Clinical Mental Health Counseling Courses

CMHC505: CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AS A PROFESSION (3 CREDITS)

Focuses on the historical development of mental health counseling as well as current trends in the profession. Various roles, responsibilities, service delivery modalities and settings of clinical mental health counselors will be examined. Professional Organizations, codes of ethics, credentialing, and licensing requirements will also be covered. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC510: COUNSELING THEORIES (3 CREDITS)

Introduces students to theories and models of counseling and psychotherapy that are consistent with current professional practice and standards. The implications of various theories for conceptualizing client problems and generating intervention techniques will be highlighted. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC515: ASSESSMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Designed to provide an overview of the assessment procedures and tools used by clinical mental health counselors. Intake interviews, mental status examinations, biopsychosocial assessments, environmental and risk assessments, systematic behavioral observations, symptoms checklists, diagnostic interviews, and personality and psychological testing will be explored as they relate to diagnostic and intervention planning. Ethical and cultural issues related to assessment will be covered. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC520: LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Examines individual and family development theories across the lifespan. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of understanding developmental norms in conceptualizing the needs of clients and challenges they may face. Additionally, the course will cover biological, neurological, physiological, systemic, environmental, and cultural factors that impact human development. This course is asynchronous.

CMHC525: SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Focuses on the intentional demonstration of verbal and written clinical counseling skills. Culturally responsive mental health counseling interventions for initiating, maintaining, and terminating counseling will be emphasized. Case conceptualization skills and treatment planning will be covered. Weekly synchronous meetings/seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC530: RESEARCH AND EVALUATION IN COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Provides students with the skills and knowledge to critically evaluate research in counseling. Research designs, statistical methods, data analyses, and ethical and multicultural issues will be emphasized. Program and therapeutic evaluation models will be discussed. This course is asynchronous.

CMHC535: MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Examines the importance of cultural context in the process of counseling. Emphasis is placed on developing cultural self-awareness and humility. Lives of students and clients will be examined as they relate to racism, discrimination, sexism, power, privilege, and oppression. Culturally sensitive counseling techniques and therapeutic interventions will be discussed in depth. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC540: CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Provides an overview of career developmental theories and decision-making models.

Identification and utilization of appropriate career assessments and counseling strategies will for mental health counselors will be covered. Career and educational planning across the lifespan will be emphasized. Course is offered only in the summer semesters and is asynchronous.

CMHC545: ADDICTION COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Explores theories, etiology, assessment, diagnosis, prevention and intervention of addictions and addictive behaviors. Co-occurring disorders as well as neurological, behavioral, psychological, physical, and social effects on the user and significant others will be discussed. Students will learn various assessments and empirically supported therapeutic treatment strategies for working with addictions. This course requires synchronous seminars. Course is offered only in the summer semesters.

CMHC550: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS (3 CREDITS)

Focuses on diagnostic classification using the DSM-5 and ICD-11 in order to understand the etiology, symptoms, and clinical presentation of various mental disorders to facilitate differential diagnosis and treatment. Basic classes and uses of commonly prescribed psychopharmacological medications will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of differential diagnosis in developing a treatment plan and selecting appropriate interventions. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC555: ADVANCED SKILLS IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Designed to practice advanced mental health counseling interventions and directly apply those skills while maintaining a technology-assisted therapeutic relationship. Experiences include completing an intake, applying diverse therapeutic interventions, writing case notes and a treatment plan, and termination/referral. Direct supervision and feedback will enhance the students’ abilities to become effective mental health counselors. Weekly synchronous seminars/meetings are required throughout the course.

CMHC560: FAMILY AND COUPLES THERAPY (3 CREDITS)

Introduces family and couples therapy from a systemic perspective. Evidence-based models commonly used in counseling families and couples will be emphasized. Approaches to assessment and treatment planning as well as ethical, legal, and professional issues will be covered. Weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course. Course is offered only in the summer semesters.

