Counseling, M.A.

Program Mission

The faculty of the Counseling Degree Program is dedicated to educating and training counseling professionals to function in culturally diverse settings. We recognize the need to address the economic, educational, and social inequalities that prevail in our communities.

The program acknowledges a commitment both to the students who will pursue preparation as professional counselors and to the larger public served by our graduates, for whom we all share a responsibility. It is due to this commitment that the faculty members hold high standards in the process of training professional counselors in school and community settings.

The programs are designed to provide a challenging, yet supportive environment that promotes professional orientation, development of a counseling identity, ethical practice, commitment to inquiry, and self-awareness. As a result, we expect our students to develop a commitment of service to others, and to the pursuit of excellence in the counseling profession.

Purpose

The Master of Arts degree in counseling is designed to prepare individuals for positions as professional counselors in agencies and/or school settings. The counseling program places primary emphasis on the development of strong ethical clinical skills.

Upon receiving the Master of Arts degree in counseling, students will meet course work requirements for eligibility to take the examination to become a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and apply to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHC-A) in the state of North Carolina and a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-A) in the state of South Carolina.

Students satisfactorily completing the School Counseling program requirements and receiving a passing score on the PRAXIS specialty examination will be eligible for licensure as a school counselor in North Carolina.

Diversity Statement

The Counseling faculty of Lenoir-Rhyne University is committed to diversity in all areas of the program. The goal of the Counseling program is to recruit students from diverse backgrounds and those from traditionally under-represented groups in the counseling profession. As such, in policy and practice, the Counseling faculty seek to recruit, admit, and retain a diverse student body. The Counseling faculty is dedicated to educating and training counseling professionals to function in culturally diverse settings and embody the Multicultural Counseling Competencies of the American Counseling Association.

The curriculum is designed to challenge students to reflect on the ways in which personal bias, privilege, and culture impact the therapeutic relationship and process. The faculty have made a commitment to integrate issues related to multicultural counseling (awareness, knowledge, and skills) and diversity throughout the curriculum, and syllabi are reviewed routinely to ensure that this commitment is being met.

As a faculty, we are committed to an inclusive and anti-racist learning environment. The coursework in this program includes materials and discussions that will challenge personal ideas on oppressive and unjust forces that exist in our communities. As an anti-racist community, we will strive to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race, color, ethnicity, and the impacts they have on students, faculty, and staff members.

It is expected that all students engage in these difficult and sometimes uncomfortable conversations with respect, courage, and compassion. It is expected that we treat each other with kindness and respect when differences of belief, values, or experiences arise within classroom discussions, group work, or learning materials. As we navigate difficult and uncomfortable topics, disrespect for others’ background and their experiences will not be tolerated within the Counseling Program.

Lenoir-Rhyne University Counseling Program Objectives

• Students will develop strong professional identities as counselors. Students will gain foundational knowledge related to legal and ethical principles, codes, and decision-making processes.
• Students will gain awareness of their own cultural identity, including privilege, oppression, and biases, and how it influences counseling relationships. Students will gain knowledge of multicultural theories and counseling practices in order to be culturally competent counselors.
• Students will learn various theories of human development in order to integrate a developmentally and culturally appropriate approach to working with a wide range of diverse clients.
• Students will understand various career counseling theories in order to conceptualize career development across the lifespan, including how career concerns influence mental health concerns. Students will integrate knowledge related to cultural and ethical competencies to provide effective career counseling strategies.
• Students will learn the foundational elements of counseling theories and techniques that are needed to foster movement towards clients' goals through effective use of helping skills, theoretical conceptualizations, and related interventions.
• Students will attain the foundational knowledge and skills required for effective facilitation of group counseling.
• Students will learn to utilize assessment and testing throughout the counseling relationship. Students will gain an understanding of the assessment process in order to integrate assessment results into client conceptualization and treatment.
• Students will gain knowledge related to the principles of ethical and effective research methods for counselors; in particular, an understanding of how to use counseling research to inform counseling practice and direct future research for the field at large.

Clinical Mental Health:

• Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of clinical mental health counseling practices, including advocacy, prevention, and treatment for a broad range of mental health concerns.

School Counseling:

• Students will gain an understanding of the various roles and responsibilities of school counselors, including leadership, advocacy, and consultation necessary to develop and implement a comprehensive school counseling program.