All applicants for the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) credential must submit a videotape recording of a clinical counseling session of at least 30 minutes duration. In addition, the applicant will provide a written self-critique of the session using the enclosed form. This videotaped counseling sample may be of an individual, couple, family or group session. In all cases, the videotape must be accompanied by the provided release form signed by the client(s).

Regardless of the theoretical approach employed, the commonalities of therapeutic competency will be assumed and evaluated. Generally, the counselor will be expected to demonstrate the following components of effective clinical counseling:

1. Accurate empathic understanding of the client’s presenting complaints
2. A collaborative therapeutic relationship with the client(s) characterized by mutual respect, sharing, and bonding
3. Confidence in and comfort with the methods and techniques employed
4. Flexibility to alter plans and approaches to fit specific client needs
5. Awareness of one’s own limitations and counter transference dynamics that might be
adversely effecting progress
6. Skilled use of situation-specific treatment interventions and the ability to articulate the
rationale for such use
7. Referral to other professional services as appropriate

More specifically, the counselor will be evaluated on the ability to demonstrate the following therapeutic skills. It is not necessary that every specific competency noted is exhibited in the session in order for the videotape to be acceptable.