Counseling Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the Counseling exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 Counseling Exam Format at a Glance
📚 Counseling Topics to Study (21)
✍️ Sample Counseling Questions & Answers
1. Mandatory reporting laws require counselors to report suspected:
All U.S. states have mandatory reporting laws requiring mental health professionals to report suspected child abuse or neglect to designated child protective services agencies.
2. HIPAA primarily governs which aspect of counseling practice?
HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, establishes federal standards for protecting the privacy and security of individually identifiable health information.
3. Informed consent in counseling must include which of the following elements?
Ethical informed consent includes explaining the nature and purpose of services, fees, potential risks and benefits, and the limits of confidentiality before counseling begins.
4. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was originally developed to treat which population?
Marsha Linehan developed DBT specifically for chronically suicidal individuals with borderline personality disorder, combining CBT with acceptance strategies.
5. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) uses the 'miracle question' to do what?
The miracle question invites clients to imagine waking up to find their problem solved, helping them articulate concrete goals and recognize existing strengths.
6. Which ethical principle refers to the counselor's obligation to 'do no harm'?
Nonmaleficence is the obligation to avoid actions that cause harm to clients, and is one of the six foundational ethical principles outlined in the ACA Code of Ethics.