Texas LPC CE Requirements: Explaining the "Self-Study" rule
In Texas, LPCs must meet specific criteria for continuing education every renewal cycle. The rules are ALWAYS changing, so make sure you stay up-to-date by reviewing the rules frequently.
One of our current rules is RULE §681.140(h)(4):
Self-study. The maximum number of hours that may be claimed for this activity is 1 hour. Self-study is credit that is obtained from any type of activity that is performed by an individual licensee acting alone. Such activities include, but are not limited to, reading materials directly related to the practice of professional counseling. Time spent individually viewing or listening to audio, video, digital, or print media as part of an organized continuing education activity, program, or offering from a third-party is not subject to this self-study limitation and may count as acceptable education under other parts of this rule.
There’s quite a bit of confusion around this rule, so let’s take a deeper dive into explaining it:
First off, this is part of subsection:
(h) Notwithstanding subsection (f) of this section, licensees may claim continuing education credit for each of the following activities:
basically, these are all the “extra” ways you can earn CEs rather than completing/attending traditional CE courses. It includes preparing for and presenting at conferences (max of 5 hours), authoring a book or peer reviewed article (max of 5 hours), teaching or attending a graduate level course (max of 5 hours), and self-study (max of 1 hour)
Remember, these are the other ways you can earn your 24 hours of CEs, other than completing courses/workshops/etc (either online or in person).
The “self-study” rule is the one that seems to create the most confusion. Read the rule carefully:
Self-study. The maximum number of hours that may be claimed for this activity is 1 hour. Self-study is credit that is obtained from any type of activity that is performed by an individual licensee acting alone. Such activities include, but are not limited to, reading materials directly related to the practice of professional counseling. Time spent individually viewing or listening to audio, video, digital, or print media as part of an organized continuing education activity, program, or offering from a third-party is not subject to this self-study limitation and may count as acceptable education under other parts of this rule.
The bold part is crucial to this rule. It says that any time spent individually engaged in CE courses as “part of an organized continuing education activity, program, or offering from a third-party” is NOT PART OF THIS RULE.
In other words, courses like the ones I offer are not “self-study”. They are a third-party offering.
So what does count for “self-study”? Basically, this is a 1 hour CE you can give yourself by doing the following (as long as it takes at least one hour):
Reading an article about professional counseling
Listening to a podcast about professional counseling
Basically, anything you are reading/learning that relates to professional counseling that is not part of a structured CE course or training would likely count.
Ultimately, this seems like it creates more confusion than help. I don’t know anyone that desperately needs 1 hour of CEs to meet their 24 hour requirements, but if that’s you, this extra hour is perfect for your needs.
If you need hours, and are an LPC Supervisor in Texas, all of my courses will count towards your 24 hours. I even offer courses that will meet not just your Supervisor Refresher requirements, but also have courses that meet your Ethics and Multicultural requirements as well! To learn more, check out my course site HERE!
I hope this helps resolve some of the questions around the “self-study” rule. Again, please stay informed by regularly reviewing the LPC rules and if you’re not sure how to interpret a rule, don’t hesitate to email the LPC Board for clarification.
Final note: this is written as of 9/18/24. Rules change over time, so make sure you confirm current rules by viewing the most updated rules online, or contacting the Texas LPC Board directly. This is also my interpretation of the rule, and if you disagree, you are welcome to contact the Board to gain your own clarification on our rules.