Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Dennis Frank, Ph.D., Program Director Social Science Department

The Master of Arts in Counseling is a 60-credit program designed to provide students with skills that will prepare them for the first level of counseling licensure or certification in the student’s state of residency. Designed to align with CACREP standards, the counselor education program will provide students to the experiences needed to learn, practice, and hone clinical skills necessary for entry-level practice as either a clinical mental health counselor or a school counselor.

The Foundations of the counselor include developing an understanding of the historical contexts of counseling, applying theories and models of counseling, and becoming familiar with the biopsychosocial model. Contextual Dimensions familiarize the students with the role of the counselor, diagnosis and assessment, diversity in practice, ethical and legal practice, and the network of helpers in which the counselor will interact. Practice outcomes will prepare the students for practical applications, in part, through a practicum and internship in which the students will work with counseling professionals. The internship is the culmination of the skills that the students has acquired through the coursework. Upon completion of the coursework and internship, the students will have the foundational coursework for the National Counseling Exam required or accepted for licensure in all US states and territories.

Please note that some courses are listed in this proposal as offered for “0 credits.” This designation is intended to indicate that participation in this aspect of the program is required and will be tracked. For courses indicated as zero credit, there is no testing nor credit evaluation - participation is designed to suffice for building student proficiency. These zero credit courses will not be assigned a faculty or adjunct instructor so will not affect teaching load. Participation in residency events, intensives and expert therapist series by program full-time faculty is a part of service to program. Adjunct instructors or external experts may be paid for time participating in residency intensives or expert therapist series. If 24 The University of Olivet’s student information system or processes preclude zero credit courses, the program will work with student services to identify another manner of tracking completion of non-credit-bearing program requirements.

Admission Requirements

The following requirements are proposed for admission into the MA in Counseling program. Admission will be offered twice per year, for the first term of both Fall and Spring semesters, Fall 1 and Spring 1, respectively. Each student would need to also meet the admission requirements of the university.

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework.
3. A personal essay of 1-2 pages detailing educational and career goals.
4. Two academic or professional letters of recommendation.
5. Current resume.

Course Scheduling and Structure

It is proposed that the courses be run in the current The University of Olivet APG program academic calendar. This will consist of eight-week sessions over the Fall, Spring and Summer terms, with some courses consecutive to the next in eight-week sessions. This calendar will provide clarity and avoid undue complication for adults who are balancing school/work/personal loads. The practicum and internship require more than eight weeks’ time to complete, so will extend across two eight-week periods. The courses would run synchronously one evening per week with additional asynchronous work each week to 22 maintain the time-on-task required by accreditors. Synchronous sessions would be recorded to enable completion of courses by adult learners juggling work and family obligations.

The program will use a standard cohort structure to provide continuity and relationship among the students, found to be positive practice for adult learners in distance education programs.

Online Delivery

Considering the competitive educational climate and the remoteness of The University of Olivet’s campus, there is a reasonable need to design this program to be offered online, through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous delivery. CACREP and the State of Michigan allow for online delivery of course work. It is a common delivery method among established programs. Additionally, there will be two, intensive, in person residency periods where there is face-to-face engagement for the purposes of assessing clinical skills over a 4-5 day period, which is also common among these programs. The exact mechanics of this assessment and residency varies among programs. Below is a table of the programs with the most established online MA in Counseling programs (or similar programs) according to CACREP, along with their definitions of the “synchronous” format and residencies.

Graduation Requirements

The following are requirements for graduation with a Master of Arts in Counseling degree at The University of Olivet:

• The completion of 60 required sequential credits, with two required in-person residencies, one remote residency, and three required full day remote trainings..
• Maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no course requirement lower than a “C.”.
• All requirements for graduation must be completed within seven years of matriculation into the program.

NOTE: Any course below a “C” must be retaken. Progress may be permitted when a student earns a grade lower than a C, they may continue and retake the course when it is offered again with approval of the core faculty. Successful completion of pre-requisites will not be waived to allow progress to proceed.

Master of Arts in Counseling Learning Outcomes

With the completion of the Master of Arts in Counseling program, the following student learning outcomes are expected:

