My name is Derrick Hoard also known as The Situational Therapist and I am a licensed marriage and family therapist.  Covid-19 has torn down the artificial barriers erected by outdated ways of viewing therapy.  With Zoom individuals have access to therapists across the country, but because of archaic laws that require a counselor or therapist to be licensed in the same state they provide counseling, millions of individuals are forced to settle for therapists that may not be the right fit. By and large black and indigenous people of color do not have access to counselors that look like them.  It is unfair that they are forced to seek counseling from individuals who do not share the same lived experiences and have no way of empathizing with their situations.  We need our licenses to be recognized everywhere.  Clients deserve the ability to choose!  Why is it that I can only serve in the state I am licensed? If I have the credentials I have the credentials.  The people signing this petition want the opportunity to choose their therapist, not let bad therapists get away with bad therapy because there are no other options.