Select Clinical Mental Health Counseling Syllabi

(Note: all syllabi are in PDF format and open in a new window)

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• COUN 5030 Family of Origin
• COUN 5040 Multicultural Perspectives
• COUN 5060 Communication & Counseling Skills
• COUN 5080 The Professional Counseling Identity
• COUN 5105 Counseling Theories & Practice: Part One
• COUN 5160 Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning Syllabus
• COUN 5150 Psychopathology Syllabus
• COUN 5270 Career Counseling Syllabus
• COUN 5180 Ethics and Professional Issues Syllabus
• COUN 5115 Theories II
• COUN 5231 Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan
• COUN 5500 Research Methods, Introduction to Research
• COUN 5600 Trauma, Disaster Response, and Crisis Counseling
• COUN 5290 Survey of Addiction

PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision

• COUN 7100 Research in Counselor Education
• COUN 7140 Qualitative Research
• COUN 7340 Global Mental Health Issues and Professional Sustainability
• COUN 7420 Advanced Supervision
• COUN 7500 Advocacy, Social Justice & Professional Leadership
• COUN 7980 Practicum
• COUC-COUN 8950 Advanced Professional Seminary and Inquiry
• COUN 7200 Advanced Clinical Theory
• COUN 7220 Advanced Trauma Counseling, Crisis Response
• COUN 7300 Instructional Design and Adult Learning
• COUN-COUC 7320 Counselor Education & Clinical Training
• COUN 7400 Multicultural Supervision
• COUN 7440 Advanced Legal and Ethical Issues
• COUN 7120 Quantitative Research Methodology
• COUN 7180 Program Development and Evaluation
• COUN 7520 Consultation and Organizational Change

Be the help your community needs.

The Addiction Counseling Concentration (ACC) prepares you to feel competent in assessing and treating addiction in a variety of settings. The provision of integrated mental health and addiction treatment services are vital to communities. The ACC has been created to meet the Washington State Department of Health education requirements for the alternative training track to become a Chemical Dependency Professional (CDP). The Addictions Counseling Concentration curriculum is based on the most current neuroscience of addiction, attachment injury, and trauma, as well as cutting edge techniques to address these issues, provided by the leaders in the field. The ACC also includes learning experiences designed to expand awareness of the larger socioeconomic and political issues connected to treating addiction. Get started in helping your community today and begin your journey to becoming a chemical dependency professional (CDP).

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The Addiction Counseling Concentration covers the WA State DOH required topic areas, to become a CDP via the “alternative training track”. This is a graduate level concentration and therefore the course material and learning experiences are advanced and address the complexity of treating addiction, as well as treating addiction and other mental health issues. There are many approaches to treating addiction, and it is the purpose of the ACC to enable students to feel confident and competent working in a variety of settings using a variety of techniques and approaches. The curriculum is heavily influenced by family systems theories allowing students to be effective in working with couples, families, children, and adolescents touched by addiction. The concentration is 15 credits.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

The Addiction Counseling Concentration is combined with the MA in Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree. The degree offers you comprehensive clinical training for a career as a licensed mental health counselor. With a focus on developing multicultural counseling competencies, you accomplish these goals through a combination of required coursework, electives and a supervised internship. The concentration combines online and in classroom time to allow for the flexibility and convenience of completing course work using digital resources, as well as benefiting from the face-to-face interaction of in classroom instruction and peer discussion.

Core Addiction Counseling Courses:

• Survey of Addiction:  Intro to Addiction Counseling Fundamentals: 3 credits offered as all classroom or online hybrid
• Physiology and Pharmacology in Addiction Counseling: 3credits offered as all online course
• Advanced Theory and Practice in Addiction Counseling: 3 credits offered as online hybrid
• Advanced Assessment, Ethics, and Case Management in Addiction Counseling:  3 credits offered as online hybrid
• Advanced Clinical Skills in Addiction Counseling:  3 credits offered as all classroom

“Survey of Addiction” must be taken before any other courses. Once you have completed “Survey of Addiction”, you can complete the other courses in whatever order you would like.

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

Community mental health agencies, For-Profit and Non-Profit treatment centers, hospitals, schools, and other community organizations need dually credentialed providers. The alternative training track approved by the WA State DOH is now available to licensed mental health counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists, and other specific professions. The alternative training track significantly reduces the education requirements and work experience needed to become a CDP, for certain advanced degree professionals. You may complete the CDP education requirements and work experience hours before you are licensed as and LMHC or LMFT, and then submit your CDP application documenting your completed coursework and experience hours once you have obtained your LMHC or LMFT. Being a dually credentialed provider affords you the ability to provide a wider range of services and more effective services to clients. In some settings, dually credentialed providers receive increased compensation.

For more detailed information on the requirements for obtaining a CDP via the alternative training track please visit: doh.wa.gov.

Admissions / Cost

GO TO ADMISSIONS

How to apply

1. Completed the online admissions application.
2. A Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is required.
   Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you have attended to the Admissions Office. Transcript evaluations are required for all coursework completed outside of the U.S. or Canada (except Quebec). See Transcript Evaluation section on International Students webpage for details.
3. One recommendation is required. Your recommender must be someone who can best assess your capabilities and readiness to enter a graduate clinical training program. These include academic instructors that you may have had in college or professionals who have observed your work in an evaluator and/or supervisory role to you. Ideal recommenders can speak to your work in a helping role with people in a mental health, social service or educational setting.
4. Admission Essay. 500-word statement describing your interest in applying for the sexuality educator certificate at Antioch University. Include discussion about why you believe you will be a good fit as a sexuality educator and how this area of learning would benefit you in your professional goals.
5. CV/ Resume
6. Select applicants may be invited to participate in a group interview with faculty.

