Online Therapy in Colorado: Licensing and Telehealth Rules Explained

The short version for Colorado residents

Online therapy is regulated state by state, and what counts is where you are sitting when the session happens. In Colorado, the board that licenses professional counselors has a written teletherapy policy, and the Division of Professions and Occupations publishes a mental health FAQ with a section on teletherapy.

A therapist who treats a client located in Colorado is expected to hold a Colorado credential, with one narrow and time-limited exception for therapists licensed elsewhere.

This article explains what the state's own pages say. It is general information for people looking for a therapist, not legal advice. For a question about a specific situation, the Division is the place to ask.

Who licenses professional counselors in Colorado

Colorado law creates the State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners. The state's website shortens the name to the State Board of Professional Counselor Examiners. It is one of the healthcare programs of the Division of Professions and Occupations, which is part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, often called DORA.

The Division describes its job as consumer protection, carried out by regulating licenses, registrations, certifications and permits across more than 60 types of professional, occupational and business credentials. Professional counselors are one of them. The Board itself has both professional members, who are counselors, and public members.

Two credentials appear on the Board's page: Licensed Professional Counselor, usually written LPC, and Professional Counselor Candidate. The page says that people holding an active Colorado license must regularly complete continuing professional competency requirements in order to practice with that license.

How to verify a Colorado counselor's license

DORA's advice to consumers is that it pays to make sure a professional's credentials are valid before you schedule a service.

1. 1Ask for the full name and license typeAsk the therapist for the name they are licensed under, the type of license and the license number. It is an ordinary question to ask.
2. 2Open the Division's verification toolThe Board's page on the Division of Professions and Occupations website has a Verify a License link at the top and a Lookup a License/Licensee link further down. Both lead to the Division's online services page, titled Verify a Colorado Professional or Business License.
3. 3Search by nameThe tool suggests entering only the first and last name on a first attempt. You can also choose Professional Counselors from the list of license types. Compare what you find with what you were told.
4. 4Raise concerns with the DivisionComplaints can be filed online or on paper. The Division accepts anonymous complaints, though it encourages people to leave contact details. It also says that its boards cannot settle fee disputes, and that filing a complaint does not mean discipline will follow.

What Colorado says about teletherapy and where you are

The Board's policy document, linked from its page as Board Policies, includes Policy 30-1 on psychotherapy through electronic means. It states that the practice of psychotherapy occurs where the client is located at the time teletherapy is used. For that reason, it says a provider must be licensed, certified or registered in Colorado to evaluate or treat people located in Colorado.

The policy describes itself as guidance. It says its guidelines do not set a standard of care, and that online treatment is held to the same standards as care given in person.

Therapists licensed in another state, and travel

The state's mental health FAQ takes up a common situation: a client moves to Colorado and wants to keep their therapist. It says a therapist who is not licensed in Colorado may continue teletherapy only if several conditions are met. The therapist keeps their license in their own state, works within the scope of that license, does not exceed 20 days per year in Colorado, does not otherwise violate the Mental Health Practice Act, and has disclosed to the public that they are not licensed or certified in Colorado.

The same FAQ says Colorado does not have reciprocity with other states. A therapist licensed elsewhere who wants a Colorado license applies by a route called endorsement. For ongoing therapy, the practical point is simple: look for a Colorado license.

Travel works the other way around. The FAQ says a Colorado therapist can provide teletherapy to a client who is on vacation in another state, as long as the session follows the teletherapy policy and the therapist meets all the requirements of the state the client is visiting. That depends on the other state, so tell your therapist before you go.

Some things are not spelled out on the pages we read. The Board's page links to the Counseling Compact, an agreement among states, but the state pages do not explain what the compact means for a client choosing an online therapist. They also do not spell out how a therapist should confirm your location at each session. Expect to be asked where you are, and ask the Division if you need a firm answer.

Practical points and crisis help in Colorado

The National Institute of Mental Health notes that virtual care needs no travel and can be easier to reach for people in remote areas. It also requires an internet connection, a device and a place where others cannot overhear.

Therapy is ongoing care, not emergency care. Colorado's Behavioral Health Administration describes the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line as free, confidential and available at all hours for anyone with emotional or mental health concerns, by call, text or live chat. It also describes walk-in centers that are open around the clock for in-person help during a mental health crisis.

How we can help

Locascio Wellness is an all-virtual practice, and sessions are by secure video. A therapist on our team is licensed in Colorado as a Licensed Professional Counselor and sees clients who are physically located in Colorado. You must be physically in Colorado during each session, so tell us ahead of time if you travel or split your year between states.

Therapists on our team work with concerns such as worry and panic, which our anxiety therapy page describes, along with low mood and relationship stress. You can read about our team before you choose. Coverage depends on your plan and your state, so please ask us to verify your benefits. Our insurance and fees page explains how that works.

You can start with a free 15-minute consultation on our booking page. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services, and our crisis resources page lists more options.

Checking a license is a sensible first step. After that, you can put your attention on finding someone you feel comfortable talking to.