All therapists and counselors can recognize the value of continuing education in our field. It is unanimously agreed that this should be a licensure renewal requirement. Unfortunately, the Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists in Tennessee, while recognizing the need to provide telehealth to clients, does not grant the same convenience to its therapists. There are many reasons that are about more than simple convenience that make in person continuing education requirements in TN a problem.

1.       Therapists should not be required to put their physical health at risk to meet this requirement. Many people are still choosing to quarantine and limit exposure and the TN board should be willing and able to respect his choice.

2.       When requiring clinicians to do a large portion of their CEUs in person, they have to choose from what is available in the area. Taking additional days off of work plus the expense of travel to complete courses that would best help our practice needs is a financial hardship.

3.       Further, many of us have very specific client groups and want to spend our time and money on courses that will make us more effective and competent in our craft/niche. These courses may not be available in our area, time zone, or country. Online learning may allow us to attend courses that would otherwise be unavailable to us.

4.       If students can complete and entire accredited graduate degree in counseling online, there is absolutely no reason why courses taken online for continuing education should not be accepted.

It is my hope that when the board sees the overwhelming support in the counseling and therapist community that they will reconsider the in-person requirement and permanently allow all online continuing education.