Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 73 - PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS (§§ 73-1-1 — 73-79-1) › Chapter 30 - LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS (§§ 73-30-1 — 73-30-51) › Article 1 - LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS (§§ 73-30-1 — 73-30-29) › Section 73-30-3 - Definitions

The following terms shall have the meaning ascribed herein unless the context shall otherwise require:
(a)
"Licensed professional counselor" shall mean and is restricted to any person who holds himself or herself out to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words licensed professional counselor or psychotherapist, and who offers to render professional counseling or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, organizations, corporations, institutions, government agencies or the general public for a fee, monetary or otherwise, implying that he or she is licensed or holds the privilege to practice.
(b)
"Provisional licensed professional counselor" (P-LPC) shall mean and is restricted to any person who holds himself or herself out to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words provisional licensed professional counselor or psychotherapist, and who offers to render professional counseling or psychotherapy services, under the supervision of a board qualified supervisor, to individuals, groups, organizations, corporations, institutions, government agencies or the general public for a fee, monetary or otherwise, implying that he or she is licensed.
(c)
"Practice of counseling/psychotherapy" shall mean rendering, offering to render or supervising those who render to individuals, groups, organizations, corporations, institutions, government agencies or the general public any service involving the applications of counseling procedures and other related areas of the behavioral sciences to help in learning how to solve problems or make decisions related to personal growth, marriage, family or other interpersonal or intrapersonal concerns.
(d)
"Counseling/psychotherapy procedures" shall mean the application of mental health, psychological or human development principles, through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systematic intervention strategies that address wellness, personal growth or career development, as well as pathology. Counseling/psychotherapy involves diagnosis, assessment and treatment by use of the following:
(i)
Counseling/psychotherapy methods and techniques, both verbal and nonverbal, which require the application of principles, methods or procedures of understanding, predicting and/or influencing behavior, and motivation;
(ii)
Informational and community resources for personal or social development;
(iii)
Group and/or placement methods and techniques which serve to further the goals of counseling;
(iv)
Designing, conducting and interpreting research on human subjects or any consultation on any item above; and
(v)
Appraisal techniques including, but not limited to, testing of achievement, abilities, interests, aptitudes and personality.
(e)
"Fees for licensed counseling services" shall mean any form of compensation received for the practice of counseling.
(f)
"Board" shall mean the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors.
(g)
"Privilege to practice" means the authorization to practice as a licensed professional counselor in this state under the Professional Counseling Compact provided for in Section
73-30-51
.
(h)
"Licensee" means a person who has been issued a license to practice as a licensed professional counselor or a provisional licensed professional counselor in this state, or a person who holds the privilege to practice as a licensed professional counselor in this state.
Laws, 1985, ch. 354, § 2; Laws, 2008, ch. 494, § 1, eff. 7/1/2008.
Amended by Laws, 2022, ch. 320, HB 1056,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2022.
Amended by Laws, 2018, ch. 390, HB 708,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2018.