Opportunities After Passing the EPPP Exam

Opportunities After Passing the EPPP Exam

It is often quite common for us to become nervous as we approach the EPPP. In a state of anxiety, we can begin to wonder what we can do if we don't pass and what opportunities we are giving up as a result. For your peace of mind and, hopefully a bit of inspiration and motivation during your study journey, I want to provide for you some insight into the opportunities that you will have after you pass this exam.

To start, several workplace settings you might hope to find yourself in require a license. For example, if you have an interest in working in government, private practice, hospitals, or university settings, it is generally the expectation that you are working under your license or are in the process of obtaining licensure after a specified period of time. What you might often see is that employers will set a timeline for which you are expected to follow for obtaining your license. For example, if you are interested in working in a university college counseling setting, it is common for there to be a requirement that you obtain your license before your first one to two years of employment.

Prior to obtaining your license, many employers will offer you supervision since you will be required to operate underneath their license. As a result, frequent and consistent supervision is generally required and expected. After passing the EPPP and obtaining your professional license for the state you plan to work in, supervision is no longer required, and you have the freedom to function independently. Another benefit to passing the EPPP and obtaining your license is that you are then able to provide your own supervision to other mental health professionals in training, allowing you to give back to your field and contribute to the future of your profession.

Another benefit is getting paid! Once licensed, you are then able to bill insurance, opening up endless possibilities for where and how you might wish to work. In the end, the goal is to be paid for the work that you do, and a license enables insurance companies to recognize the treatment you are providing and pay you for your work. This can allow you to join a group practice or even entertain the idea of starting your own independent therapy practice. If you have a bit of an entrepreneurial mindset, this can sound quite appealing.

When clients and other professionals seek you out for services, there is a degree of respect or level of professionalism that is awarded for someone who has jumped through all the necessary hoops to get licensed to practice. For example, I want you to imagine how you would feel if you learned that your primary care doctor did not have a license in their area of expertise? If you are like me, you would likely be quite concerned and may even decide to find a new doctor! A license offers you that stamp of approval to say, “I have the necessary degree and training to provide this service to you.”

Although there are many jobs and settings where you can work that do not require the EPPP process, consider what you are hoping to do with your degree and the options that may be kept from you if you do not obtain your license.