Advanced Trauma-Informed Counseling Concentration, MS
Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MS
The Advanced Trauma-Informed Counseling concentration of the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program provides students with an integrated and comprehensive program of study that will focus on the following areas: counseling theory, human growth and development, psychopathology, social and cultural foundations, clinical skills, group work, special treatment issues, appraisal, research and evaluation, professional orientation, and advanced education and training in the area of counseling clients with a history of trauma. This 60-credit program enables students to strive to combine high intellectual achievement with skillful, compassionate and ethical clinical practice in Mental Health Counseling. This program requires completion of 60 semester hours of graduate level academic course credit, including a practicum of at least 100 hours and a 600-hour supervised internship.
Within the 60 credit MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, the Advanced Trauma-Informed Counseling concentration provides students the opportunity to add intensive training in working with trauma to their LMHC eligibility. Students will explore and identify the nature of trauma, the pervasive impact of trauma, and will develop the skills to assess, diagnose, and treat people with trauma-related disorders in individual and group settings. Students can choose to select an internship experience that further develops their skills in this area.
This program of study affords students the opportunity to sit for the licensing examination and apply for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) for the state of Massachusetts, and parallel licenses, such as the LPC in Connecticut and other states. Since regulations for licensure change from time-to-time, and may differ from state to state, it is the student’s responsibility to keep abreast of possible changes with state regulations. Licensing regulations require individuals to complete a minimum of two years post-master’s degree supervised clinical experience and pass a licensing exam. Students must complete the requirement of this track within a 5-year timeline. Ultimately, the state licensing board determines whether an individual satisfies the requirements for professional licensure (please see student handbook).
The goal of the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is to deliver those core learning experiences established by academic program accrediting and state licensure boards to assure that program graduates are competent, ethical counselors prepared to enter the counseling profession and that graduates are able to provide high quality, science-based services to members of the community in post-graduate position on the path to Mental Health Counseling licensure.
To earn the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, students must complete 60 credit hours of graduate coursework including a practicum of at least 100 hours and a 600 hour supervised internship.
Degree requirements for the Advanced Trauma-Informed Counseling concentration are as follows:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 501 | Human Lifespan Development | 3 |
| PSY 502 | Clinical Skills Seminar | 0 |
| PSY 535 | Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice | 3 |
| PSY 620 | Psychopathology and the Diagnostic Process | 3 |
| PSY 625 | Applied Research Methods and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PSY 658 | Psychological Assessment in Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 660 | Social and Cultural Foundations | 3 |
| PSY 662 | Counseling Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PSY 663 | Career Development Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PSY 664 | Counseling Skills and Techniques | 3 |
| PSY 665 | Group Dynamics and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 671 | Theories and Models of Trauma and Attachment | 3 |
| PSY 672 | Neurobiology of Trauma | 3 |
| PSY 602 | Mental Health Jurisprudence Seminar | 0 |
| PSY 680 | Counseling Practicum and Seminar | 3 |
| or PSY 681 | Counseling Practicum (External) and Seminar | |
| PSY 696 | Counseling Internship and Seminar I | 3 |
| PSY 697 | Counseling Internship and Seminar II | 3 |
| PSY 698 | Counseling Internship and Seminar III | 3 |
| Trauma Concentration Electives 1 | 6 | |
| Electives 2 | 6 | |
| Total Credits Required: | 60 | |
Trauma Concentration Electives1
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 673 | Advanced Techniques in Treating Acute and Complex Trauma | 3 |
| PSY 674 | Adv. Techniq. in the Treatment of Trauma: Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| PSY 727 | Clinical Interventions for Combat Stress and Trauma | 3 |
| PSY 729 | Trauma Intervention in Schools | 3 |
Electives2
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 531 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PSY 540 | Individual and Family Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders | 3 |
| PSY 550 | Family Systems | 3 |
| PSY 561 | Counseling Techniques for Multi-Problem Families | 3 |
| PSY 590 | Trauma & Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| PSY 612 | Individual Counseling Interventions Applied Clinical Skills &Techniques | 3 |
| PSY 631 | Counseling in the Forensic Environment | 3 |
| PSY 638 | Group Work with Children & Adolescents | 3 |
| PSY 642 | Holistic Approaches to Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 647 | Terror, Trauma & the Sacred | 3 |
| PSY 654 | Drugs, Medication, and Society | 3 |
| PSY 657 | Counseling and Co-Occurring Disorders | 3 |
| PSY 667 | Counseling Adol Transitioning into Adulthood | 3 |
| PSY 668 | Play and Expressive Therapies | 3 |
| PSY 715 | Multicultural Counseling of Childre and Adolescents | 3 |