Frequently Asked Questions
Any questions about training for church/ministry staff please call us for personalized information.
How long does this certification course take?
This is an instructor-led 2-day course. Each day is 7 hours. Upon completion of the second day, you will be mailed your certification within 5 to 7 business days.
How does certification work? Do I have to recertify?
After you have completed the certification course, we will mail you your Christian Counseling Certification. Your certification will have your counselor id number and the expiration date. Certifications are for a 2-year period. 40 Continuing education hours are required for ongoing certification. CEU's are excepted anywhere offering CEU's.
Do you offer one-on-one counseling training or consultation?
Yes! We offer counseling training via teleconference. You will be trained by a Master's-level, Doctorate-level counselors, Pastoral-level counselors, or State-licensed Christian counselors. Training sessions are scheduled at 1-hour increments at $100 per hour.
If you are interested in receiving one-on-one training, please contact us at training@ariseandlive.com or (770) 728-8333.
Is ALCC affiliated with State Licensing Counseling Boards?
Arise and Live Christian Counseling (ALCC) is a private Christian Counseling and Certification organization, we are not associated with any government licensing body. We teach you in the content areas that are related to counseling and psychology with a focus on delivering religious, Christian counseling services. We provide Christians with training and certification in the area of counseling, so they can better serve their congregations and their communities.
What are some Certified Christian Counselor Jobs?
As a certified Christian counselor, you can have a rewarding career and ministry providing counseling services to individuals, families, and couples looking for spiritual solutions. Individuals who have Christ as their faith or who identify spiritually are looking for spiritually-based professionals. A large number of certified Christian counselors work in private practice as faith-based (Christian) counselors. Many others work with churches and ministries, providing counseling and counseling related-services.
Can I counsel with a Christian Counseling Certification?
Yes! Most states provide an exemption from state licensure if you (1) are a religious/spiritual counselor (2) recognized by an organized entity, and (3) are not using or claiming specific titles like “Mental Health Counselor” or “Psychotherapist.”
It will be your responsibility to know what the allowed titles for individuals who practice counseling in your state are. Some states have restrictions on the type of titles that can be used by non-state licensed mental health providers. However, most states to allow the use of “Christian,” “Pastoral,” or “Religious” counselor. It is your responsibility to be in compliance with your state’s laws.
Examples:
Florida Law:
491.014 Exemptions (CLINICAL, COUNSELING, AND PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES)
(3) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to limit the performance of activities of a rabbi, priest, minister, or member of the clergy of any religious denomination or sect, or use of the terms “Christian counselor” or “Christian clinical counselor” when the activities are within the scope of the performance of his or her regular or specialized ministerial duties and no compensation is received by him or her, or when such activities are performed, with or without compensation, by a person for or under the auspices or sponsorship, individually or in conjunction with others, of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination, or sect, and when the person rendering service remains accountable to the established authority thereof.
Found at: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0491/0491.html
Texas Law:
Sec. 503.054. TITLE 3. HEALTH PROFESSIONS
COUNSELING BY OTHER LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL OR BY RELIGIOUS PRACTITIONER. This chapter does not apply to an activity or service of any of the following persons performing counseling consistent with the law of this state, the person's training, and any code of ethics of the person's profession if the person does not represent the person by any title or description as described by the definition of "licensed professional counselor" in Section 503.002: 1) a member of another profession licensed or certified by this state, including: (A) a physician, registered nurse, psychologist, social worker, marriage and family therapist, chemical dependency counselor, physician assistant, or occupational therapist; or (B) an optometrist engaged in the evaluation and remediation of learning or behavioral disabilities associated with or caused by a defective or abnormal condition of vision; or (2) a recognized religious practitioner, including a Christian Science practitioner recognized by the Church of Christ Scientist as registered and published in the Christian Science Journal. Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Found at: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/OC/htm/OC.503.htm
Georgia Law
O.C.G.A. 43-10A-7 (2010) 43-10A-7. Licensing requirement; exceptions
(9) Active members of the clergy but only when the practice of their specialty is in the course of their service as clergy; (10) Members of religious ministries responsible to their established ecclesiastical authority who possess a master's degree or its equivalent in theological studies; (11) Persons engaged in the practice of a specialty in accordance with Biblical doctrine in public or nonprofit agencies or entities or in private practice.
Found at: https://statutes.laws.com/georgia/title-43/chapter-10a/43-10a-7/