Community Counseling

The Community Counseling program at Lewis & Clark has a long-standing reputation in the community for educating professional counselors who are well-grounded in theory and skillful in providing sound clinical interventions.  We train empathic and compassionate practitioners who through their creative leadership and advocacy contribute to the advancement of the counseling profession.

Our core mission is your development as professional counselors who can provide effective individual and group counseling/therapy in diverse community settings. Your professional preparation includes knowledge, skills and supervised clinical experiences, as well as your identity development as a professional counselor who understands and addresses social justice as a key factor in improving the well-being of clients, individually and relationally.

We currently offer two programs in Community Counseling (see links on sidebar at right):

• Master's degrees (Master of Arts, Master of Science)
• Post-Master's Licensure Preparation

Graduates of our programs understand that the following aspects of a person’s life are essential when reflecting upon how power, privilege and oppression impact the well-being of individuals and the relationships in their lives: physical ability, culture, race/ethnicity, social and political processes, socioeconomic status, exile/migration status, religious and spiritual beliefs, language, education, gender, sexual orientation and age.

Our programs are designed to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds who have a wide range of professional goals. Undergraduate degrees from a variety of disciplines in addition to psychology (e.g. communication, sociology, anthropology, foreign languages, religion, philosophy, education) can serve as the foundation for your new identity as a professional counselor.  As you learn professional skills and enhance your own personal qualities, you gain the ability to make a real difference in the world, helping to change lives for the better.

 "Since beginning my graduate study journey in the fall of 2007, I’ve felt welcomed, encouraged, and challenged by Lewis and Clark’s Community Counseling faculty, as well as my fellow students. From the building blocks of theory to the scaffolding of practical application, I’ve been supported by my mentors and peers to keep asking tough questions, keep up with or ahead of best practices research, and to give back to the counseling community I am so eager to participate in professionally."  —Erin Parker

Resources for Community Counseling Students

Scholarship Opportunities 
The Counseling Psychology Department offers two scholarships each year to continuing students in CPSY degree programs. More information can be found on the Financial Aid website.
   
Professional Associations & Organizations
        American Counseling Association
        American Mental Health Counselors Association
        CACREP
        NBCC   
        Pastoral Counselors
        Employee Assistance
        National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
        Colleges & Employers
        National Career Development Association
              
Related links
        Addictions 
        NADAC
        AAMFT
        APA

State Organizations
    ORCA
    Oregon Mental Health Counselors
    Washington Counseling Association
    Oregon Career development association
    The American Mental Health Alliance - Oregon (AMHA-OR)

Professional Licenses and Certifications
Mental health professionals become licensed/certified in the states they practice in, according to the rules of each state. Many mental health professionals also become nationally certified. Click on links below.  For states not listed here, check state websites for their particular licensure licensure rules.

OR Board of Licensed Professional Counselors & Therapists
WA Mental Health Counselor
AK Mental Health Counselor
NBCC List of State Boards
NBCC Information
Study Guides for National Counselor Exam
American Association of State Boards

Students should contact Marsha White, Internship/Practicum Administrator in the Counseling Psychology Department, for information re: LPC licensure (503-768-6064).

Advising and Contact Information

Students take courses from both full-time faculty, and also from adjunct faculty.  Most of our adjunct faculty are practitioners who teach particular courses based on their specialized experience and their commitment to teaching the next generation of professional mental health providers. To schedule appointments with advisors or coordinators call 503-768-6060.  General inquiries for the program co-directors can be sent to ccdirector@lclark.edu.

Community Counseling Faculty Advisors and Clinical Coordinators

Community Counseling Program Co-Directors:
Stella Kerl-McClain, Ph.D., sbk@lclark.edu, 503-768-6077
Amy Rees-Turyn, Ph.D., arees@lclark.edu, 503-768-6074

Clinical Skills Training Supervisor:
Margaret Eichler, Ph.D., eichler@lclark.edu, 503-768-6076

Addiction Studies Program Director and Internship Coordinator for Community Counseling and Addiction Studies:
Boyd Pidcock, Ph.D., pidcock@lclark.edu, 503-768-6073

Practicum and Internship Administrator (CC, AS, MCFT):
Marsha White, M.A., mwhite@lclark.edu, 503-768-6064

Carol Doyle, Ph.D., cdoyle@lclark.edu, 503-768-6067
Gordon Lindbloom, Ph.D., lndbloom@lclark.edu, 503-768-6070

Adjunct Faculty

Steven Berman, MSW, MBA, LCSW; Suzanne Best, Ph.D.; Lorelynn Mirage Cardo, Ph.D.; Thomas Joseph Doherty, Psy.D.; James Gurule, MA; Bruce Kenofer, Ph.D.; Zip Krummel, MEd, MSC; Michelle Maher, M.S.; Richard Rosenberg, Ph.D.; Suzanne L. Younge, Ph.D., CADC III; Thomas Welch, M.D.
Note:  Additional adjunct faculty teach courses in other programs.  Many of those courses can be taken for elective credit by Community Counseling students.

Accreditation

This program is aligned with the standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).