All admission application supporting materials, transcripts, essays, etcetera, should be emailed to admissions.aus@antioch.edu or mailed to the:

Admissions Office
Antioch University Seattle
2400 3rd Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98121

Application Deadlines

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Cost

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If you are interested in becoming dually credentialed in Washington State as an LMHC or LMFT and a Chemical Dependency Professional, please contact admissions to learn more about how to apply to these programs.

Successful therapy of any kind requires a strong working relationship between client and therapist, based on trust and emotional honesty. In drama therapy, through the client and therapist’s creation of movements, pretend images, stories, and scenes, the therapeutic relationship develops at an accelerated rate. By mutual agreement, client and therapist enter a shared imaginal realm and experience pretend consequences of choices they make within the fictional contexts they create together.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

Drama therapy is one of several creative arts therapies used by clinicians and practitioners to help their clients achieve emotional and physical integration, personal growth and symptom relief. Like art therapy, it is the application of a creative modality to psychotherapy. Drama therapy allows you to develop your own way of working with clients.

The Antioch program is one of only a few in the country that offers a special focus in Developmental Transformations (DvT).

Drama therapists work in numerous settings including, but not limited to, hospitals, residential treatment programs, schools, shelters, community centers, prisons, and private practice.

The master’s degree can be completed in three years. Students choose from Couple and Family Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling coursework, integrating drama therapy as part of an additional concentration-specific training which includes an internship.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

Antioch’s Drama Therapy specialization is combined with the MA in Psychology with Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) concentration.  It is recommended that you consult with your adviser to create your own sequence of courses before the middle of the second quarter.

The Drama Therapy program is 90 quarter credits. To accommodate working adults, our schedule allows students to work during the day and take classes in the afternoons and evenings as well as all day on Friday.  You may begin the program only in the fall.

Required Clinical Courses:

•    Applied Couple Therapy
•    Applied Family Therapy
•    Communication and Counseling Skills
•    Competency Assessment I
•    Competency Assessment II
•    Competency Assessment III
•    Counseling Individuals in the Family
•    Ethics in Family Practice
•    Group Therapy
•    Human Development in Context: Family Life Cycle
•    Human Sexuality
•    Internship Preparation
•    Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
•    Psychopathology
•    Research in Family Practice and Drama Therapy
•    Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
•    Theories & Practice of Family Therapy I

Required Drama Therapy Courses:

•    Approaches to Drama Therapy
•    Creative Arts Therapy I: Children and Adolescents
•    Creative Arts Therapy II: Adult and Geriatrics
•    Community-Based Theater & Sociodrama
•    Ethics in Drama Therapy
•    Family of Origin Systems & Drama Therapy
•    Improvisation and Creative Dramatics
•    Intro to Drama Therapy
•    Master’s Project or Thesis
•    Multicultural Perspectives & Drama Therapy
•    Psychodrama
•    Research and Assessment in Drama Therapy with Individuals & Families

Elective Courses:

One elective in counseling a culturally specific population OR one of the following:

•    Abusive Relationships
•    Addictions and Substance Abuse

Internship Courses:

•    DT/CFT Internship I, II, III, IV, and V
•    DT Case Consultation I, II, III, IV, and V

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

Drama therapists work in private practice and/or in clinical, educational and rehabilitative settings such as:

•    hospitals and clinics
•    residential treatment centers
•    long-term care facilities
•    community centers
•    prisons
•    shelters
•    schools
•    mental health and social service agencies

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Cost

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid is also available to most students.
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Add the Art Therapy concentration to your Couple and Family Therapy degree to expand upon your capabilities of improving the lives of others. By pairing comprehensive clinical training with a strong theoretical framework, you will be uniquely positioned to leverage art therapy in a clinical setting. Empower your therapy clients to express themselves verbally and through visual art in order to treat a multitude of developmental, emotional, and psychological problems or disorders.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The MA in Couple & Family Therapy degree has an Art Therapy specialization combined with Couple and Family Therapy (CFT). You receive comprehensive clinical training, making it one of the few degree programs in the U.S. featuring art therapy with a clinical focus.

Antioch University Seattle has held accreditation continuously since 1927. The Art Therapy specialization has been approved by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) since 2003. In 2019, the program received accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Thus, the curriculum meets national standards for art therapy registration.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

Antioch University Seattle’s Art Therapy specialization is combined with the MA in Psychology with Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) concentration. The degree offers you comprehensive clinical training for a career as a licensed marriage and family therapist. With a focus on developing multicultural counseling competencies, you accomplish these goals through a combination of required coursework, electives, and a supervised internship.

The Art Therapy program is 90 quarter credits. You may begin the program in either spring or fall.

Core Clinical Courses:

•    Applied Couple Therapy
•    Applied Family Therapy
•    Communication and Counseling Skills
•    Competency Assessment I
•    Competency Assessment II
•    Competency Assessment III
•    Counseling Individuals in the Family System
•    Ethics and Professional Issues
•    Ethics in Family Practice
•    Human Development in the Family Life Cycle
•    Human Sexuality
•    Internship Preparation
•    Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
•    Psychopathology
•    Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
•    Theories of Couple and Family Therapy

Core Art Therapy Courses:

•    Advanced Art Therapy Assessment
•    Advanced Art Therapy Research in Individual and Family Therapy
•    Art Therapy in Diverse Settings: Individual and Group
•    Art Therapy Master’s Project or Art Therapy Thesis
•    Art Therapy Research in Individual and Family therapy
•    Assessment: Tests and Measurements
•    Developmental and Treatment Models in Art Therapy
•    Ethical Issues in Art Therapy
•    Family Group Art Therapy
•    Family of Origin Systems and Art Therapy
•    History and Theory of Art Therapy I
•    History and Theory of Art Therapy II
•    Multicultural Perspectives and Art Therapy
•    Techniques and Practice of Art Therapy

