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Central to Making an Impact.
Central’s Clinical Professional Counseling program prepares a diverse population of students to enter the professional counseling field as multiculturally competent practitioners who utilize systemic clinical counseling and ethical practices in alignment with the eight common core professional counseling standards of The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and the nine content areas established by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). In line with Central’s core values, our program commits to embrace and strengthen Diversity and Inclusion, providing an enriching and equitable learning environment where every individual is valued, and promoting diversity of people and ideas.
Within these settings, clinicians will assist individuals experiencing emotional, mental, social, and physical challenges and disabilities. Students are taught theories and techniques of practice in individual, group, and family counseling modalities, as well as those that promote recovery, resiliency, and rehabilitation. A mindfulness-informed theoretical orientation is also integrated within the program’s coursework.
The curriculum is designed to qualify clinical professional counseling students with conferred degrees for entry-level work in a variety of mental health, rehabilitation, and addiction treatment agencies.
Program Features
- Matriculated students begin coursework each fall semester
- 60- to 63-credit program
- Attend full- or part-time
- Courses offered in evening hours for working adults
- Clinical counseling field experiences
- Access to state-of-the-art clinical counseling laboratory
- Financial aid is available
- No GMAT/GRE required
Program Options
Students will have the foundational knowledge and skills that allows them to achieve the following objectives (which are aligned with the identified CACREP’s Entry-Level Specialty Area Standards for Clinical Mental Health Counseling):
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Demonstrate understanding of principles, models, and documentation formats of biopsychosocial case conceptualization and treatment planning (CACREP Standard 5.C.1.c.).
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Demonstrate understanding of psychological tests and assessments specific to clinical mental health counseling (CACREP Standard 5.C.1.e.).
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Demonstrate understanding of diagnostic process, including differential diagnosis and the use of current diagnostic classification systems, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) (CACREP Standard 5.C.2.d.).
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Demonstrate understanding of impact of crisis and trauma on individuals with mental health diagnoses (CACREP Standard 5.C.2.f.).
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Demonstrate the ability to facilitate intake interviews, mental status evaluations, biopsychosocial histories, mental health histories, and psychological assessments for treatment planning and caseload management (CACREP Standard 5.C.3.a.).
Students will have the foundational knowledge and skills that allows them to achieve the following objectives (which are aligned with the identified CACREP’s Entry-Level Specialty Area Standards for Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling):
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Demonstrate understanding of etiology and effects of disabilities and terminology relevant to clinical rehabilitation counseling (CACREP Standard 5.D.1.f.).
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Demonstrate understanding of effects of discrimination, such as handicapism, ableism, and power, privilege, and oppression on clients’ life and career development (CACREP Standard 5.D.2.k.).
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Demonstrate understanding of effects of the onset, progression, and expected duration of disability on clients’ holistic functioning (i.e., physical, spiritual, sexual, vocational, social, relational, and recreational) (CACREP Standard 5.D.2.m.).
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Demonstrate understanding of transferable skills, functional assessments, and work-related supports for achieving and maintaining meaningful employment for people with disabilities (CACREP Standard 5.D.2.n.).
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Demonstrate understanding of environmental, attitudinal, and individual barriers for people with disabilities (CACREP Standard 5.D.2.p.).
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Demonstrate the ability to conduct diagnostic interviews, mental status examinations, symptom inventories, psychoeducational and personality assessments, biopsychosocial histories, assessments for treatment planning, and assessments for assistive technology needs (CACREP Standard 5.D.3.a.).
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Demonstrate understanding of strategies to advocate for persons with disabilities (CACREP Standard 5.D.3.c.).
within 6 months of graduation
for the National Counselor Examination
for the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination