I’ve found six high-quality continuing education content providers that offer free CEUs for counselors (LPCs), social workers, and other mental health practitioners. All of the resources on this list are NBCC-approved; however, you should still double-check with your state requirements for continuing education.
Our Picks
- American Counseling Association - ACA | Read review
- AATBS - AATBS | Read review
- CE4Less - CE4Less | Read review
- CE-Credit.com - CE-Credit.com | Read review
- TZK Seminars - TZK Seminars | Read review
- PESI - PESI | Read review
Where to Find Free CEUs for Counselors
Price: Free for members
Example Course: “Neurofeedback for Treating Substance Use Disorders”
Board Approvals: NBCC, state boards
Pros & Cons
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Highly credible and reliable source - Nationally recognized
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Requires ACA membership - Only one free CEU per month
Price: Free courses available
Example Course: A Multilevel Framework for Understanding Emotion Regulation
Board Approvals: APA, NBCC, ASWB, state boards
Pros & Cons
- Offers a handful of free courses
- Excellent quality CE materials
- Plans are more expensive than competitors
- Basic plan only has text-based materials
Price: Free ethics course
Example Course: “Ethics and Boundary Issues: E90971”
Board Approvals: APA, NBCC, ASWB, state boards
Pros & Cons
- Only one free CE course
- One of the largest sources of online CEUs
- Most content requires a fee or subscription
- Courses can get expensive
Price: First course free
Example Course: “From Chaos to Clarity: Unleashing the Power of the Golden Thread in Treatment Planning”
Board Approvals: APA, NBCC, ASWB, ANCC, NAADAC, & more
Pros & Cons
- First course is free
- Over 500 courses available
- Additional courses can be costly
- Webinars/books not covered in the cost
Price: First webinar free with promo code
Example Course: “Addressing Psychotherapy Dropout”
Board Approvals: APA, NBCC, ASWB, ANCC
Pros & Cons
- Great quality webinars
- No long-term commitments
- Individual webinars are relatively expensive
- No options for unlimited plans
Price: Free seminars available
Example Course: “Psychopharmacology for Mental Health Professionals”
Board Approvals: NBCC, APA, ASWB, NAADAC
Pros & Cons
- Very well-known and respected
- Options for more than just CEUs
- Not all courses are eligible for CE credit
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How We Chose the Best Free CEUs for Counselors
Our editorially independent review of the best free CEUs for counselors considered several factors before including an entry on our list. We searched for reputable providers of continuing education content approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) and offering at least one free course. One of our clinical staff has personally used all of these CE providers.
Choosing Therapy will continually revisit this list to ensure we offer you the most up-to-date information possible.
Detailed Reviews
Accessing continuing education can get expensive quickly. That’s why we’ve collected the best free CEUs for counselors. We’ve ensured that all entries on this list have at least one free course available and are approved as CE providers through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), among other organizations. However, you should check with your state licensing board to ensure that these CE resources are approved for you.
- Price: Free for members
- Example Course: “Neurofeedback for Treating Substance Use Disorders”
- Who Can Use This Resource?: Counselors with an ACA membership
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is one of the most venerable and reputable organizations that offers continuing education resources for counselors. If you already have an active membership – as many counselors do – the ACA offers a monthly free CEU.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Highly credible and reliable source
- Nationally recognized
- One free CEU every month for members
Cons - Requires ACA membership
- Only one free CEU per month
- The select topic of the month might not be relevant for you
Cost
A membership with the ACA ranges in price from $105 to $189 annually, depending on your current professional situation. Members gain access to a number of benefits including a free CE course every month and legal representation.
Overview
Membership with the American Counseling Association (ACA) offers several benefits, from free continuing education resources to legal advocacy and protection when you need it most. If you’re a licensed counselor, a membership with the ACA will definitely be worth the cost.
- Price: Free courses available
- Example Course: A Multilevel Framework for Understanding Emotion Regulation
- Who Can Use This Resource?: Counselors, psychologists, and more
AATBS is an excellent provider of CE content, that offers a small selection of valuable courses at no cost. Once you’ve exhausted the free offerings, AATBS has a huge library of paid CE courses, both pre-recorded and live.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Offers a handful of free courses
- Excellent quality CE materials
- Both pre-recorded and live webinars are available
- Wide range of specialties covered
Cons - Annual and monthly plans are more expensive than competitors
- Basic annual plan only provides text-based materials
Cost
AATBS membership costs range from $9.99 – $24.99 monthly, or $199 – $329 annually, depending on whether you need only text-based content, or webinars. In addition, you can purchase courses individually. AATBS offers a handful of free courses, as well.