CMHC562: CHILD AND ADOLESCENT COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Introduces students to child and adolescent counseling. Common disorders and issues for this population will be explored, along with an overview of evidence-based interventions, strategies, and approaches to working with children, adolescents, and their parents/guardians. Ethical and legal considerations for counselors working with children, adolescents, and their families will be emphasized. Course is offered only in the summer semesters and is asynchronous.

CMHC564: CREATIVE THERAPIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS (3 CREDITS)

Provides an overview of creative therapeutic techniques such as play therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, art therapy, and other types of interventions designed to engage children and adolescents into the therapy process. Ethical, legal, and multicultural considerations will be explored. Course is offered only in the summer semesters and is asynchronous.

CMHC565: GROUP SKILLS IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Designed to practice advanced mental health counseling interventions and directly apply those skills to lead/co-lead a psychoeducational group. Critical aspects of group processes and dynamics, including group formation, group stages, cohesion, norms, decision-making, and leading/co-leading will be emphasized. Students will participate in a weekly processing group for a minimum of ten hours. Weekly synchronous seminars/meetings are required throughout the course.

CMHC570: TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Addresses trauma-causing events, disasters, and crises on diverse populations across the lifespan. Identification, conceptualization, and assessment techniques for individuals impacted by crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events will be emphasized. In addition, students will explore the principles of crisis intervention, diagnosis, theories and models of intervention to enhance individual, family, group, and community resilience. They will also emphasize the need for clinical mental health agencies, emergency management systems, and other crisis interventions teams to address self-care. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC575: COUNSELING MILITARY VETERANS (3 CREDITS)

Assesses military counseling competencies as well as military culture, stigma, and stereotypes. Resiliency will be emphasized while also discussing physiological, psychological, environmental, and transitional challenges facing veterans. Considerations for counselors working with military veterans will be explored. Course is offered only in the summer semesters and is asynchronous.

CMHC580: REINTEGRATION FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES (3 CREDITS)

Reviews cultural considerations and competency expectations for counseling veterans and their families during reintegration and beyond. Empirically supported techniques and interventions for veterans and their families will be analyzed. Challenges facing military veterans and families once discharged will be discussed as well as advocacy processes to address their needs. Implications of vicarious trauma will be discussed along with individual and organizational strategies to mitigate the potential for vicarious trauma. Course is offered only in the summer semesters and is asynchronous.

CMHC585: ETHICAL, LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Provides students an in-depth understanding and application of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics. Students will learn decision-making models and interdisciplinary consultation frameworks to apply to ethical, legal, and professional issues experienced in the mental health field. Bi-weekly synchronous seminars are required throughout the course.

CMHC590: PRACTICUM IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Introduces students to the work experience of a professional clinical mental health counselor under the supervision of an on-site supervisor and a faculty member. The total practicum experience must yield 100 on-site clock hours over the course of a full academic term that is a minimum of 10 weeks. Of the 100 hours, at least 40 will be spent providing direct clinical service. Students will receive on average of one hour of weekly individual supervision from the on-site supervisor, and 1.5 hours of synchronous group supervision per week from program faculty. Weekly synchronous seminars are required during this course.

CMHC595: INTERNSHIP I IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

Expands students learning as they complete a 300 on-site clock hour internship (120 hours providing direct clinical service). Students gain experience providing individual and group counseling. Students receive an average of one hour of weekly individual site supervision and 1.5 hours of synchronous group supervision from the program faculty. Weekly synchronous seminars are required during this course.

CMHC596: INTERNSHIP II IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (3 CREDITS)

CMHC597: WINTER INTERNSHIP (3 CREDITS)

Expands students learning as they complete a 100 on-site clock hour internship. Students gain experience providing individual and group counseling. Students receive an average of one hour of weekly individual site supervision and 1.5 hours of synchronous group supervision from the program faculty.

CMHC598: INTERNSHIP I AND II IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (6 CREDITS)

Expands students learning as they complete a 600 on-site clock hour internship (240 hours providing direct clinical service). Students gain experience providing individual and group counseling. Students receive an average of one hour of weekly individual site supervision and 1.5 hours of synchronous group supervision from the program faculty. Weekly synchronous seminars are required during this course.