Tag Archives: Oregon Licensing Exemptions

What Does Bullying From the Psychology Board Sound Like?

April 2, 2015Alternative/Unlicensed, Bullying From Psychology BoardAbuse & Harassment by Oregon Psychology Board, Counseling Without a License in Oregon, Oregon Licensing ExemptionsRobert Plamondon

People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public.

—Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776

So suppose you’re an alternative counselor operating under Oregon’s generous exemptions, meaning you don’t need to have a license. What does it sound like when the Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners tries — illegally — to bully you into shutting down?

It sounds just like this (shared with the permission of its recipient):

Note that Karen Berry, the “Investigator” for the Board of Psychologist Examiners, doesn’t even pretend that she’s investigating “the practice of psychology,” which is the only thing the Board is authorized to investigate. She admits that she wants a counselor to shut down a counseling practice.

Legal Update for Exempt Practitioners

March 26, 2015Alternative/Unlicensed, Bullying From Psychology BoardAbuse & Harassment by Oregon Psychology Board, Oregon Licensing Exemptions, Unlicensed Practice of Psychology in OregonRobert Plamondon

In Oregon, the Board of Psychologist Examiners (OBPE) has long claimed a legally dubious authority over exempt practitioners. This is odd, because these exemptions are not for psychologists, but for counselors and marriage and family therapists! So the OBPE has long been poaching on other Boards’ turf.

After looking into the matter on my own, I concluded that their claim to authority was not only of questionable propriety, it’s of questionable legality.

No Authority Over Unlicensed Practitioners

But after consulting with several lawyers, it turns out I was wrong. Their authority isn’t questionable, it’s nonexistent.

The Psychology Board Knows This, Sort of

Doomed policies of the OBPE are steaming full speed ahead

The Board itself is starting to consider the possibility of changing course … eventually. At the March 20, 2015 board meeting, they announced the semi-existence of an Exempt Practitioner Workgroup, a group that has never met, whose membership has not been disclosed, and which has no deadlines. In the meantime, their unlicensed practitioner prosecutions are proceeding full speed ahead. I’m hearing from more and more of them (and if you’re one of them, feel free to get in touch.)

Practicing Your Profession In Oregon Without a License, Legally and Ethically

December 6, 2014Alternative/UnlicensedCounseling Without a License in Oregon, Oregon Licensing Exemptions, Unlicensed Practice of Psychology in OregonRobert Plamondon

Can therapists and alternative practitioners practice without a license in Oregon? In many fields, yes, they can! Are there any rules at all? Yes, there are. I created this Web site to make this information easier to find and understand.

When I started my hypnotherapy practice in Oregon, I found the few online resources scattered and confusing, and this is still the case: No agency takes much of an interest in us. Hence, this Web site.

Oh, and if you’re a licensed practitioner, welcome! Most of the posts on this site will be 100% applicable to you, too, as we discuss topics such as ways to build your practice and give it a compelling, personalized Web presence.

Oregon Mellow

One thing you need to understand about Oregon is that it’s not one of those states where the Legislature is license-happy. As in some other states, the Legislature deliberately keeps things a little loose here, as you’d expect in Oregon.

Alternative & Unlicensed Practitioners

Operate Legally and Ethically in Oregon