u/D0ppi00

Hi everyone, I’m a dual US/Italian citizen currently living in Italy and I’m trying to wrap my head around a potential move back to the States in the future. I’m currently finishing my four-year post-graduate specialization in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy here in Italy, which is the standard path to becoming a licensed psychotherapist in the Italian system. I’m also planning on getting a Master’s on top of that, but my biggest doubt is how all this clinical training actually translates to the US market. Since the European system is so different, I’m struggling to understand if my education and the thousands of clinical hours I’m doing during this residency will be seen as equivalent to a PhD or PsyD, or if I’m at risk of being downgraded to a Master’s level counselor once I land in America. I’m especially curious if anyone here has gone through the credential evaluation process with WES or ECE for a similar European path and if they managed to sit for the EPPP or satisfy a specific State Board without having to basically redo an APA-accredited internship. I don't have any visa issues since I'm a citizen, but the bureaucratic maze of clinical licensure feels pretty overwhelming from over here, so I’d love to hear from anyone who has successfully bridged the gap between a European psychotherapy specialization and a US license as a psychologist.