How to check a licence and an NPI yourself

Every profile in this directory prints a licence number and the issuing state exactly as the therapist lists them. Every record also carries an NPI. Both are shown on the profile and both are checkable by you.

The site does not verify, vet, endorse, or rank listings. The information on a profile is what the therapist provided.

LCPC stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. It is a state-issued clinical counselling licence.

Most states use the letters LPC for the same type of licence. Illinois and Maryland use LCPC, and most therapists in this directory are licensed in one of those two states. LCPC is a licence, not a therapy type or treatment approach.

Different paths lead to similar clinical practice. Do not read LCPC as more or less than other license labels such as LCSW, LMFT, LMHC or LPC. They are different routes to comparable clinical work.

The state licensing board that issued the licence keeps a public register. The board is the primary source for licence status and basic public records.

To check a licence, start with the state printed on the profile. Find that state board’s website and use its license lookup or verification tool. You can search by licence number or the therapist’s name.

On the board’s page you will typically see the licence type, status, and issue or expiration dates. If you see anything you do not understand on that page, contact the board by phone or email for clarification. The board can explain what their records show.

The NPI is a national administrative identifier used in U.S. health systems. It is not a licence. It is listed on provider profiles for administrative transparency.

You can look up an NPI in the national registry. Enter the NPI number or the provider’s name in the registry search to confirm the entry matches the profile you are viewing.

An NPI search can confirm the name and basic practice information that the therapist has supplied. If the NPI result does not match what you see on the profile, that mismatch is a reason to ask the therapist for clarification.

A number that does not come back in the state database or the NPI registry is worth asking about. It does not automatically mean something wrong, but it is worth clarifying.

Contact the therapist through the contact options on their profile and ask for the exact issuing state and number, and for any supporting information they are willing to share. If you prefer, contact the state board directly and cite the name and licence number you found.

Do not try to work around licensing rules. A therapist can only practice where they are licensed, and the board can tell you what is allowed in that state.

Titles and licence names vary by state. If you want a quick guide to the different licence labels, see the site page at /license-types/ for short definitions that explain how states name similar licences.

If you want to see more profiles or compare listed details, use /therapists/ to browse other records. Remember that this directory does not confirm or endorse any listing; it displays what each clinician entered.

Records may be updated at different times. A board entry can lag behind what a clinician has submitted, or a clinician’s profile can be updated before the public register reflects a change. That is another reason to ask a direct question if you see a discrepancy.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, unsafe, or worried about harming yourself or someone else, call or text 988 or call 911 for immediate help.

This information is not medical advice or a diagnosis. A clinician who is actually talking to you is the person who can say what applies to you in person.