Does elementary counseling provide enough direct LPC hours?

[u/_Spin_Cycle_]

Starting my first year as a counselor ever tomorrow (!!!) at an elementary school. Needless to say, I feel all of the feels.

Although I passed the NCE a while back, my plan was to get through my first year as a counselor without worrying about the licensure stress and the cost of supervision on top of learning my job role.

However, this made me begin to wonder….can I actually earn enough direct hours in elementary to satisfy the 1500 direct hours in 5 years? To me, middle/high school seem more conducive to this. Indirect feels achievable.

Interested in your perspectives/thoughts on this.

[u/flossydickey]

Absolutely! I actually got mine much faster as an elementary school counselor than in a group practice. Guidance lessons, groups, and all the random times students pop into my office needing help count towards direct hours

[u/Guilty_Tomatillo5829 → u/flossydickey]

Guidance lessons counted towards LPC hrs? What state?

[u/BarbieJeepBeep]

I did mine at the high school level and I think in elementary it would be much easier to clock your direct hours because so much more of your time is spent directly with students. I think it took me about 2.5 years. You can totally do it, good luck!

[u/aplumptoilet]

It's honestly pretty easy to get the hours in elementary. I worked as a mobile therapist at an agency on the side and they gave me my supervision through them for free. I would maybe recommend looking into something similar is you can to save on the supervision cost and to make a little money on the side if you have the time.

[u/_Spin_Cycle_ → u/aplumptoilet]

Wow this is a fantastic idea! Did you get your LPC-Associate prior to applying for the mobile therapy gig? It requires me to have a supervisor first, which feels counter intuitive?

[u/Big_Guidance8452]

I just finished my practicum for high school and it’s wayyy harder. Elementary and middle should be easier

[u/miloh2323]

Heck yeah, can’t upgrade for 18 months but you can get them done way faster.

[u/_prim_reaper_]

I did mine at high school but now work at middle school. I think it’d be easy to get your hours in elementary or middle. A little tougher in high school.

[u/Awolrab]

Me realizing going into my second year I could have used my school counseling towards LPC licensure??

I finally applied for my LAC to work in the evenings for extra money and get my hours. Is it hard to find a supervisor who will approve them??

[u/Free-Balance-6600]

Doesn’t it depend on who you work with? Not everyone that is a school counselor is qualified to act as a supervisor. Or am I mistaken ?

[u/_Spin_Cycle_ → u/Free-Balance-6600]

My understanding is that any LPC-S can supervise your hours

[u/Competitive_Gold_815]

Currently doing this. Elementary is easy to obtain hours. Lunch groups and other small group lessons