Ncmhce Prep - Dr. Alyson Carr, LMHC

09/02/2026

The NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook: 2nd Edition is here!

One thing I have learned after years of helping counselors prepare for the NCMHCE is that this exam is always changing, and each individual exam is different.

The clinical knowledge and decision making skills you need to be successful on the NCMHCE haven’t fundamentally changed, but the way the exam presents information, asks questions, and expects you to apply that knowledge has.

So, it was time for a new edition. The 2nd Edition of the NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook has updated practice questions and scenarios that more closely reflect what people are actually seeing when they take the exam right now. More than anything, I wanted this edition to better capture the feel of the current NCMHCE.

And if you already have the 1st Edition, please don’t panic!

The clinical content, concepts, strategies, and practice in the original handbook are still relevant and valuable. The exam hasn’t suddenly stopped testing those things, and your handbook is not obsolete – my suggestion would be to focus heavily on the answer keys in the 1st edition because this is where you will gain the most valuable content knowledge.

The biggest difference really is the experience of practicing.

The 2nd Edition is more similar in style, structure, and overall feel to the exam people are taking today. My goal is for you to sit down on test day and have as little as possible feel new or unfamiliar.

The NCMHCE will change again, as it always has. And when it does, I’ll keep paying attention and continue to update test prep materials accordingly.

NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook — 2nd Edition – AVAILABLE NOW! 🫶🏻 link in bio!

09/02/2026

The NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook: 2nd Edition is here!

One thing I have learned after years of helping counselors prepare for the NCMHCE is that this exam is always changing, and each individual exam is different.

The clinical knowledge and decision making skills you need to be successful on the NCMHCE haven't fundamentally changed, but the way the exam presents information, asks questions, and expects you to apply that knowledge has.

So, it was time for a new edition. The 2nd Edition of the NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook has updated practice questions and scenarios that more closely reflect what people are actually seeing when they take the exam right now. More than anything, I wanted this edition to better capture the feel of the current NCMHCE.

And if you already have the 1st Edition, please don't panic!

The clinical content, concepts, strategies, and practice in the original handbook are still relevant and valuable. The exam hasn't suddenly stopped testing those things, and your handbook is not obsolete – my suggestion would be to focus heavily on the answer keys in the 1st edition because this is where you will gain the most valuable content knowledge.

The biggest difference really is the experience of practicing.

The 2nd Edition is more similar in style, structure, and overall feel to the exam people are taking today. My goal is for you to sit down on test day and have as little as possible feel new or unfamiliar.

The NCMHCE will change again, as it always has. And when it does, I'll keep paying attention and continue to update test prep materials accordingly.

NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook — 2nd Edition – AVAILABLE NOW! 🫶🏻

Get instant access to your digital download and transform your study experience.

06/09/2026

Summer is here.

Some of you are celebrating graduations, some are finishing internships, some are preparing for the licensure exam, and some are just trying to keep all the plates spinning.

Whatever season you’re in, I hope you find some time this summer for the things that matter most.

For those of you studying for the NCMHCE, the NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook is $50 off through August 1.

Enter coupon code SUMMER2026 at checkout. https://tutoringondemand.alysoncarr.com/

Take good care of yourselves. 🫶🏻

05/25/2026

Not NCMHCE prep related, but wanted to share here for anyone interested!
——
Therapists weren’t meant to hold hard cases alone.

These small virtual summer consultation groups are designed to offer thoughtful clinical support, collaborative problem-solving, fresh perspective, and space to process the work with other clinicians who truly get it.

Whether you’re feeling stuck with a case, emotionally overloaded, professionally isolated, or simply craving deeper clinical conversation - you’re welcome here. 🫶🏻

Groups begin 5/29 and will be intentionally kept small.

Individual consultation is also available by request.

Comment below or email me at [email protected] for details or to reserve a spot.