Overview
AATBS is a very popular provider of continuing education content that also offers some free CEUs for LPCs. All materials are NBCC-approved and quite reputable however AATBS is a bit more expensive than many of its competitors. In addition to CEUs for counselors, AATBS also offers materials for psychologists, nurses, social workers, and many more professionals.
- Price: Free ethics course
- Example Course: “Ethics and Boundary Issues: E90971”
- Who Can Use This Resource?: Counselors, psychologists, and addiction counselors
CE4Less offers a huge selection of CE resources, all of which are approved by the NBCC. Most content on CE4Less requires a fee, or, an annual subscription, but the company offers a course on ethics and boundary issues for free.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Only one free CE course
- One of the largest sources of online CEUs
- Wide selection of NBCC-approved topics
- Has options for cost-saving annual unlimited subscription
Cons - Most content requires a fee or subscription
- Courses can get expensive
- When paying by-the-course, webinars are not included
Cost
CE4Less has a subscription plan that costs $74.99 annually or $129.99 biannually and unlocks full access to the CE4Less library. You can also purchase lifetime access for a one-time payment of $599.99, or simply purchase courses one at a time. Individual courses range in price from $9.99 to $169.83 each, according to CE4Less’ current price list.
Overview
CE4Less is a major vendor of online NBCC-approved CE courses. With its potentially cost-saving annual subscription plan, CE4Less can help you save money on purchasing CE content.
If you’re looking for a free CEU, CE4Less has an ethics course available for no cost titled Ethics and Boundary Issues E90971.
- Price: First course free
- Example Course: “From Chaos to Clarity: Unleashing the Power of the Golden Thread in Treatment Planning”
- Who Can Use This Resource?: Counselors, psychologists, and addiction counselors
Much like CE4Less, CE-Credit.com offers hundreds of CE courses, however, they usually require a per-credit-hour fee or annual subscription. However, with CE-Credit.com, the first course you take is always free.
Pros & Cons
Pros - First course is free
- Over 500 courses available
- Options for annual or lifetime membership
Cons - Courses can be costly when purchased by the credit hour
- Webinars and books are not covered in the credit hour cost
- Webinar access requires an annual membership
- There may be limits to hours that can be used from CE-Credit.com, depending on your state licensing board requirements
Cost
CE-Credit.com has an annual membership for unlimited access that costs $97 annually or a one-time fee of $497. Courses can be purchased by the credit hour, as well. Cost by the credit hour changes slightly, depending on how many you purchase, ranging from $2.99-$5.97 per credit. Keep in mind that purchasing by the credit only covers your exam and subsequent certification, but won’t give you access to recorded webinars.
Overview
CE-Credit.com is a solid choice for finding high-quality CE content. The courses are all NBCC-approved and provide documentation about other approvals. Courses can be purchased by credit hour or through an annual subscription and cover various topics for counselors, psychologists, social workers, and many other specialties.
- Price: First webinar free
- Example Course: “Addressing Psychotherapy Dropout”
- Who Can Use This Resource?: Counselors, psychologists, and addiction counselors
TZK Seminars offers a great collection of CE with a focus on live and pre-recorded webinars. With a promo code listed on TZK’s homepage, you can get your first webinar for free.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Great quality live and pre-recorded webinars
- No long-term commitments or exceptionally high upfront costs
- Once you’ve purchased access to a course, it’s yours forever
Cons - Individual webinar access is relatively expensive
- No options for unlimited plans or ongoing subscriptions
Cost
TZK Seminars courses range in cost from $59 – $99+ each, depending on the number of credits each course is worth. For instance, a course worth 1.5 CEs costs $59, whereas a course worth 6 CEs will cost $99. All payments are one-time only, and there are no options for ongoing memberships.
TZK Seminars offers a promo code on its homepage that allows you to access your first webinar for free.
Overview
TZK Seminars offers a large selection of live and pre-recorded webinars for satisfying CE requirements. TZK Seminars is an approved provider of continuing education by both the APA and NBCC. Prices vary by course, and there are currently no options for ongoing memberships. TZK Seminars puts a focus on live and pre-recorded webinars rather than text-based or interactive courses.
