The purpose of credentialing and licensing in the mental health profession

The purpose of credentialing and licensing in the mental health profession is to help ensure counselor competence and consistency of the profession. As counselors who are Christians, we will have multiple sources of authority and information in our lives (God, ACA, pastors, state regulations, research, supervisors in agencies, etc.).  Similarly, clients will come to you with multiple sources of authority and information in their lives, and these may or may not match up with what you hold as having legitimate authority.