Elective Courses:

One elective in counseling a culturally specific population OR one of the following:

• Abusive Relationships
• Addictions and Substance Abuse

Internship Courses

• AT/CFT Internship I,II, III, IV, and V
• Case Consultation I, II, III, IV, and V

Internship Experience

All students participate in an internship in a professional setting. This experience will enable you to validate and clarify the theory you acquire in the classroom as you develop your own role as a clinician. Examples of internship sites include the following:

•    College counseling centers
•    Community centers
•    Group homes
•    Homeless shelters
•    In-patient psychiatric hospitals
•    Jails
•    Penitentiaries
•    Public mental health clinics
•    Youth and family services

Program requirements and course offerings are subject to change.

For a detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

Art therapists work in private practice and/or in clinical, educational, and rehabilitative settings such as:

• hospitals and clinics
• residential treatment centers
• long-term care facilities
• community centers
• prisons
• shelters
• schools
• mental health and social service agencies

The Art Therapy Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of the students which is reflected by 83% of alumni who responded, indicated they are currently working in the field of therapy (Alumni Survey Report 2020, n=6).

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Cost

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid is also available to most students.
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Introduction

The Couple and Family Therapy Program helps adult students pursue a rewarding and meaningful career that enhances the lives and relationships of individuals, couples, and families.

By focusing on a family systems perspectives and pairing the traditional classroom setting with comprehensive clinical training and onsite internships, you will be better prepared for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Washington State.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) Program mission is to prepare knowledgeable, skilled, self-aware, ethical, and culturally responsive clinicians for the practice of individual, couple, and family therapy.

The CFT Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of the students which is reflected in the following figures:

• 99% of graduating students indicated they would recommend the CFT Program to others (2019 Graduation Survey Report, n=81)
• 100% of alumni indicated they passed the national exam for licensure (Alumni Survey Report 2019, n=67)
• 99% of alumni indicated they are currently working in the field of therapy, and it took them an average of 2 months to find a job (Alumni Survey Report 2019, n=67)

The CFT Program has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) since 2005, which is the highest level of accreditation in marriage and family therapy. This allows graduates to use their internship hours toward their post-graduation licensure requirements, which ultimately makes licensure attainment easier and faster.

Client populations for couple and family therapists include children, teens, and adults, as well as couples and families. Couple and family therapists primarily work with clients from theoretical perspectives that are more interpersonally and systemically oriented. In this sense, CFT practitioners concentrate more on the relational, social, and cultural experiences of their clients while taking into account the context of their inner world.

The CFT Program demonstrates its commitment to the advancement of social justice by preparing therapists to think critically about power, privilege, and multicultural issues in order to best serve clients and communities. Consistent with a systemic perspective we believe that by empowering our students with relevant knowledge as well as clinical and advocacy skills, the requirements of social justice will be served for clients and within the larger community.

The educational philosophy of the CFT Program is based on a model of adult learning that is student-centered and competency-based. The student-centered aspects of this model emphasize establishing learning environments characterized by collaboration, self-direction, and self-reflective practice. In this way, our courses emphasize experiential learning rather than focusing on lectures and testing. Students are evaluated on their therapeutic abilities rather than their ability to take a test. Along these lines, we do not utilize the GRE in our admissions process.

Students in the CFT Program can receive additional training by specializing in Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, Sex Therapy, Multicultural Therapy, and Play Therapy.

Degree Requirements

Program Length:

Students are allowed to choose the pace they move through the program. While the average time to graduation is 3 years, some students graduate in 2 years, and others choose to take up to 6 years.  It’s up to you.

• Minimum: 2 years (8 full-time quarters)
• Maximum: 6 years
• Average: 3.0 years (12 part-time quarters)

Requirements:

The CFT program requires completion of 75 quarter credits including 56 credits of required coursework, 12 elective credits, and 19 credits of Internship.

Core Courses:

• Family of Origin Systems
• Multicultural Perspectives
• Communication and Counseling Skills
• Counseling Individuals in the Family System
• Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
• Theories and Practice of Family Therapy I and II
• Human Sexuality
• Human Development in the Family Life Cycle
• Psychopathology
• Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
• Ethics and Professional Issues
• Ethics in Family Practice
• Research Methods: Introduction or Advanced
• Research in Family Practice
• Competency Assessment I, II, III

Elective Courses:

The CFT Program affords you the flexibility to individualize your studies based upon your professional goals and interests. Student may choose four courses to satisfy their elective requirements. These include:

• One elective in Family Practice Series including:
  • Play Therapy
  • Clinical Treatment of Children
  • Clinical Treatment of Adolescents
  • Clinical Treatment of Sexual Abuse
  • Effective Parenting
  • Gottman Couples Therapy Levels I & II
  • Fundamentals of Sex Therapy

• One elective in Multicultural Counseling Series including:
  • Counseling African Americans
  • Counseling Asian Americans
  • Counseling Clients with Disabilities
  • Counseling LatinX Communities
  • Counseling Jewish Clients
  • Counseling Native Americans
  • Diversity in Sexual Expression
  • Internalized Oppression
• One elective in Abusive Relationships or Addictions
  • Survey of Addictions
• Three other general elective credits including:
  • Group Therapy
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Grief and Loss
  • And many more

Internship Courses:

• Internship Case Consultation

Internship Experience:

All students participate in an internship in a professional setting. This experience will enable you to validate and clarify the theory you acquire in the classroom as you develop your own role as a clinician. Examples of internship sites include the following:

• Youth and family service centers
• Public mental health clinics
• Grief and Loss Agencies
• LGBTQIA Agencies
• ADHD Centers
• College counseling centers
• Group homes
• Homeless shelters
• Community centers
• Penitentiaries
• In-patient psychiatric hospitals

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

According to a 2014 AAMFT report on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently over 11,000 jobs for marriage and family therapists (MFTs) with employment projected to grow 29% between 2012 and 2022.  MFTs can thrive in a range of work environments, including mental health centers, hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers, schools, private practice, and many other settings. The following is a list of possible jobs (some require additional post-master’s education):

• • General Psychotherapist
  • Specialist (Military Family, Domestic Violence, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse Prevention, Parenting, Marital, Family, Adult, Infant Specialist, Bilingual Mental Health, Inpatient, Adolescent Specialist, Group, Hospital-Based, Multicultural Specialist, LGBTQIA, Sex, Contracted, Substance Abuse, School-Based, Corporation-Based, Eating Disorder, Hoarding Disorder, Play, Pastoral, Parent-Child Interaction Therapist, Wraparound, In-Home, Triage and Crisis Team, Outreach, Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
  • Early Childhood Mental Health Clinician
  • Clinical Supervisor
  • Research Assistant
  • Agency Director
  • Private Practice
  • Group Practice
  • Therapist Trainer
  • Teletherapy provider
  • In-Home Therapist Supervisor
  • Child Protective Services Professional
  • Author
  • Political Advocate
  • Mental Health Professional
  • Behavioral Health Provider
  • Utilization Review Coordinator
  • Program Director
  • Instructor in a Bachelor’s Program or Master’s Program

  Review Student Achievement Criteria data (PDF, new window)

  Learning Outcomes

  The CFT program:

  • Prepares competent couple and family therapists
  • Demonstrates a commitment to diversity
  • Prepares students to pass the MFT national exam
  • Prepares students for employment in couple and family therapy

  CFT students demonstrate:

  Knowledge relevant to individual, couple, and family therapy
  • Skills relevant to individual, couple, and family therapy
  • Self-awareness
  • Ethical behavior
  • Awareness and sensitivity regarding diverse populations

Admissions / Cost / Aid

The need for play therapists in therapeutic and educational settings is on the rise thanks to its substantial benefits. More specifically, the dynamic interpersonal relationships that are built allow persons of any age to fully express themselves.

Through self-exploration, imagination, and hypothetical circumstances, clients reveal deep psychological behaviors and feelings. Self-expression through this technique will help you build substantial accord with your clients and open the door to profound realizations.

This certificate is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

Play therapy has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective therapies for children and families needing support and skills to process their life events in a safe, structured and healthy environment. Antioch University recognizes the increasing demand for play therapists in therapeutic and educational settings. Our program will provide you with the experience and skills you need for a successful career in this growing field. Association for Play Therapy (APT) accredited.

Frequently asked questions

Certificate Requirements

Program Length:

Approximately one year/12 credits (note: 1 credit hour at a university is equal to 1.5 credit hours in outside play therapy events)

3 weekends per quarter

*Post-graduate practicum supervisor is also available upon completion of the certificate

**Registered Play Therapist supervised hours must be completed after you receive your MA

Course Schedule: 2020-2021 Cohort

Career Outlook

Antioch University’s program has been developed to meet the majority of academic requirements necessary to achieve a registered Play Therapist designation through the Association for Play Therapy upon completion of your respective Washington state License of LMFT or LMHC. It is recommended that students seek out additional experiences (e.g., play therapy conferences, Washington Association for Play Therapy (WAPT) meetings, etc.) for play therapy education in order to satisfy all requirements for the RPT designation.

Play Therapy Student Reviews

“AUS’s Play Therapy program led by Cary Hamilton is a true gem for the mental health community in WA State. The focus on cutting-edge neuroscience and empirically supported research speak to the level of competence of Cary and her play therapy cohort. As a student therapist, my acquired understanding of sand tray therapy from this experience will inform my evolving style of practice for years to come. Moreover, I was psyched to learn that Siegel’s work was featured.”
-Current Student (Zach)

Read more from students and graduates of our play therapy certificate program

Admissions

GO TO ADMISSIONS

Requirements

• Must be enrolled in or have completed an MA program that leads to licensure in the mental health field
• Applicant must provide an MA transcript
• If already licensed, applicant must provide a copy of their license
• A statement of purpose is also required that answers the following: How do you envision play therapy integrating with your current or future professional practice?

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How to apply

New applicants

Complete the online admissions application.

1. A Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is required.  Submit an official copy of Master’s degree transcript or current program showing enrollment in MA program leading to Licensure in the field.  Transcript evaluations are required for all coursework completed outside of the U.S. or Canada (except Quebec). See Transcript Evaluation section on International Students webpage for details.
2. If already licensed, submit a copy of your license.
3. Admissions essay.  Submit a typewritten, double-spaced, one to two-page (between 250 and 500 words) response to the following question:  How do you envision play therapy integrating with your current or future professional practice?
4. All supporting materials, transcripts, essays, etcetera, should be emailed to admissions.aus@antioch.edu or mailed by the below deadline to:Admissions Office
   Antioch University Seattle
   2400 3rd Avenue, Suite 200
   Seattle, WA 98121

Currently enrolled Antioch University students

1. Complete the Play Therapy Application Form for current students and submit to the Integrated Student Services office.

Application Deadlines

Cost

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• Students currently enrolled in a graduate program at AUS: Equal to your graduate tuition.
• Antioch Alumni from a Masters-level or higher Counseling Psychology Program: Total tuition of $3,212 for the certificate program, plus course fees up to $40 per class.
• Other applicants: Total tuition of $4,284 for the certificate program, plus course fees up to $40 per class.