08/30/2025

Happy Labor Day! Use Coupon Code LABORDAY2025 for $25 off the NCMHCE Practice Test Handbook! https://tutoringondemand.alysoncarr.com/

06/04/2025

🧠💡 The future of trauma-informed care isn’t just about what we know — it’s about how we listen.

These slides explore something I’ve been thinking deeply about: What if AI could co-regulate with us?

As a trauma therapist and neuroscientist, I see the potential for tech to augment — not replace — the sacred space of healing.

Imagine tools that detect autonomic shifts before a client hits overwhelm. Tools that gently signal when we’re slipping outside the window of tolerance. Tools that help us hear what the nervous system is whispering.

🔍 Curious where this is already happening?

🖥️ Affective computing platforms like Ellie by USC’s ICT are exploring how voice, facial microexpressions, and posture can indicate distress.

📱 Wearables like Empatica E4 measure physiological markers like EDA and HRV for real-time biofeedback.

🌐 Neuroscience-based platforms like NeuroFlow offer behavioral health tracking and therapist-facing dashboards.

This is not about cold algorithms or replacing connection. It’s about evolving our language of care.

✨ Because healing requires safety. And safety begins with awareness.

05/31/2025

When people ask me how to prep for the NCMHCE, I could talk about study tools, clinical frameworks, and diagnostic nuance. And I do.

But the truth is: your nervous system is taking the test too.

If you’re dysregulated, your knowledge is inaccessible. If you’re panicked, your answers get lost under the noise. Studying for the NCMHCE isn’t just about what you know — it’s about what your body believes is possible under pressure.

Therapists are taught to hold space for everyone else’s emotions. But when was the last time you held space for your own? This work requires so much more than memorization.

It asks:

Can you stay grounded while being evaluated?

Can you self-regulate while navigating complexity?

Can you trust that what you know is already within you — and breathe it forward?

You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be present.

The best clinicians aren’t the ones with the cleanest case notes — they’re the ones who can stay in relationship with themselves while supporting others.

Study hard. Rest harder. And don’t forget to bring your body with you.

05/27/2025

https://youtu.be/O-Wwaq7vEyw

05/26/2025

I’m back. And no, I wasn’t dead. (Just...resting my prefrontal cortex.)

After taking a much-needed step back from social media (yes, I saw the Reddit post — and no, I wasn’t abducted by aliens), I’m reemerging with more clarity, more compassion, and a whole lot more to say.

For those who don’t know me: I’m Dr. Alyson Carr — a neuroscientist, licensed counselor, and trauma specialist working at the intersection of brain science and human resilience. I specialize in complex trauma, treatment-resistant depression, and anxiety that refuses to budge.

Oh — and I still believe in the transformative potential of AI when used ethically and creatively in clinical work.
This video is a love letter to the why behind what I do — to the people I serve, to the systems I want to disrupt, and to the incredible complexity of the human brain.

https://youtu.be/-Ao1I_eoGX4

👀 Stay tuned for more updates, reflections, and a whole lot of (neuro)nerdy joy.

If you’re still here — thank you. Let’s reconnect. Let’s rebuild. Let’s heal forward.

Main episode with Michael Levin: https://youtu.be/Exdz2HKP7u0As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to o...

05/25/2025

1) Slow and steady wins the race - don’t cram or overwhelm yourself with studying, there’s no way your brain can retain it all if you strain yourself!

2) When you are using practice tests to prepare, don’t try to memorize the questions and answers - you won’t see these exact questions and answers on your test. Instead, try to absorb the knowledge from the test prep questions and answers so that you can generalize that information to different cases.

3) Do not stay up all night before your test studying - this will only prevent you from showcasing all your hard work.

4) On test day, take a deep breath in between each question, and take several deep breaths in between each case. Utilize grounding tools like feeling your body in your chair, wiggling your toes, and relaxing your jaw and tongue to keep your nervous system regulated.

You have worked so hard for the opportunity to take this exam - you deserve to let yourself shine!