Master of Arts in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization
Advantages
- Our Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization is nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP)
- Curriculum meets national standards for clinical mental health counseling
- Classes meet late afternoons, evenings and all day Fridays for working adults
- Focus on multiculturalism and diversity in counseling
- Strong social justice orientation
- Both a six month practicum and twelve month internship
- Balance of experiential and didactic learning
- Faculty who bring real world experience to the classroom
- Elective credit options to focus on students areas of interest
General Requirements
The CMHC specialization requires completion of 81 quarter credits inclusive of 50 credits of required coursework, 15 elective credits and 16 credits of Internship and Case Consultation.
To learn about the application prerequisites, please CLICK HERE.
Length of Program
Students generally complete the program in three years, although this will vary depending on part of full time status.
Tuition and Fees
- Tuition: $662 per credit
- Required fees: $145 per quarter
- $6,103 tuition and required fees per quarter, full time (9 credits)
- $24,412 typical annual tuition and fees
Annual tuition and fees based on 2013-14 rates for four quarters. Antioch University Seattle students typically attend classes all year.
Career Opportunities
- 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
- Residential treatment centers
- Youth agencies
- Substance abuse settings
- Private practice settings
Program Summary
Antioch's M.A. in Counseling with a Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization offers the structure and training to help you develop the capacities needed to understand and work with others as a professional counselor.
Beyond a rigorous academic program to develop your basic skills in counseling, the program focuses on multicultural counseling, ethical practice and social responsibility, setting Antioch apart from other graduate schools in counseling. This master's degree program combines required courses and electives with independent study options and both a supervised practicum and internship.
This program meets the educational requirements for Washington state licensure in Clinical Mental Health Counseling as well as the national standards of the counseling profession. There are additional post-graduate requirements to obtain licensure from the State of Washington, or any other state. Click to learn more about the Washington state licensure process.
Curriculum
Antioch’s M.A. in Psychology with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) helps you to develop the intellectual and relational capacities needed to understand and work with others in the professional practice of counseling. With a focus on developing multicultural counseling competencies, you accomplish these goals through a combination of required coursework, electives and a supervised internship.
The CMHC is 81 quarter credits. Classes are offered Monday through Thursday late afternoons and evenings for students from the metropolitan Seattle area. Concentrated scheduling is available Thursday evenings and during the day Fridays for students commuting from more distant locations. You may begin the program in the fall, winter or spring quarter.
Core Courses (50 credits)
All coursework is completed prior to your internship.
- 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
- 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
Elective Courses (15 credits)
CMHC affords you the flexibility to individualize your studies based upon your professional goals and interests. You must include one of the following classes in your electives:
- Abusive Relationships
- Addictions & Substance Abuse
- Loss & Grief
You also must choose one of your elective courses from those offered in the Counseling Culturally Specific Populations category, or one in the Historical and Socio-Cultural Perspective in Counseling area. Several of these categories are offered throughout the year. The remaining elective credits are open for you to choose.
Internship Courses (16 credits)
- Internship: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- 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:
- 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
Career Choices for M.A. Graduates
Graduates of the Master of Arts in Counseling degree program can explore many professional options upon graduation. You can seek positions in community agencies, hospitals, mental health clinics and private practices. You might also teach at community colleges, or specialize in consulting and research.
If you choose to continue your education, the M.A. 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, substance abuse counseling or other clinical specialties.
Faculty
Read about adjunct faculty who teach in the School of Applied Psychology, Counseling & Family Therapy.
Ann B. Blake
PhD
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Michael Buchert
MPS
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Art & Drama Therapy specializations
Elizabeth Donahue
LMHC, ATR, MA
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
MA Program
Edward Farley
PhD, Existential Psychology
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Gwendolyn Jones
PhD
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Sandra Meggert
PhD
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Lisa Reddick, PhD
Lisa M. Reddick, MA, Antioch Seattle University; PhD, Union Institute and University,; adjunct faculty, specializes in the field of Ecopsychology. Dr. Reddick was one of the pioneers of ecopsychology in the early 1990’s and taught the first ecopsychology course at AUS in 1994. She is currently the coordinator for the ecopsychology specialization in the Integrative Studies in Psychology Program at AUS. She is on the advisory board for the Ecopsychology Journal and was co-editor of a special edition on “Women and Nature.” Dr. Reddick is also the board president for Rite of Passage Journeys, a non-profit organization that leads wilderness quest programs for youth and adults. She is currently working on her novel “The Same River” and a non-fiction book about ecopsychology and climate change called “Burning Wonder.”
Colin Ward
PhD
School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Alinda Page
M.A. Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 1991
She chose Antioch because she could pursue her own interests and create her own program.
Anil Coumar
MA Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 1994
Antioch is one place, he says, where the values of diversity, social justice and inclusiveness trickle down to the classroom, where they take on special meaning that is unique for each student.
Anne Ihnen
M.A. Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2003
Her studies at Antioch provided her with a solid foundation for her work as a therapist, which had been her desire since high school. She was in her 40s and working as a technical writer when she decided to pursue that dream.
Dollviola Eldred
B.A. Liberal Studies - Current student, M.A. Psychology - Mental Health Counseling, 2007
The only thing she needed to succeed was a good education and — thanks to Antioch — she has advanced in her career and predicts she will continue to climb.
John Yeoman
M.A. Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2006
Being an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves was an ethic he practiced prior to his Antioch education. So Antioch's common goals and ideologies were exactly what he was looking for in a university
Maria Teresa Blankenship
BA Liberal Studies - Individualized Program: Psychology, Health Healing & Herbalism; MA Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, 2006
With a background in nursing and her interest in health healing, herbalism and psychology, she created a program for herself that she describes as an unforgettable journey.
Pat Clark
M.A. Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2001
Antioch's commuter program allowed him to pursue his studies in the context of a busy family and working life.
Ross Laird
M.A. Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 1992
Now author of two books, he says carpooling from Canada was enjoyable and many made friendships that persist today. He says he was able to create his desired career and pursue it without feeling he had to sacrifice his personal learning goals for his professional development.
Stephanie McDonald
BA Liberal Studies - Individualized Program: Depth Psychology; MA Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, 2007 & 2011
Antioch is a transformational place where you can find your voice, build confidence and thrive, according to Stephanie McDonald. After completing her BA, her desire to continue learning was on fire and she entered Antioch University Seattle's graduate program in mental health counseling.
