Anxiety – The Bravo Counseling Group

What is The Counseling Compact?

With today’s technology, it’s very easy to communicate with someone just about anywhere – even on a cruise ship! Unfortunately, Licensed Counselors (called Licensed Mental Health Counselors in Florida, and Licensed Professional Counselors in many other states), must abide by the laws of each individual state. Long story short, no. I am not allowed to provide counseling across state lines unless I am licensed in the state where I am providing services.

What is the Counseling Compact? Doesn’t it allow you to do therapy anywhere?

“The Counseling Compact is an interstate compact, or a contract among states, allowing professional counselors licensed and residing in a compact member state to practice in other compact member states without need for multiple licenses.” https://counselingcompact.gov/

In other words, The Counseling Compact, once enacted by member states, allows a licensed counselor to apply for the privilege to practice in other states that also passed the Counseling Compact.

What it does not do is to automatically allow someone, let’s say someone who’s licensed in The State of Florida, to immediately practice across states lines all over the United States. Instead, the counselor may apply for the privilege to practice in other member states. (Please see Counseling Compact link above for a map of current member states.) For example, I am licensed in The State of Florida. If someone in the State of California would like to work with me, California has not passed the Counseling Compact, and I would not be allowed to work with anyone in the state of California.

The State of Florida passed the Counseling Compact in 2023, and is a member state of the compact. While it was passed in 2023, the applications to practice in other member states is not yet available. For example, let’s say a client I’ve been working with is moving to Georgia. Georgia did pass the Counseling Compact, however, the Counseling Compact has not yet released applications yet. The only way I can lawfully see clients living in Georgia would be to apply for a license just like I did in Florida. Applying for licenses in different states is cumbersome and expensive. The Counseling Compact’s goal is to help streamline that so that more people have access to quality counseling services.

An analogy is our Driver’s Licenses. Drivers licenses are a “compact,” meaning, we apply and receive a driver’s license in one state, but we are allowed to drive in all other states. The Counseling Compact is a little different. While I have a license to practice in the State of Florida, if I choose to apply for the privilege to practice in other member states, those states can require that I take and pass a Laws and Rules exam for their state. Each state I apply to will have a fee, along with a potential exam (and exam preparation costs), and each privilege to practice will expire every two years. (A Licensed Mental Health Counselor’s license in Florida renews every two years and the Compact privileges are tied to one’s home state license.) So, while our driver’s licenses are compacts and we don’t have to take exams to drive in other states or pay fees to drive in other states, the Counseling Compact does have fees and potentially exams to be able to practice in other states.

What will Laura Peddie-Bravo, LMHC, NCC choose?

This depends. It will take time and funds to apply and prepare for examinations required by others states, and once passed, the costs will reup every two years. If I have enough potential clients in a state other than Florida, then yes, I will apply for a privilege to practice and follow the steps I need to to be able to practice in those other states.

Can’t you just do Telehealth anywhere in the country?

No. Each state has it’s own laws and rules about counseling in order to protect their citizens, and Licensed Mental Health Counselors must abide by every states’ law and rules or risk getting in trouble with the state one sees clients in AND the state one is licensed in. Currently, as soon as one of my clients crosses out of the State of Florida, I can no longer offer services to that person. There are a few exceptions; some states allow an out of state counselor to work with their client in case of emergency. Each state’s law varies and it’s important for counselors to know the laws in each state. I use an app called “Telemental Health Laws,” https://www.ebglaw.com/telemental-health-laws-app where I can look up each state’s relevant laws on who can provide telehealth in other states. Most do not allow any Licensed Mental Health Counselor to cross their state line without being licensed in their state. The reason for this is to protect the inhabitants of that state.

When will applications be available?

Currently it is expected that the privilege applications will be available sometime in 2025.

Questions? Please feel free to contact me or feel free to visit the Counseling Compact website: https://counselingcompact.gov/

Written by Laura Peddie-Bravo, LMHC, NCC, Qualified Supervisor, Owner, 1-8-25

Photo by Sebastian Palomino on Pexels.com

We’re glad you’re here – welcome!

While you’re here, we’d like to share some basic information about our practice and how it works. The Bravo Counseling Group, LLC is owned by Laura Peddie-Bravo, who is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Nationally Certified Counselor for over 20 years. She graduated with her Masters degree from The University of Central Florida’s CACREP accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. She is a Qualified Supervisor for Registered Mental Health Counselor Interns (and currently has openings for supervision).

Our reason for existing is to help our clients achieve their goals. After an initial appointment, (many call the first appointment an “intake appointment”), your therapist will create a Treatment Plan just for you. A Treatment Plan consists of your goals, objectives for those goals, and how your Therapist is going to help you achieve them.

How do we help people achieve their goals? Our practice is primarily based on Cognitive -Behavioral tools and techniques, however, if that isn’t someone’s preferred method we are well versed with other forms of therapy, i.e. Gestalt, Person-Centered, Psychodynamic, etc., and can incorporate many other techniques and tools into a client’s counseling sessions. We also strive to keep up to date on the latest research and latest treatment options available for our clients.

Some of our specialties include, but are at not limited to the following: Depression, Treatment Resistant Depression, (TRD), Anxiety, Treatment Resistant Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder, (for both the identified client and support for the family), Post Partum conditions, (depression, anxiety and more), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (including C-PTSD). We primarily focus on Individual Counseling, however we are well versed in Family and Couples Counseling.

We realize Counseling can be costly, and we strive to give our clients the most for their hard earned dollars, for example by having full hour appointments, and phone support in between appointments when needed. The treatment plan mentioned earlier also helps keep the Therapist and Client focused on the goals of each appointment, eliminating wasted time. It is our goal to talk ourselves out of a job!

We also have a canine therapy dog on site – if wanted. Daisy is a seven year old rescue who is half Pug and half Shar Pei. She loves people! There are photos of Daisy under our “Office Photos” tab.

Lastly, our practice is still primarily pen and paper. We do not utilize any Electronic Healthcare Record programs. While this may seem a bit archaic, confidentially is of utmost importance to us for our clients. You can rest assured your confidential information is safe with us!

We welcome your questions! Please feel free to call 407-222-6239 to schedule a complimentary phone appointment.

Tag: Anxiety

Can I Provide Counseling Across State Lines?

Welcome to The Bravo Counseling Group’s Site!