The 60-credit Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed for people who want comprehensive training in clinical mental health counseling.
• Qualify for the Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) credential in Massachusetts
• Gain valuable field experience
• Study full or part-time
The program is appropriate for students who wish to benefit from two years of clinical internship experience. A combination of coursework and clinical supervision foster self-awareness and an understanding of ethical and professional guidelines for practice.
At Lesley University, Mental Health Counseling students develop practical skills through self-reflection, collaboration with expert faculty and peers, and two years of field experience. Direct, supervised contact with clients from a range of populations is required so that students leave the program fully prepared for professional practice.
View the program of study for the 60-Credit Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Sample Course Descriptions
Clinical Skills and the Counseling Process
3 credits
This course acquaints the novice counselor with the basic skills necessary for the work of counseling. Listening skills, reflection, confrontation, interpretation, diagnostic interviewing, and crisis intervention are discussed, demonstrated, and practiced. Students are expected to participate actively in exercises and role-play, and to engage in a process of self-understanding and self- assessment.
Psychology of Culture and Identity: Power, Privilege and Oppression
3 credits
Theories of cross-cultural counseling, psycho- logy of gender, and difference are explored. Students are asked to reflect on their own ethnic/racial backgrounds to understand issues of privilege, prejudice, and/or racism. The social construction of these factors and how the client’s and counselor’s perception of them influences their values and behaviors are discussed.
Issues and Standards in Professional Psychology
3 credits
Ethical conceptualization, analysis, and practice are the foci of this course. The major principles of the ethical standards of the American Psycho- logical Association and American Counseling Association are addressed. The history of applied psychology (clinical, counseling, and school) and the developing Mental Health Counseling movement is presented. Certification, licensure, and regulatory practices are discussed.
Faculty Spotlight
Susan Gere
Professor of Counseling and Psychology; Director of the Division of Counseling and Psychology
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Sue Motulsky
Associate Professor, Counseling and Psychology
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