- Price: Free seminars available
- Example Course: “Psychopharmacology for Mental Health Professionals”
- Board Approvals: NBCC, APA, ASWB, NAADAC
PESI is a household name when it comes to continuing education, behavioral health, or otherwise. The CE content with PESI is always high-quality and other resources such as in-session tools and full certificate programs are also available.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Very well-known and respected
- Options for more than just CEUs
- In-session resources and therapy materials
- Full certificate programs available
- In-person seminars and retreats are available
Cons - Individual courses and seminars can be very expensive
- Not all courses include CE credit in the base cost
- Not all courses and seminars are eligible for CE credit
Cost
PESI’s CE content is priced individually and can vary dramatically from free online seminars to weeklong retreats that cost over $2,000 per person. There are no options for ongoing memberships.
Overview
PESI is a non-profit organization that has been creating educational materials and resources since 1979. The organization creates educational materials for a wide variety of professionals including therapists, psychologists, nurses, doctors, attorneys, medical billers, and more.
Aside from webinars, PESI also hosts live in-person events and educational retreated, as well as full certificate courses. Other resources such as books, cards, and in-session therapy materials can be purchased through PESI, as well.
Paid CEU Options to Consider
Most of the resources we listed above for free LPC CEUs and free CEUs for counselors also have paid courses on offer; however, if you’re looking for more options for premium continuing education content, then these companies are also a great choice.
Price: $30.95 - $40.95 monthly
Types of CEUs Offered: Counselor, social worker, psychologist, home study
Learn MoreShow less
GoodTherapy is primarily a therapist directory – one of the best therapist directories, incidentally – however, they also offer continuing education content. For a fee of $30.95 monthly, you gain unlimited access to all of the CE content available – more than enough to satisfy yearly requirements. For $40.95 monthly, you can also list your practice on GoodTherapy’s directory.
To learn more about GoodTherapy, read our full GoodTherapy review.
Price: Varies by course
Types of CEUs Offered: Counselor, social worker, psychologist, MFT, live webinars, home study
Learn MoreShow less
Zur Institute is one of the premier providers of CE for many types of mental health specialists from counselors and LPCs to psychologists and beyond. Zur Institute is a highly reputable organization that offers a wide range of courses, including live webinars and events. Prices vary by course, and there are currently no options for monthly or annual memberships. However, Zur Institute does offer some savings packages that bundle several courses on the same topic together at a discounted rate.
Final Verdict
“For NBCC-approved continuing education, the American Counseling Association provides thoughtfully curated webinars and courses as a membership benefit. AATBS offers comprehensive materials along with a selection of free CE courses. CE4Less includes a free ethics course to get you started. CE-Credit.com features an extensive library of resources, with the first course available at no cost. TZK Seminars delivers engaging live and on-demand webinars, offering the first webinar for free. PESI rounds out the list with a vast library of both free and paid CEUs, covering key topics in mental health and professional development.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What are CEUs?
Continuing education (CE) is education for counselors and therapists to keep them updated with changes in mental health research and treatment. This education is often measured in credit hours and continuing education units (CEUs). One CEU is equal to 10 credit hours. States vary on how many hours are required and whether or not a portion of them must be completed in person.
Why are CEUs Important?
Continuing education for counselors is critical as it helps practitioners to continue their education and hone their craft. Staying current on CE can help you ensure you’re extending your practice to as many demographics as possible. Continuing education also helps clinicians stay updated with trends and new research in the field.
A few reasons to stay up to date with CE include:
- Ensure continued licensure
- Stay up to date with changes and advancements in mental health and therapy
- Expand your knowledge of unfamiliar methodologies and demographics
Do Counselors and Psychologists Use the Same CEUs?
Not quite. While there can be a great deal of overlap between the CE that psychologists and counselors use, these two groups still use different governing bodies. Many CE resources you find will likely be approved by both the APA and the NBCC; it’s wise to always double-check with your state requirements to ensure any given CE resource will be approved for you.
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Melissa Boudin, PsyD (New author)
Medical Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Complete rewrite of article. Fact-checked all information and reconsidered/made changes to the recommendations list based on research and product testing. Updated where necessary to improve factual accuracy and readability. Companies removed from list: None. Companies added to list: None
Author: Matthew Church, MS
Medical Reviewer: Melissa Boudin, PsyD
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