Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• Adlerian Theory and Counseling
• Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Counseling
• Counseling Theories
• Counseling Skills
• Diagnosis of Maladaptive Behavior
• Counseling Multicultural Communities
• Group Counseling
• Treatment Planning and Intervention
• Couple and Family Counseling
• Human Growth and Development
• Research and Program Evaluation
• Appraisal and Assessment
• Career Development Theories and Interventions
• Addictions Counseling
• Professional Functions of Clinical Mental Health Counselors
• Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling

All students enrolled in the CMHC program must complete a 200-hour community-based social justice practicum experience. Students also complete a 100-hour clinical practicum experience and a 600-hour clinical internship located at an external site.

• Social Justice Practicum I
• Social Justice Practicum II
• CMHC Practicum and Seminar
• CMHC Internship and Seminar I
• CMHC Internship and Seminar II

The Department of Counseling and Integrated Programs offers a variety of elective courses to their program students. Students are required to take two electives that are three-hour courses each*. Students can take electives offered by the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program or they can choose a course from the department elective menu, upon their faculty advisor’s approval. Please note that not all the electives are offered at the same time; it depends on the offering cycle. Canadian students will need to take the thesis series as the elective should they plan to pursue doctoral studies in Canada. The electives offered by the CMHC program include:

• Child & Adolescent Counseling
• Psychedelic-Assisted Counseling
• Counseling Older Adults and Families
• Counseling and Human Sexuality
• Animal Assisted Therapy
• Mind, Body, and Meditative Practices in Counseling
• Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability
• Advanced Couple and Family Counseling
• Advanced Couples Counseling
• Existential and Gestalt Therapy
• Asian Meditation Therapies
• Special Topics for Counseling Diverse Populations in DCES
• Leadership in Mental Health Practice
• Counseling Difficult, Defiant Adolescents
• Advocacy and Leadership in Higher Education
• Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Aspects of Addictions
• Advanced Addictions Treatment
• Advanced Adlerian Theory and Practice
• Psychopharmacology in Counseling
• Introduction to Play Therapy
• Advanced Play Therapy
• Introduction to Sport & Human Performance
• Contemporary Issues in Cultural Sport Psychology

OR choose the thesis series below as one of the electives:

• Preparation for Applied Thesis
• M.A. Thesis I
• M.A. Thesis II

*Online students or students who intend to be licensed from other states will want to refer to their state’s Professional Counselor licensure curricular requirements. To prevent licensure delays, you may want to consider taking these other courses as your electives while completing your degree. 

The CMHC program is designed to meet the following learning objectives. Upon completion of the program, students will:

Program Objective 1: Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice
Describe and apply all aspects of professional practice, including history, roles, professional organizations, ethic and legal standards, counselor credentials and advocacy processes.

Program Objective 2: Social and Cultural Diversity
Develop self-awareness and multicultural counseling competencies. Apply theory and research on cultural factors impacting counseling relationships in a multicultural and diverse society, and the role of social justice and advocacy to the practice of counseling.

Program Objective 3: Human Growth and Development
Apply models of individual, couples, and family development in the practice of counseling with emphasis on cultural diversity across the lifespan.

Program Objective 4: Career Development
Demonstrate knowledge and apply career development and decision-making models and strategies with multicultural and diverse populations.

Program Objective 5: Helping Relationships
Demonstrate knowledge of theories and skills to provide ethical counseling, consultation, crisis intervention services.

Program Objective 6: Group Work
Participate in, facilitate, and lead experiential group and apply group work principles and theories, methods and skills to the practice of counseling.

Program Objective 7: Assessment
Demonstrate knowledge of principles of testing and measurement, including statistical concepts and apply them to individual and group assessment and evaluation.

Program Objective 8: Research and Program Evaluation
Describe and recognize the importance of research and statistical based methods, statistical, needs assessment, program evaluation to inform evidence-based practice of counseling.

Program Objective 9: Adlerian Foundations and Principles
Apply principles of Adlerian Theory such as purposiveness of behavior, the indivisible self, goal directed behavior, and the role of social interest in counseling and treatment planning with the goals to improve well-being of individuals, couples, groups, families, and a diverse society.

Program Objective 10: Social Justice/ Social responsibility
Reflect on personal values and assumptions (privileges, disadvantages, etc.) about the nature and causes of social problems (social injustices such as poverty, racism, abuse) and gain experience and skills to advocate for systemic change through engagement and leadership in multidisciplinary, diverse community-based organizations.

Program Objective 11: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and practices to address a variety of issues within the clinical mental health counseling context including prevention, diagnosis, assessment, intervention, research, diversity and advocacy roles.

The M.A. in Counseling: Specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program surveys students, graduates, site supervisors, and employers to obtain useful information about the program on a regular basis. The following are the most recent program outcomes collected from summer 2019, and fall and spring 2020:

• Currently (Fall 2020), there are 284 students in the CMHC program, including:
  • 236 students in full-time ground modality, 3-year online modality, or part-time format.
  • 35 students pursuing a dual degree with the MS in Sport and Human Performance program, and
  • 13 students pursuing a dual degree with the MA in Forensic Mental Health Leadership program.
• The graduation rate of Summer 2019 was 92%. However, based on a 5-year maximum program completion period, the graduation rate of this program is 88%.
• In Spring 2020, we achieved an 84% passing rate for the National Counselor Examination (licensure examination in Illinois)
• Our latest alumni survey conducted in spring 2020 reported nearly 75% of 8 respondents being employed within a year of graduation.

2017-18 Clinical Mental Health Counseling Progam Annual Report.

2018-2019 Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Annual Report (in construction).

Our innovative program is designed to prepare clinical mental health counselors to serve diverse populations in both the public and private sectors. They work in a range of settings, including:

• Social service agencies
• Behavioral health care organizations
• Hospitals
• Employee assistance programs
• Substance abuse treatment centers
• Military and TRICARE system
• Government agencies
• Private practice

Gain the knowledge and skills to create real change with small, collaborative classes taught by leading practitioners and scholars in the field. Our diverse faculty brings together classroom learning with individualized mentorship and hands-on professional experience.

Students also complete extensive clinical training, which provides opportunities to apply theory, hone counseling skills, and formulate treatment strategies with clients in a variety of hospitals, clinics, mental health centers, community organizations, and government agencies. Throughout their fieldwork, students receive close mentorship and clinical supervision by faculty. This training consists of a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship, typically at the same site.