The Path to NCC Certification
Like many other certification programs in the field of counseling, NCC certification may require you to receive higher levels of training within your field prior to becoming eligible for testing. The purpose of NCC certification is to promote your own expertise and higher knowledge in the field so that you can obtain better paying positions in your field during the life of your career. The NBCC provides step-by-step instructions on how to pursue certification in your field starting with your master’s education.
As outlined in a previous section, the certification process involves in-depth learning and experience requirements while in your degree program and shortly thereafter. This type of certification also requires that you spend some time working in the field under a supervisor prior to being approved for your examination, which is one of the final stages before becoming certified.
The final examination to test your abilities as a NCC level counselor is found as either the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examinations (NCMHCE). Prospects must obtain a passing score on either of these tests before completing their certification process through the NBCC. More information about these examinations can be found through the NBCC website.
NCC Career Options
When you have finally received your certification as a NCC, you can move forward to your state’s licensing department to solidify your credentials for future employments. Some people intrigued by this type of licensure might be interested in learning more about what this type of career might look like in the field, especially considering the higher-tier ranking of this certification. If you would like to see more about what types of careers you can pursue once licensed, read more in the sample careers provided by our team of educational experts below.
- Clinical Mental Health Counselor: Obtaining a career as a clinical mental health counselor can introduce you to many different clients in the professional field. In this position, you could work with children that are working through experiences of trauma or neglect, adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder, or even adults that are seeking help with chronic anxiety. Some mental health counselors in this field may also work with people diagnosed with serious mental health disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Common settings for employment for this career include mental health facilities, hospitals, and private practice.
- School Counselor: School counselors can be some of the most influential people employed in the school system. On a daily basis, these counselors may work with individual students with problems at home, high school students planning for college, or even planning school-wide events on drug prevention and bullying awareness. School counselors can be important role models for children in an educational setting, since so much change happens during a child’s educational lifeline.
- Addictions Counselor: The current drug crisis in the United States has influenced growth in the field of addiction counseling. Professionals that seek to have a career that can truly change the lives of others can take part in careers that dive deep into addiction within their clients. If you work in this field, you could work with people that have been hospitalized due to their addiction, families that have been displaced due to addiction, or even addicts that are facing criminal charges due to drug use or other criminal activity as a result of their addiction.
- Clinical Services Director: One of the added benefits associated with receiving higher NCC certification and licensure is that you could potentially qualify for higher tier positions in the field of counseling. Some professionals can become leaders in their organizations, responsible for organizing and reviewing services provided to clients in the clinical setting. Clinical services directors can ensure that patients are receiving accurate services and check in to review quality and provide leadership to counselors within their facility.
- Clinical Research Specialist: If your goals as a professional are to improve your field as a whole, you could possibly move into careers that focus on research and improvement in the field of counseling. Clinical research specialists can seek to provide improvement to current counseling techniques, organize new experiments and trials, and even publish their findings in journals focusing on counseling. This career path could be a great option for experience counselors interested in obtaining better paying positions in their field.
