2023 Maryland Statutes › Health Occupations › Title 17 - Professional Counselors and Therapists › Subtitle 1 - Definitions; General Provisions › Section 17-101 - Definitions

(a)    In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)    “Alcohol and drug counseling” means assisting an individual, family, or group through the client–counselor relationship:
(1)    To develop understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal substance abuse problems;
(2)    To define goals relating to substance abuse;
(3)    To make decisions relating to substance abuse;
(4)    To plan a course of action reflecting the needs, interests, and abilities of the individual, family, or group relating to substance abuse; and
(5)    To use informational and community substance abuse resources relating to personal, social, emotional, educational, and vocational development and adjustment.
(c)    (1)    “Appraisal” means:
(i)    Selecting, administering, scoring, and interpreting instruments designed to assess an individual’s aptitudes, attitudes, abilities, achievements, interests, and personal characteristics; and
(ii)    Using nonstandardized methods and techniques for understanding human behavior in relation to coping with, adapting to, or changing life situations.
(2)    “Appraisal” does not include instruments which require specialized psychological training for administration and interpretation unless the licensed counselor or therapist has completed the training required under § 17–310 of this title.
(d)    “Art therapy” means the integrated use of psychotherapeutic principles, art media, and the creative process to assist individuals, families, or groups in:
(1)    Increasing awareness of self and others;
(2)    Coping with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences;
(3)    Enhancing cognitive abilities; and
(4)    Identifying and assessing clients’ needs in order to implement therapeutic intervention to meet developmental, behavioral, mental, and emotional needs.
(e)    “Board” means the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists.
(f)    “Certificate” means a certificate issued by the Board to practice professional counseling.
(g)    “Certified professional counselor” means a professional counselor who is certified by the Board.
(h)    “Certified professional counselor–marriage and family therapist” means an individual who is certified by the Board to practice marriage and family therapy in the State.
(i)    (1)    “Certified supervised counselor–alcohol and drug” means an individual who is certified by the Board to practice alcohol and drug counseling in the State pursuant to the limitations in § 17–404 of this title.
(2)    “Certified associate counselor–alcohol and drug” means an individual who is certified by the Board to practice alcohol and drug counseling in the State pursuant to the limitations in § 17–403 of this title.
(3)    “Certified professional counselor–alcohol and drug” means an individual who is certified by the Board to practice alcohol and drug counseling in the State.
(j)    “Counseling” means assisting an individual, family, or group through the client–counselor relationship:
(1)    To develop understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal problems;
(2)    To define goals;
(3)    To make decisions;
(4)    To plan a course of action reflecting the needs, interests, and abilities of the individual, family, or group; and
(5)    To use informational and community resources, as these procedures are related to personal, social, emotional, educational, and vocational development and adjustment.
(k)    “Fund” means the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists Fund.
(l)    “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise, one of six types of licenses issued by the Board authorizing an individual to practice:
(1)    Clinical alcohol and drug counseling;
(2)    Clinical marriage and family therapy;
(3)    Clinical professional art therapy;
(4)    Clinical professional counseling;
(5)    Graduate alcohol and drug counseling;
(6)    Graduate marriage and family therapy;
(7)    Graduate professional art therapy; or
(8)    Graduate professional counseling.
(m)    “Licensed graduate alcohol and drug counselor” means an individual approved by the Board to practice graduate alcohol and drug counseling.
(n)    “Licensed graduate marriage and family therapist” means an individual approved by the Board to practice graduate marriage and family therapy.
(o)    “Licensed graduate professional art therapist” means an individual approved by the Board to practice graduate professional art therapy.
(p)    “Licensed graduate professional counselor” means an individual approved by the Board to practice graduate professional counseling.
(q)    “Marriage and family therapy” means applying marriage and family systems theory, principles, methods, therapeutic techniques, and research in:
(1)    Resolving emotional conflict and modifying perception and behavior in the context of marriage and family life; and
(2)    The identification and assessment of client needs and the implementation of therapeutic intervention.
(r)    “Practice alcohol and drug counseling” means to engage professionally and for compensation in alcohol and drug counseling activities while representing oneself to be a certified professional counselor–alcohol and drug, a certified supervised counselor–alcohol and drug, or a certified associate counselor–alcohol and drug.
(s)    “Practice clinical alcohol and drug counseling” means to engage professionally and for compensation in alcohol and drug counseling and appraisal activities by providing services involving the application of counseling principles and methods in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and amelioration of psychological problems and emotional or mental conditions of individuals or groups.
(t)    “Practice clinical marriage and family therapy” means to engage professionally and for compensation in marriage and family therapy and appraisal activities by providing services involving the application of therapy principles and methods in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and amelioration of psychological problems and emotional or mental conditions of individuals or groups.
(u)    “Practice clinical professional art therapy” means to engage professionally and for compensation in art therapy and appraisal activities by providing services involving the application of art therapy principles and methods in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and amelioration of psychological problems and emotional or mental conditions of individuals or groups.
(v)    “Practice clinical professional counseling” means to engage professionally and for compensation in counseling and appraisal activities by providing services involving the application of counseling principles and methods in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and amelioration of psychological problems and emotional or mental conditions of individuals or groups.
(w)    “Practice graduate alcohol and drug counseling” means to practice clinical alcohol and drug counseling:
(1)    Under the supervision of a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor or another health care provider licensed under this article, as approved by the Board; and
(2)    While fulfilling the requirements for supervised experience under § 17–302 of this title.
(x)    “Practice graduate marriage and family therapy” means to practice clinical marriage and family therapy:
(1)    Under the supervision of a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist or another health care provider licensed under this article, as approved by the Board; and
(2)    While fulfilling the requirements for supervised experience under § 17–303 of this title.
(y)    “Practice graduate professional art therapy” means to practice clinical professional art therapy:
(1)    Under the supervision of a licensed clinical professional art therapist or another health care provider licensed under this article, as approved by the Board; and
(2)    While fulfilling the requirements for supervised experience under § 17–304.1 of this title.
(z)    “Practice graduate professional counseling” means to practice clinical professional counseling:
(1)    Under the supervision of a licensed clinical professional counselor or another health care provider licensed under this article, as approved by the Board; and
(2)    While fulfilling the requirements for supervised experience under § 17–304 of this title.
(aa)    “Practice marriage and family therapy” means to engage professionally and for compensation in marriage and family therapy activities while representing oneself to be a certified professional counselor–marriage and family therapist.
(bb)    “Practice professional counseling” means to engage professionally and for compensation in counseling and appraisal activities while representing oneself to be a certified professional counselor.