Online Therapy in West Virginia: Licensing and Telehealth Basics

The short version for West Virginia residents

Therapists are licensed state by state. In West Virginia, the Board of Examiners in Counseling issues the license that authorizes a person to practice counseling as a licensed professional counselor, often shortened to LPC. The Board's licensing rule states that a person who engages in counseling without a license is in violation of West Virginia law.

So the first thing to look for in an online therapist is simple: a current West Virginia license. A video session does not change that. The therapist can be sitting anywhere, and what you are checking is that West Virginia has licensed them.

This article sticks to what West Virginia's own official pages say and is general information, not legal advice. Where the state pages we read did not answer a question, we say so and point you to the Board.

What a West Virginia counseling license tells you

A license is more than a certificate. The Board's licensing rule, filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State and effective April 14, 2026, sets out duties that come with it. Several are useful for a client to know.

• The license itself shows the counselor's name, license number and date of issue, and licenses carry an expiration date of June 30
• A counselor must state their license status clearly by using the title Licensed Professional Counselor or LPC in professional correspondence, documents and advertisements
• A counselor must make a professional disclosure statement available to clients on request. It lists their name and business contact details, their formal education, their areas of competence and the services they provide
• That statement must also give the Board's name, address and telephone number, so clients know where to take questions, concerns or complaints
• The Board has adopted the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics as part of its rule and may discipline a licensee who does not follow it
• A counselor may not put out advertisements or information that are false, inaccurate or misleading

Counselors, social workers and other licenses

Not every therapist is a counselor. Clinical social workers also provide therapy, and West Virginia's official list of state agencies and boards shows a separate Board of Social Work alongside the Board of Examiners in Counseling. Each board is responsible for its own license holders.

The rule covered in this article is the counseling board's. If your therapist holds a different license, the matching board is the one to contact.

The counseling rule also describes a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate, a person who is qualified to provide counseling services while under the supervision of a Board-qualified supervisor.

How to check a West Virginia therapist's license

1. 1Ask for the name, license type and numberIt is an ordinary question. A West Virginia counselor's license shows a license number, and the rule expects counselors to be clear about their license status.
2. 2Ask for the professional disclosure statementThe licensing rule says a counselor must make a copy available to clients on request. Read the education and areas of competence, and note the Board contact details printed on it.
3. 3Contact the BoardWest Virginia's State Agencies and Boards directory lists the Board of Examiners in Counseling with its website and its phone number, (304) 558-5494. Ask the Board to confirm that the license is current.
4. 4Know where to take a concernThe disclosure statement directs questions, concerns or complaints about a counselor's services to the Board.

Where you are during a session

Because licenses are issued by states, an online therapist needs to know which state you are in. Expect to be asked where you are at the start of a session, and tell your therapist ahead of time if you will be traveling.

The West Virginia pages we read for this article do not spell out, in plain language for clients, what happens when a client joins a session from another state, so we will not guess. Our own policy is clear: you must be physically located in a state we serve during every session. For a question about a specific situation, ask the Board.

Why video matters in a rural state

When the nearest therapist's office is a long drive away, the drive itself can be the thing that stops care from starting. The National Institute of Mental Health notes that virtual visits do not require travel and may reach people who cannot easily get to in-person care, including people who live in remote areas.

The same source says virtual care can be effective for conditions such as depression and anxiety. Our depression therapy page explains what that kind of care looks like.

Video has limits, and it is better to know them up front. It needs an internet connection and a device such as a smartphone or computer, a weak connection can interrupt a session, and it can feel less private if people nearby can see or overhear. A parked car or a room with the door closed works for many people.

How we can help

Locascio Wellness is an all-virtual practice. Sessions are by secure video, and clients must be physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona during a session. We match West Virginia clients with a therapist licensed in West Virginia. Our online therapy in West Virginia page has more, and you can read about our team first.

Coverage depends on your plan, so please see our insurance and fees page or ask us to verify your benefits. You can begin with a free 15-minute consultation on our booking page.

Online therapy is for ongoing care, not emergencies. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services. Our crisis resources page lists more options.

Checking a license is a reasonable thing to do, and a good therapist will be glad you asked. With that settled, distance does not have to decide whether you get support.