Continuing Education for Counselors

Many practicing counselors pursue professional certification to further demonstrate their acumen in a specialized area. Whether you acquire a designation through The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), American Counseling Association (ACA) or another association, you’ll need to attain a set number of continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain your status.

Both general counseling associations and specialized associations offer certification programs and continuing education courses, such as:

• American Association of Pastoral Counselors
• American Counseling Association
• American Mental Health Counselors Association
• American School Counselor Association
• American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP)
• Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC)
• Association for Death Education and Counseling
• Military and Government Counseling Association (MGCA)
• Substance Abuse Practitioner Certification Program

A number of private companies also offer online continuing education courses for professional counselors. Many of the CEU courses are offered online and include webinars, podcasts, instructional videos and more.

Continuing education courses may be necessary to maintain certification or licensure. The minimum number of continuing education units (CEUs) may be set according to the standards of the state in which you practice, your employer or the association that issued your certification. Many employers will pay for you to take continuing education courses. Most associations award a five-year-renewable certification that requires the completion of a minimum amount of CEUs or professional development points. The actual numbers vary considerably by field, state and association.

Last updated: April 2020