, you’ll need to pass a state and/or national exam and meet other licensing requirements in your particular field. Here are some of the requirements to practice in the following fields, according to the Wyoming Board of Psychology and other regulatory bodies. Make sure to consult the appropriate regulatory entity to review the complete and most up-to-date requirements.

Psychologist

• Get a doctoral degree in psychology from a program from a regionally accredited university or one accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
• Experience Requirements Include:
• 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience related to the practice of psychology in no less than two years. This must include a pre-doctoral internship program accredited by the CoA or is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC)
• The pre-internship can include up to 1,500 hours of supervised professional experience in the form of a practicum, clerkship or other training required in the doctoral program
• At least 60% of the pre-internship must be in direct client contact providing assessment and intervention services; (other requirements apply; check the Board of Psychology website for the full regulations)
• Post-Doctoral training: 1,500 hours within two years; two hours of supervision for every 40 hours of supervised professional experience, one hour of which is individual face-to-face supervision with a psychologist
• A passing score on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)

Clinical psychologist salary in Wyoming

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

• Master’s or doctoral degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)
• During graduate degree, a supervised practicum experience with a total of at least 100 clock hours over a minimum 10-week academic term
• Supervised internship in the designated program area of 600 clock hours, begun after successful completion of the practicum
• At least 240 clock hours of direct service, including experience leading groups
  Weekly interaction of one hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision
• One and a half hours per week of group supervision
• A minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training/work experience obtained subsequent to the granting of the master’s degree in counseling; at least 2,000 hours must be in direct client contact
• Passing grade on the National Board for Certified Counselor’s (NBCC) National Counselor Examination (NCE), the National Clinical Mental Health Examination (NCMHE), or the Certification Examination administered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

• Master’s degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
• 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training/work experience after receiving graduate degree, at least 1,200 of which will be in direct client contact, and 500 hours of the 1,200 hours must be direct clinical services to couples and families
• A passing grade on the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

• Earn a master’s degree or doctorate from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training/work experience under the direct supervision of a clinical supervisor after receiving graduate degree; at least 1,200 hours must be in direct client contact
• Get a passing score on the national exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

Making the Most of Your Degree

Once you know which of these fields you want to pursue and you’ve begun your graduate studies, it might be helpful to look into professional associations that accept students. Membership in organizations such as the Wyoming Counseling Association offers great benefits:

• Access to job databases and community resources
• Forums for interacting with peers and experts in your field
  Information about legislation that affects your work, and lobbying efforts to protect your professional interests
• Consultation with advocates in your profession regarding legal and ethical issues

So which career is right for you: psychologist, counselor, therapist or social worker? Start early and research your licensure requirements and degree options to make sure that you’ll be efficient in your studies, won’t have any licensing problems, and can get into the right helping profession for you.
_{Sources: www.plboards.state.wy.us/psychology, www.mentalhealth.wyo.gov}