• Counseling students will demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of ethical practices of counseling profession; adopt the identity, values, and conduct of the counseling profession; display knowledge of the legal issues that impact the profession and practice of counseling; and, exhibit the ability to practice skillfully within the ethical guidelines established by the ACA. Assessment.
• Counseling students will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of systemic, social, and cultural factors on human behavior, both on those who hold dominant and non-dominant culture identities and social locations; demonstrate understanding of how the dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression impact clients’ lived experiences, the counseling relationship, client case conceptualization, and treatment planning; and, demonstrate attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, skills, and actions as guided by the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (2015) and Advocacy Competencies (2003) endorsed by the ACA.
• Counseling students will demonstrate knowledge of human development across the lifespan and the effects of normal and abnormal development on client functioning; and, skillfully apply knowledge of human and family developmental stages and experiences in constructing developmentally appropriate client assessments, counseling goals, and treatment approaches in their work with clients.
• Counseling students will demonstrate knowledge and application of career development theory in working with individuals of all ages and across all stages of life; demonstrate understanding of contextual influences, such as economic conditions and cultural factors on career decisions and job performance in therapeutic work with clients; and, demonstrate competence in understanding the intersections between mental health, life satisfaction, the world of work, and client roles and identities.
• Counseling students will demonstrate the ability to skillfully create therapeutic working alliances with clients; demonstrate effective therapeutic helping skills that promote positive client change and counseling outcomes; and, demonstrate the ability to adapt the helping relationship to the unique needs of a diverse range of clients.
• Counseling students will demonstrate knowledge of the purpose and function of different types of groups and of group process dynamics; apply group counseling theories and group 16 leadership styles that promote positive therapeutic relationships; and, demonstrate the ability to skillfully create therapeutic change through effective group counseling
• Counseling students will demonstrate the ability to identify valid, reliable, developmentally, and culturally appropriate assessment tools; demonstrate the ability to skillfully facilitate client assessment procedures; and, effectively utilize assessment findings and evaluation results to inform treatment planning and counseling interventions for the benefit of client progress.
• Counseling students will demonstrate knowledge of research methods and how research findings inform evidence-based practice; demonstrate ability to skillfully select, analyze, evaluate, and apply professional research to professional counseling practice decisions and theory based interventions; and, apply program evaluation approaches to their practice settings to better serve clients.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Outcomes

Based on the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP), the goals of The University of Olivet Counseling programs, the standards of the American Counseling Association (ACA). All matriculating Clinical Mental Health Counseling students will demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and behaviors upon graduation from the clinical counseling program:

• Students will identify as Clinical Mental Health Counselors and will demonstrate an understanding of the professional roles and settings of clinical mental health counseling. Students will also have knowledge of the professional organizations, preparation standards, and credentials relevant to the practice of clinical mental health counseling.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history and development of clinical mental health counseling; demonstrate knowledge of cultural factors relevant to clinical mental health counseling; demonstrate knowledge of theories and models of mental health counseling; demonstrate knowledge of principles, models, and documentation formats of biopsychosocial case conceptualization and treatment planning and legal and ethical considerations specific to clinical mental health counseling.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of and skill in the etiology, nomenclature, treatment, referral, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders; roles and settings associated with the continuum of care of clinical mental health counseling services; demonstrate the ability to implement clinically effective treatment approaches for substance use disorders, particularly as they affect individuals with mental illness; demonstrate the ability to implement clinically effective treatment approaches for crises and trauma conditions, particularly as they affect individuals with mental illness; demonstrate knowledge of the effects of neurobiological indicators and 17 psychopharmacological interventions on human functioning; and understand the impact of biological and neurological mechanisms on mental health.
• Counseling students will demonstrate knowledge of mental health service delivery modalities within the continuum of care, such as inpatient, outpatient, partial treatment and aftercare, and the mental health counseling services network; demonstrate knowledge of strategies for interfacing with the legal system regarding court-referred clients; demonstrate knowledge of strategies for interfacing with integrated behavioral health care professionals; and demonstrate knowledge of strategies to advocate for persons with mental health issues.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of and skills in the practice of clinical mental health counseling, including holistic and contextual assessment of client functioning; demonstrate the successfully complete an intake interview, mental status evaluation, biopsychosocial history, mental health history, and psychological assessment specific to mental health counseling for treatment planning and caseload management; and will demonstrate an understanding of record keeping, third party reimbursement, and other practice and management issues in clinical mental health counseling.
• Students will demonstrate understanding of the clinical counselor’s role in social justice advocacy; demonstrate knowledge of and skills in the application of social justice principles in the practice of clinical counseling, including fairness and equity in accessing resources, exercising civil rights, and procuring mental health treatment, particularly in the cases of individuals and groups of people who experience marginalization; and, demonstrate the ability to engage in individual and/or collective actions to correct injustices or improve social conditions that support and benefit the welfare of individuals, groups, and general society.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the potential for the etiology of addiction and substance abuse use disorders to mimic and/or co-occur with a variety of neurological, medical and psychological disorders; demonstrate knowledge of the impact of crisis and trauma on individuals for prevention and treatment of a broad range of mental health diagnoses; and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and interventions for prevention and treatment of a broad range of mental health issues.
• Students will demonstrate collaboration within professional counseling to develop programs and interventions to promote positive mental health of individuals, groups and families in clinical mental health settings
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the organization, management, and leadership theories relevant in clinical mental health settings; and will 18 demonstrate an understanding of legislation and government policy relevant to clinical mental health counseling.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the diagnostic process, including differential diagnosis and the use of current diagnostic classification systems, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD); demonstrate knowledge of classifications, indications, and contraindications of commonly prescribed psychopharmacological medications for appropriate medical referral and consultation; and demonstrate an understanding of crisis and trauma on individuals with mental health diagnoses.