Mental health counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health. They are trained in a variety of therapeutic techniques used to address issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress, trauma, low self-esteem, and grief. They also help with job and career concerns, educational decisions, mental and emotional health issues, and relationship problems. In addition, they may be involved in community outreach, advocacy, and mediation activities. Some specialize in delivering mental health services for the elderly. Mental health counselors often work closely with other mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and school counselors. Mental health counselors work in community health and social service organizations, day treatment programs, outpatient mental health clinics, hospitals, or private practice.
The 60-credit M.S. in Mental Health Counseling provides students with the core knowledge to be effective helpers in a variety of clinical settings. The program covers professional issues and ethics, counseling theories, human development, counseling skills, group work, assessment, and career development. Building upon these core content areas, the mental health counseling program focuses specifically on the development of knowledge and skills necessary to work in a variety of clinical settings, such as foundations of mental health counseling; research; evidence-based practice; program evaluation; psychopathology, and psychopharmacology.
The program satisfies the educational requirements for the New York State Mental Health Counselors License. Upon completion of educational requirements, 3,000 hours of supervised experience in the practice of mental health counseling and a passing grade on the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination are required for licensure.
