Professional Mental Health Counseling
Mission and Program Objectives

Mission Statement

The Professional Mental Health Counseling program strives to prepare highly skilled and compassionate mental health professionals who are effective in providing both individual and group counseling/therapy in diverse settings.  We emphasize the client-counselor relationship, a thorough understanding of mental health issues, a developmental perspective, and commitment to equity and social justice as bases for assisting children, adolescents and adults.  We are resolute in preparing reflective and ethical practitioners who are excellent counselors/therapists, agents of change, advocates for equity and social justice, creative leaders, lifelong learners, and contributors to the advancement of the profession.

Program Objectives

1. Theory and Research to Practice – Students develop an understanding of a range of counseling theories consistent with a developmental perspective.  Students develop treatment plans and interventions consistent with their own theoretical orientation, a critical evaluation of the literature, client mental health needs and goals in counseling, diagnosis, and best practices in the profession.
2. Clinical Skill (Helping Relationships) – Students develop therapeutic communications skills, emphasize the client-counselor relationship, and facilitate and manage the counseling process with individuals and groups.
3. Self as Counselor (Reflective Practitioners) – Students develop a strong awareness of their own values and worldviews, recognize their own competencies and limitations, maintain openness to supervision, and recognize/acknowledge/remediate personal issues that may impact client care. 
4. Multicultural Competence – Students develop awareness of power, privilege, and difference and their own cultural attitudes, beliefs, and affects of social location, and learn strategies for working with gender and gender spectrum issues, diverse populations, ethnic and other non-dominant groups.
5. Professional Counseling Identity – Students develop understanding of the history of professional counseling, knowledge of the philosophical foundations of the profession, knowledge of the roles and functions of counselors, professional pride/professional engagement, and knowledge and understanding of professional ethics.
6. Ethical Practice – Students commit to and follow professional ethics consistent with the American Counseling Association ethical guidelines. They seek supervision/consultation to resolve ethical dilemmas and take personal responsibility in the event an ethical error is committed. 
7. Social Justice Advocacy and Community Involvement – Students develop an ability to recognize the injustices that affect physical, academic, career, economic, and mental well being of individuals and learn skill sets to act to alleviate such injustices in the society.  Students develop the ability to be empowering agents and advocates in service as change agents on the systemic level to better serve underrepresented, marginalized, and oppressed individuals and groups.