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Successful therapy of any kind requires a strong working relationship between client and therapist, based in trust and emotional honesty. In drama therapy — through the client and therapist’s creation of movements, pretend images, stories, and scenes — the therapeutic relationship develops at an accelerated rate. By mutual agreement, client and therapist enter a shared imaginal realm and experience pretend consequences of choices they make within the fictional contexts they create together.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

Drama therapy is one of several expressive therapies used by clinicians and practitioners to help their clients achieve emotional and physical integration, personal growth and symptom relief. Like art therapy, it is the application of a creative modality to psychotherapy. Drama therapy allows you to develop your own way of working with clients.

The Antioch program is one of only a few in the country that offers a special focus in Developmental Transformations (DvT). Drama therapists work in numerous settings including, but not limited to, hospitals, residential treatment programs, schools, shelters, community centers, prisons and private practice.

The master’s degree can be completed in three years. Students choose from Couple and Family Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling coursework, integrating drama therapy as part of an additional concentration-specific training which includes internship.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

Antioch’s Drama Therapy specialization is combined with the M.A. in Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) concentration.  It is recommended that you consult with your adviser to create your own sequence of courses before the middle of the second quarter.

The Drama Therapy program is 90 quarter credits. To accommodate working adults, our schedule allows students to work during the day and take classes in the afternoons and evenings as well as all day on Friday. You may begin the program only in the fall.

Required Clinical Courses:

•    Advanced Theories: Varying Subtitles
•    Career Development and Counseling
•    Communication and Counseling Skills
•    Group Therapy
•    Human Development in Context: Gender and Development
•    Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
•    Psychopathology
•    Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
•    Tests & Measures
•    The Counseling Profession and Identity
•    Theories & Practice of Counseling: Human/Trans/Easten
•    Theories & Practice of Counseling: Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavior

Required Drama Therapy Courses:

•    Approaches to Drama Therapy
•    Creative Arts Therapy I: Children and Adolescents
•    Creative Arts Therapy II: Adult and Geriatrics
•    Community Based Theater & Sociodrama
•    Ethics in Drama Therapy
•    Family of Origin Systems & Drama Therapy
•    Improvisation and Creative Dramatics
•    Intro to Drama Therapy
•    Master’s Project or Thesis
•    Multicultural Perspectives & Drama Therapy
•    Psychodrama
•    Research and Assessment in Drama Therapy with Individuals & Families

Elective Courses:

•    Abusive Relationships
•    Addictions and Substance Abuse
•    Loss & Grief

Internship Courses:

•    DT/CMHC Internship I, II, III, IV, and V
•    DT Case Consultation I, II, III, IV, and V

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

Drama therapists work in private practice and/or in clinical, educational and rehabilitative settings such as:

•    hospitals and clinics
•    residential treatment centers
•    long-term care facilities
•    community centers
•    prisons
•    shelters
•    schools
•    mental health and social service agencies

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Cost

GO TO COSTS

LEARN MORE

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is also available to most students.
LEARN MORE

Add the Art Therapy concentration to your Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree to expand upon your capability to improve the lives of others. By pairing comprehensive clinical training with a strong theoretical framework, you will be uniquely positioned to leverage art therapy in a clinical setting. Empower your therapy clients to express themselves verbally and through visual art in order to treat a multitude of developmental, emotional, psychological and medical problems or disorders.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The MA in Counseling degree has an Art Therapy specialization combined with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC). You receive comprehensive clinical training, making it one of the few degree programs in the U.S. featuring art therapy with a clinical focus.

The learning experience incorporates cultural diversity and social responsibility, giving Antioch an edge over other graduate schools in psychology.

Antioch University has held accreditation continuously since 1927. The Art Therapy specialization has been approved by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) since 2003. In 2019, the program received accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Thus, the curriculum meets national standards for art therapy registration.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

Antioch’s Art Therapy specialization is combined with the M.A. in Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) concentration. The degree offers you comprehensive clinical training for a career as a licensed mental health counselor. With a focus on developing multicultural counseling competencies, you accomplish these goals through a combination of required coursework, electives and a supervised internship .

The Art Therapy program is 93 quarter credits. You may begin the program in the spring and fall.

Core Clinical Courses:

•    Addictions and Substance Abuse
•    Advanced Theories: Varying Subtitles
•    Assessment: Test and Measurements
•    Career Development and Counseling
•    Communication and Counseling Skills
•    Ethics and Professional Issues
•    Human Development in Context: Gender and Development
•    Internship Preparation
•    Theories/Practice of Counseling: Human/Trans/Eastern
•    Theories/Practice of Counseling: Psychodynamic and Cog. Behavior
•    Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
•    Psychopathology
•    Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
•    The Counseling Profession and Identity
•    Trauma, Disaster Response, and Crisis Counseling

Core Art Therapy Courses:

•    Advanced Art Therapy Assessment
•    Advanced Art Therapy Research in Individual and Family Therapy
•    Art Therapy in Diverse Settings: Individual and Group Therapy
•    Art Therapy Research in Individual and Family Therapy
•    Developmental and Treatment Models in Art Therapy
•    Ethics in Creative Art Therapy
•    Family of Origin & Art Therapy
•    Group Art Therapy
•    History and Theory of Art Therapy I
•    History and Theory of Art Therapy II
•    Master’s Project or Thesis
•    Multicultural Perspectives & Art Therapy
•    Pre-Internship Practicum: MHC/AT
•    Techniques and Practice of Art Therapy

Required Internship Courses:

•    AT/MHC Internship I, II, III, IV
•    AT Case Consultation I, II, III, IV

Internship Experience

All students participate in an internship in a professional setting. This experience will enable you to validate and clarify the theory you acquire in the classroom as you develop your own role as a clinician. Examples of internship sites include the following:

•    College counseling centers
•    Community centers
•    Group homes
•    Homeless shelters
•    In-patient psychiatric hospitals
•    Jails
•    Penitentiaries
•    Public mental health clinics
•    Youth and family services

Program requirements and course offerings are subject to change.

