As a student in Clinical-Counseling Psychology program at Radford University, I received rigorous training in order to become competent at providing many different forms of therapy.  I knew several student in CACREP accredited programs and learned that our training was just as (if not more) thorough.  I received practicum experience at a training site with students who were attending CACREP accredited programs and felt that I was just as prepared to provide therapy.  

Now, I attend a Ph.D. Counseing Psychology program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville so that I may someday have the opportunity to become a LPC.  I research mental health treatment in rural areas and have learned that these areas in particular are in dire need of master's level practitioners.  CACREP only language would prevent so many qualified master's level graduates from serving the needs of these extremely underserved communities.  I received comparable training as a master's student, as did my peers.  We are competent to become licensed in Virginia rather than spending thousands of dollars on applications to attend doctoral level programs that have acceptance rates of between 2% and 10%.  It is also costing me thousands of more dollars a year to pay to live out of state when I have enough knowledge to be working toward LPC licensure in my home state.  Although I love research and am enjoying my journey to becoming a doctoral graduate, the programs are competitive and expensive.  It doesn't make sense to require further expensive and competitive training for individuals who do not have a passion for research and instead want to serve their communities in Virginia.