Understanding Therapy Licensure & Geographic Location
When seeking therapy, especially with the convenience of telehealth, it's important to understand how professional licensure for therapists works, particularly concerning geographic location. This article explains why therapy licenses are state-specific and what this means for accessing services at Tretbar Therapy.
Why is Therapy Licensure State-Specific?
Mental health professionals, including Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), are licensed by individual state (or jurisdictional) licensing boards in the United States. Each state has its own set of laws, regulations, and standards for mental health practice. These are designed to:
- Protect the Public: Ensure that therapists meet specific educational, training, and ethical standards.
- Uphold Professional Standards: Maintain the quality and integrity of mental health care within the state.
- Provide Accountability: Offer a regulatory body to which clients can turn if they have concerns about a therapist's conduct.
Because these laws and standards can vary significantly from state to state, a therapist's license is typically only valid for practice within the state(s) where they are officially licensed.
How Does This Affect Access to Therapy Services?
The state-specific nature of licensure means that therapists are generally only permitted to provide services to clients who are physically located in the state(s) where the therapist holds an active license.
While there are some evolving interstate compacts (like PSYPACT for psychologists or counseling compacts for counselors) that allow practice across state lines for therapists in participating states, these have specific requirements, may not apply to all license types (like LMFTs in all areas yet), and are not yet universally adopted by all states. It is always the responsibility of the therapist and client to ensure compliance with all applicable state laws.
Our Licensure at Tretbar Therapy LLC
Our founder, Kirsten Tretbar, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Kansas.
Due to state licensing regulations, we are only permitted to provide therapy services to clients who are physically located within Kansas at the time of their scheduled sessions.
This means that even if you reside outside of Kansas, you can still receive care as long as you visit us at our Overland Park location.
If you have further questions about our services or licensure, please feel free to contact us.