About Me

Emily Harris, LPC

I received a B.S. in Exercise Science from Berry College in 2018, and M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Auburn University in 2020. During my graduate training, I interned at the Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center in Dadeville, AL, providing free counseling services to children and non-offending family members during the child abuse investigation process. Since graduating, I have worked in residential, intensive in-home, non-profit, and multi-disciplinary clinic settings. I’ve treated children, adolescents, adults, and families. I received my full, independent LPC/MHSP license in May 2023, while I was living in Knoxville, TN. I’ve had my South Carolina LPC since August 2024, when I moved to Greenville with my family.

My personal experience as a queer woman growing up in the Bible Belt and my professional background working with survivors of abuse – many of whom identify as part of the queer community – really shaped my interest in tailoring my practice to address mental health concerns, identity development, and relationship dynamics of LGBTQ+ folks. Queer individuals are more likely to experience sexual violence, physical abuse, religious trauma, and interpersonal and structural discrimination – and as a result, are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, depressive disorders, and/or trauma-related disorders than their cis/het peers. The intersection of gender identity, sexual orientation, racial/ethnic identity, ability status, religious membership, socio-economic status, and other social identities means that individuals often experience compounding forms of discrimination that impact access to care and overall mental and physical and mental health outcomes. 

Socio-political factors play a huge role in an individual’s mental health. Current federal and state lawmakers have introduced or passed legislature targeting queer folks, stripping away legal rights and protections and reducing access to educational resources and gender-affirming healthcare. We cannot separate the personal from the political, and to quote another therapist, “my practice is my praxis”.

Some background about the letters behind my name: I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of South Carolina and a Licensed Professional Counselor/Mental Health Service Provider (LPC/MHSP) in the state of Tennessee. Because licensure for counselors is state-dependent, the requirements and naming conventions vary by state. Although requirements vary by state, in general, an LPC is a mental health professional that has completed a graduate program of at least 60 semester hours of coursework in counseling; completed 700 hours of practicum and internship in graduate school; passed national licensing and jurisprudence exams; and completed 1,500 to 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised counseling experience. Tennessee makes a distinction between an LPC and an LPC/MHSP – an LPC/MHSP allows the therapist to diagnose mental health disorders and requires additional training, examination, and post-graduate supervised counseling hours. Because I am physically located and primarily practice in South Carolina, I use their naming convention for my credentials. You can use the state board’s license look-up feature to verify that your mental health provider has full, unrestricted, and current licensure. South Carolina’s search feature can be found here and Tennessee’s can be found here.

LPCs are not the only licensed professionals that can provide mental health services. Other common licensed mental health professionals are Psychologists (PsyD), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), and Social Workers (LCSW, LICW, LMSW), who also have various naming conventions and licensure requirements depending on the state. All of these licensure type share certain requirements, such as graduate-level degrees, licensing exams, post-graduate clinical experience, and continuing education. You can find more information about the differences between these licensure types and decide which type of mental health provider is best for you here.