Education and Training
A state license is required to provide patient care in counseling psychology or to operate an independent practice in the United States. Most states include a doctoral degree among license requirements. Those with only a master's degree typically are limited to related jobs in the field, such as serving as a psychological assistant for counseling psychologists who have doctoral degrees. Key components of a counseling psychologist's doctoral education are training in counseling and therapy techniques and instruction in emotional and mental problems and disorders