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

Art therapists work in private practice and/or in clinical, educational and rehabilitative settings such as:

•    hospitals and clinics
•    residential treatment centers
•    long-term care facilities
•    community centers
•    prisons
•    shelters
•    schools
•    mental health and social service agencies

The Art Therapy Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of the students which is reflected by 83% of alumni who responded, indicated they are currently working in the field of therapy (Alumni Survey Report 2020, n=6).

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Admissions

GO TO ADMISSIONS

How to apply

1. Completed online admissions application.
2. A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is required. Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you have attended to the Admissions Office. Transcript evaluations are required for all coursework completed outside of the U.S. or Canada (except Quebec). See Transcript Evaluation section on International Students webpage for details.
3. Two recommendations are required. Use the online application form to enter the names and email address of your recommenders.
   Your recommenders should include people who can best assess your capabilities and readiness to enter a graduate clinical training program. These include social science instructors that you may have had in college as well as professionals who have provided supervision of work you have been involved in a helping role with people in a mental health, social service or educational setting. Recommendations from peer co-workers, friends, relatives, or personal therapists are not acceptable and will not be reviewed.
4. Art Portfolio
   20 pieces; include the following information:
   • • Title of piece
     • Date of completion
     • Materials used
     • Dimensions

   Your portfolio can be submitted as a PDF document, or a link to a website that contains your portfolio. Original work, photographs, CD/DVD’s are not accepted.

5. Completion of 18 quarter OR 12 semester credits in Psychology (completed within the past five years with a grade of C or better) including the following courses listed below.
   • Abnormal Psychology
   • Developmental Psychology
6. Completion of 27 quarter OR 18 semester credits in Studio Art. The following are recommended courses
   • Ceramics I
   • Ceramics II
   • Introduction to Drawing
   • Introduction to Painting
   • Mixed Materials
7. Admission Essay
   Submit a typewritten, double-spaced, one to two-page (between 250 and 500 words) response for each question and clearly number your response for each question.Essay Questions:
   • We are curious about your previous experiences (e.g., personal, professional, and academic) and would like to know how these experiences have led you toward the choice to apply to the Art Therapy Program at Antioch University Seattle. Please describe a few of those fundamental experiences.
   • The Art Therapy Program is both academically and emotionally rigorous. What challenges, if any, do you foresee encountering during your studies? What forms of support will you use to meet those challenges?
   • Antioch University Seattle and the Art Therapy Program are committed to preparing professional counselors to be culturally competent and become advocates for social, economic, and environmental justice. How does social justice and becoming culturally competent align with your interest in becoming a professional counselor?
   • What are your professional goals in relation to the Art Therapy Program and how will this program specifically help you to reach those goals?
8. Writing Assessment. A writing assessment is required before the final review of your application. You can schedule your assessment at any time or on the day of your interview. The Writing Assessment is now handled by the Writing Lab. Applicants can schedule their assessment by calling 206-268-4416 or emailing writinglab.aus@antioch.edu.
9. Abnormal Psychology is a required course for all Creative Arts Therapy Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) students as a pre or co-requisite and must have been taken within the past 5 years or before a student takes Psychopathology.
10. International Students have additional admission requirements. See International Students page for details.
11. Select applicants may be invited to participate in a group interview with faculty.

All admission application supporting materials, transcripts, recommendations, essays, etcetera, should be emailed to admissions.aus@antioch.edu or mailed to:

Admissions Office
Antioch University Seattle
2400 3rd Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98121

Application Deadlines

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Cost

GO TO COSTS

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid is also available to most students.
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Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. We strive to give our adult learners the skills and knowledge needed to address the complexity of issues impacting the mental health of individuals and families. As a competency-based program, the curriculum represents the highest standards of professional ethics, theoretical integration, clinical skills, and multicultural and social justice counseling competencies. Students will learn to address the personal and environmental struggles of others while also accentuating their unique and inherent personal qualities for empowering change, creating fulfilling relationships and leading meaningful lives.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program at Antioch University Seattle (AUS) awards a Master of Arts degree in Counseling with optional specialties in Art and Drama Therapy. Accredited since 2012 by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling Related Education Programs (CACREP), the curriculum meets the highest standards in counselor training and supervision with advanced competencies in multicultural counseling, evidence-based practices, and clinical competencies. At a total of 90 graduate credits, and delivered in both classroom-based and hybrid formats, the CMHC program provides a structure and set of experiences to help students develop the intellectual and relational capacities needed to understand and work with others in the professional practice of counseling empowering diverse individuals, families, and groups. These goals are accomplished through a combination of required course work, electives, practical experience, and a supervised internship. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program exceeds the educational requirements for state licensure in Mental Health Counseling (LMHC), and as an accredited program, meets national curriculum standards described by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP).

Students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling address the following knowledge areas in their graduate studies:

• Graduate-level understanding of fundamental theoretical models of human behavior within the counseling field;
• The ability to make use of research literature and other sources of relevant knowledge, as an integral part of the ongoing responsible practice of counseling;
• Skills in building relationships including the development and deepening of self-awareness, empathy, ethical awareness, social responsibility, and respect for human diversity;
• Graduate-level mastery of counseling skills including an ability to apply one’s knowledge and relationship- building skills to the counseling situation, to think critically about human behavior and the counseling relationship, and to integrate theory with practice in ways which facilitate ethical and effective practice as a counselor; and
• Knowledge of professional development issues, professional organizations and state requirements for practice as a clinical mental health counselor.

