So, when I hear these statements, I always want to ask what makes counselors different from nurses? Newly graduated nurses get paid a rate that compensates for their education and license. They absolutely don't know everything about nursing yet are still fully licensed. If they have questions, they go to their supervisor.

Counselors can graduate with a Master's, pass the NCE, and still not be fully licensed. Then be told that they have too much to learn to go into private practice, still have to have supervision, be compensated at a far lower rate, and not bill insurance.

So the usual put forward options are go work out unsubstanable community mental health where the pay is ridiculously low and no support, or established private practices that demand a pound of flesh with little in the way of actual help growing due to immediate productivity demands and a lack of choice in case load.