Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS)

The Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to prepare students to function as licensed clinical mental health counselors. Students may choose to complete concentrations in Addictions Treatment, Marriage and Family Therapy, Eating Disorders, Play Therapy, or Wellness Leadership. The program provides the educational requirements outlined by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice as requisite to attaining clinical mental health counseling licensure. Program requirements, policies, and resources are all available in the student handbook that all students review during the Professional Orientation and Ethics course.  It may also be requested from the program coordinator listed above. Students should note that there are significant post-degree requirements to undertake prior to being licensed. The clinical mental health counseling program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Internship

Students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program must successfully complete a 600-hour mental health counseling internship in a mental health setting. Students can choose to remain in one setting or can split their time between two settings. A mental health provider licensed under the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice must provide individual supervision at the internship site on a weekly basis. Students interning out of state need to be supervised by mental health providers licensed in the state in which they are practicing. In addition to their field experience, students are required to attend a weekly University based internship seminar. Typically, the internship requirement is met over two academic terms and carries six credits. Students must complete their internship experience within two calendar years.

Course Title Credits
Counselor Education Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5100Practicum3
Clinical Mental Health Specialization Component
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Elective3
Total Credits60

Optional Concentrations in this Major

Addictions Treatment

Course Title Credits
Counselor Education Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5100Practicum3
Clinical Mental Health Specialization Component
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Addictions Treatment Component
CO 5730Addictions Treatment Modalities3
Total Credits60-63

Marriage and Family Therapy

Course Title Credits
Counselor Education Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5100Practicum3
Clinical Mental Health Specialization Component
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Marriage and Family Therapy Component
MFT 5010Foundational Methods in Marriage and Family Therapy3
MFT 5020Current Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy3
MFT 5030Foundations and Ethics in Marriage and Family Therapy3
MFT 5900Seminar and Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy1-9
Total Credits67-78

Eating Disorders

Course Title Credits
Counselor Education Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5100Practicum3
Clinical Mental Health Specialization Component
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Eating Disorders Component
CO 5160Eating Disorders: Awareness and Prevention3
CO 5185Medical Aspects and Nutrition Counseling of Eating Disorders3
CO 5170Treatment Modalities for Eating Disorders3
Total Credits66-69

Play Therapy

Course Title Credits
Counselor Education Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5100Practicum3
Clinical Mental Health Specialization Component
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Play Therapy Component
CO 5210Dynamic Play Therapies1
CO 5220Child Centered Play Therapy1
CO 5240Expressive Play Therapies1
CO 5250Special Populations in Play Therapy1
Add Four Elective Play Therapy Courses4
Adlerian Play Therapy
Special Topics: Play Therapy
Group Play Therapy
Nature Based Play Therapy
Play Therapy in School
Family Play Therapy
Play Therapy with Traumatized Children
Total Credits65-68

Wellness Leadership

Course Title Credits
Counselor Education Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5100Practicum3
Clinical Mental Health Specialization Component
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Wellness Leadership Component
OH 5180Exploring Personal & Organizational Health3
OH 5200Communication in Socially Responsible Organizations3
OH 5100Full Spectrum Leadership3
Total Credits66-69

Counselor Education Objectives - Students will be able to:

  1. Articulate and demonstrate the professional and ethical role of a counselor.
  2. Discuss and demonstrate techniques of cross-cultural counseling and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations.
  3. Describe the role that human growth and development plays in counseling interventions and modify these interventions as appropriate.
  4. Explain theories of career development and implement career interventions.
  5. Define and utilize counseling skills and advanced counseling interventions.
  6. Articulate theories of group counseling and utilize leadership skills in facilitating various types of groups.
  7. Identify and utilize various types of counseling assessments.
  8. Describe and conduct methods of research and program evaluation.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Objectives - Students will be able to:
  1. Articulate and apply foundational knowledge of clinical mental health counseling.
  2. Articulate and demonstrate various types of counseling, consultation, prevention, and intervention – including response to crisis and trauma and addiction.
  3. Discuss issues of multiculturalism, demonstrate multicultural competency skills, and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations in clinical mental health counseling settings.
  4. Analyze and utilize various types of clinical mental health counseling assessments.
  5. Critically evaluate and utilize research methods in the practice of clinical mental health counseling.
  6. Describe and employ principles of case conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment planning with a variety of populations.
The MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to prepare students to function as licensed clinical mental health counselors. It provides the educational requirements outlined by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice as requisite to attaining mental health counseling licensures. PSU’s mental health counseling program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students should note that there are significant post-degree requirements to undertake prior to being licensed, listed below in the Licensure Requirements section.
 
2021-22 Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Outcome Report
2021-22 Counselor Education Assessment Report
Key Performance Indicators used to assess Student Outcomes
 
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