With student-centered learning and competency-based instruction, our program is tailored to the adult learner. Classes meet late afternoons, evenings, and all day Fridays for working adults. Our course structure allows students to shape the sequence of their study, creating an educational experience that is as individual as they are. In addition, we offer the opportunity to specialize in one of two cutting edge fields: Art Therapy and Drama Therapy.

For those interested in expanding their counseling career into the areas of teaching, supervision, research and leadership, 72 credits of the master’s degree will transfer into the 144 credit PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision—the only program of its kind in the country due to the program’s Creative Arts Cognate.

Accreditation

Antioch is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Our Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Our Art Therapy specializations are approved by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). Our Drama Therapy specialization is accredited by the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA).

Students enrolled in a CACREP program save between $5,000-8,000 on required supervision hours.

View our 2019-2020 Outcomes Report.

Degree Requirements

Program Length:

This program can be completed in 3 – 3-1/2 years.

Requirements:

The MA in Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Counseling helps students to develop the intellectual and relational capacities needed to understand and work with others in the professional practice of counseling. They will develop the skills you need to work as a counselor with multicultural, systemic, and integrative health competencies. These goals will be accomplished through a combination of required coursework, electives and supervised fieldwork.

The CMHC specialization is 90 quarter credits. Additionally, hybrid course sections are offered to better adapt to the working-student lifestyle.  Students may begin the program in the fall, winter or spring quarter.

Core Courses:

All coursework is completed prior to your internship:

•    Addictions & Substance Abuse
•    Advanced Theories: Varying Subtitles
•    Assessments: Tests and Measurements
•    Career Development and Counseling
•    Communication and Counseling Skills
•    Ethics and Professional Issues
•    Family of Origin Systems
•    Group Counseling
•    Human Development in Context: Gender – A Lifespan Perspective
•    Internship Preparation
•    Multicultural Perspectives
•    Pre-Internship Practicum and Supervision in CMHC
•    Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
•    Psychopathology
•    Research Methods: Introduction to Research
•    Supplemental Supervision
•    Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
•    The Counseling Profession and Identity
•    Theories/Practice of Counseling: Humanistic/Transpersonal/Eastern
•    Theories/Practice of Counseling: Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavior
•    Trauma, Disaster Response & Crisis Counseling

Elective Courses:

Elective courses provide students with an opportunity to advance their clinical training in particular areas and to pursue interest areas with depth beyond material covered in the required courses. Elective courses are offered on a regularly scheduled rotation throughout the academic year. In addition, students are required to take one course from each of the following domains:

• Multicultural Counseling Series (titles vary), or
• Historical and Socio-Cultural Perspectives in Psychology Series (titles vary)

Elective concentrations are also offered in Addiction Counseling, Clinical Treatment courses (children, adolescents, older adults), Creative Modalities courses (music, writing, dramatic enactment, movement), Counseling & Spirituality courses (Introduction to Counseling & Spirituality, and Integrating Challenges in Psycho-Spiritual Work), and Advanced Theories courses (Psychosynthesis, Buddhist, Integral, Jungian, Existential, Cognitive, Adlerian, and Brief approaches) as well as select course work in the Couples and Family Therapy program and the Art Therapy and Drama Therapy specialties.

Internship Course:

•    Internship & Case Consultation: Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Internship Experience:

All students participate in an internship in a professional setting. This experience will enable you to validate and clarify the theory you acquire in the classroom as you develop your own role as a clinician. Examples of internship sites include the following:

•    Community mental health agencies
•    Career and employment agencies
•    Correctional facilities
•    Family service agencies
•    Gerontological settings
•    HMO’s/PPO’s/EAP’s
•    Military and Government agencies including the V.A.
•    Pastoral/religious/spiritual agencies
•    Rehabilitation agencies
•    Addiction treatment centers
•    Youth and Family agencies
•    Substance abuse settings
•    Private practice settings
•    College counseling centers
•    Integrative Primary Behavioral Health Clinics
•    Group homes
•    Homeless shelters
•    In-patient psychiatric hospitals

*Program Requirements and Course Offerings Are Subject to Change

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program graduates roughly 32 students per academic year, and based on recent alumni data, 87% of graduates will obtain counseling related employment within 6 months.  A brief Alumni Snapshot is below:

• 91% licensed as mental health counselors
• 79% completed postmaster requirements in less than 2 yrs.
• 60% work in nonprofit organizations
• 84% report job satisfaction
• 73% have salaries between $44-74,000

Graduates of the Master of Arts in Counseling degree program explore many professional options upon graduation. They seek positions in community agencies, hospitals, mental health clinics, and private practices as well as teaching at community colleges, or engaged in consulting and research.

If you choose to continue your education, the MA program provides a solid foundation for entering a doctoral program or obtaining post-master’s credentials in an area of professional interest, such as Counselor education and supervision, play therapy, substance abuse counseling or other clinical specialties.

Learning Outcomes

The objective of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is to provide students with learning in both knowledge and skills building for the practice of mental health counseling as outlined by the Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the standard bearer for the profession. The curriculum is designed to meet these standards across 8 student-learning domains to ensure that graduates can be competent mental health professionals and meet the necessary licensure requirements of the profession.  These domains are:

• Professional Identity & Ethics: Students will acquire identities as professional mental health counselors who are knowledgeable about the philosophy, ethics, history, and future trends of the profession with a commitment to life-long learning and professional development. Students will be knowledgeable of the professional ethical guidelines and demonstrate their knowledge and use of at least one ethical decision-making model as they apply it to cases involving various professional domains.
• Diversity & Advocacy: Students will recognize, understand, and respond to social and cultural differences and change in our society related to (but not limited to) factors of socioeconomic status, unemployment, aging, gender, race and ethnicity, developmental transitions, and sexual orientation. Students will demonstrate their ability to go beyond the conventional practice of providing individual and group counseling and to take leadership in advocating for clients and for systemic change to improve counseling and developmental services and programs.
• Human Growth & Development: Students will possess a foundation for understanding human behavior and development with the skills needed to provide individual counseling, assessment, and other training to facilitate decision-making and developmental life transitions.
• Career and Life Planning: Students will be knowledgeable and skilled in helping clients make life and career decisions.
• Individual and Group Counseling: Students will have the knowledge and skill competencies in the counseling process and be able to work effectively in a variety of modalities (individual, group, family) and to use crisis intervention, brief counseling, and long term mental health approaches.
• Research and Analytical Skills: Students will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions associated with conducting and interpreting social science research. Specifically, students will demonstrate their abilities of developing research and evaluation questions and selecting and using appropriate methods for data collection and analysis. Students will also show their ability to apply existing theory and research to the practice of counseling.
• Assessment and Diagnosis: Students will have the ability to gather, interpret, and utilize a variety of assessment data. This will include the ability to select, administer, and interpret appropriate standardized tests for individual and group assessment of client needs and to complete program evaluations. Student will understand the principles of the diagnostic process and established criteria in developing treatment modalities and criteria for a continuum of care.
• Family Systems Perspective: Students will have an understanding of family and other systems theories and major models of family and related interventions.

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Transfer Credit Information

It is possible to transfer up to 15 quarter credits of prior relevant graduate-level coursework. Coursework must have a 75% overlap in course content in order for credits to transfer.

Counselor Education Degrees

Designed for professional counselors, our Counselor Education & Supervision PhD program empowers your passion to help others and give you the knowledge, skills, and training to fulfill your career goals. Antioch’s courses allow you to expand upon your current knowledge in research, evaluation, supervision, teaching, and counseling. Upon completion, you’ll be equipped to clear immediate career hurdles that were present before. Whether your goal is to assume a leadership position in counseling, or become more involved in teaching and training other counselors, this doctorate degree will give you the most thorough knowledge and tools needed to excel personally and professionally.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Degree Program Overview

The PhD in Counseling at Antioch University Seattle is appropriate for professional counselors who want to teach in counselor education and training programs, and/or obtain leadership positions in mental health related agencies. With cognate areas in either Counselor Education and Supervision or Creative Arts Therapy Counselor Education and Supervision, the doctoral program in counseling at Antioch University Seattle seeks to meet the growing need for highly qualified counselor leaders— advanced counseling practitioners, counseling educators, and counseling supervisors — attracting candidates regionally as well as nationally.

The small, cohort design which meets for classes primarily on Mondays, also supports the Antioch University Seattle social justice mission by encouraging students to develop a multicultural counselor identity and an appreciation for diversity while also requiring core coursework in social justice and advocacy.

Doctorate Degree in Counseling Requirements

Program Length:

Students with a master’s degree in counseling from a Council of Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited program (or equivalent) may be able to transfer up to 72 quarter credits towards this 144-credit doctorate program in Counselor Education and Supervision.

Requirements:

The rigorous academic PhD curriculum is designed based on the national standards for counseling education as recommended by the Council of Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), as well as those standards consistent in the clinical practice and supervision of creative arts counseling (e.g. art therapy, drama therapy, play therapy, etc.).

Coursework:

Supervision

• COUN 7400: Multicultural Supervision
• COUN 7420: Advanced Counseling Supervision
• COUN 7440: Advanced Ethical and Legal Issues
• COUN 8000: Internship

Teaching

• COUN 7300: Instructional Design and Adult Learning
• COUN 7320: Counselor Education and Clinical Training
• COUN 7340: Global Mental Health Issues and Professional Sustainability
• COUN 8900: Advanced Special Topics Seminar
• COUN 8000: Internship

Research & Scholarship

• COUN 7120: Research Methodology: Quantitative
• COUN 7140: Research Methodology: Qualitative
• COUN 7100: Research in Counselor Education
• COUN 7180: Program Development & Evaluation
• COUN 8100: Dissertation
• COUN 8000: Internship

Counseling

• COUN 7200: Advanced Clinical Counseling Theory
• COUN 7210: Advanced Group Counseling
• COUN 7220: Advanced Trauma Counseling & Crisis Response
• COUN 7980: Practicum
• COUN 8000: Internship

Leadership & Advocacy

• COUN 7500: Advocacy, Social Justice, and Professional Leadership
• COUN 7520: Consultation and Organizational Change
• COUN 8000: Internship

Creative Arts Cognate 

• COUN 8950: Advanced Professional Seminar and Inquiry Creative Arts Therapy
• COUC 7320: Creative Arts Therapy Counselor Education and Clinical Training
• COUC 7420: Advanced Counseling Supervision & Creative Arts Therapy
• COUC 7340: Global Mental Health Issues & Professional Sustainability in the Creative Arts Therapies
• COUC 7520: Creative Arts Therapy Consultation and Organizational Change
• COUC 8950: Advanced Creative Arts Therapy Professional Seminar & Inquiry

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the Antioch University Seattle catalog.

Career Outlook

The PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Antioch University Seattle the most comprehensive degree of its kind in the state of Washington. This program provides professional counselors with the degree, knowledge, and credentials to become counseling educators and leaders in the field of mental health. It is designed to prepare counselors for advanced competency in:

• Graduate level teaching and counselor training
• Research and contributing new knowledge to the field of counseling and mental health
• Counseling supervision
• Counseling Leadership
• Professional Counseling