Featured Counseling Program: Colorado Christian University Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program offered through CCU's College of Adult and Graduate Studies combines rigorous coursework, experiential learning, and mentoring relationships designed to equip you with the necessary counseling skills to become a culturally sensitive professional mental health counselor. The program is offered in seat and online.
https://www.ccu.edu/ccu/counseling/
Modeling Holism in the Classroom
Fostering a life of wholeness through wellness is a philosophical underpinning of the counseling profession and an inextricable part of counselors’ professional identity (American Counseling Association, 2014; Remley & Herlihy, 2016). The role of counselor educators in nurturing this holistic perspective in counselors-in-Training (CITs) is paramount. According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics (2014, F.7.a.), counselor educators carry a dual responsibility in the classroom. We are called to, (a) “conduct counselor education and training programs in an ethical manner,” and (b) “serve as role models for professional behavior.” To grow a holistic mindset in CITs, we train them to care for the whole person of the client and their environment. For this purpose, we infuse the holistic principle into the counseling curriculum. We emphasize holism in different courses and train CITs to conceptualize the life of clients they serve, within a holistic framework.
Concurrently, ACA Code of Ethics (2014) also requires us to model the professional behaviors we teach in the classroom. As counselor educators, we are instruments and facilitators of learning and mandated to serve as role models of wellness practitioners while fostering these qualities in our students. We consider counselor education as an endeavor to educate the whole being. The goal is to teach counseling holistically in order to guide our students to practice counseling holistically.
I would like to provide a few tips as to how counselor educators can be role models in practicing holistic approach in the classroom.
- Consider holism as a way of being.
Because our values, beliefs, and assumptions guide our practice of teaching, the holistic approach needs to begin with us by integrating self-reflection, self-care, self-responsibility, and spirituality (if relevant) for our own lives. - Understand CITs as whole beings.
We understand CITs as mind-body-spirit beings who need a holistic learning environment to thrive in the program. Their life experiences, cultural background, and worldviews play a critical role in their development as counselors and must be incorporated into their learning experience. This approach helps create a caring environment and can be implemented through mentoring and student-centered teaching. - Develop an empowered learning culture.
We shift away from behaviorist learning theories and move towards integrating empowered learning in which CITs are co-creators of the knowledge they acquire (McAuliffe & Eriksen, 2010). This can be implemented through strength-based teaching and mentoring and assisting CITs in practicing self-care activities in the classroom. - Provide a multiculturally responsive educational experience.
The classroom is a microcosm of the world where CITs are going to practice counseling. Counselor educators have a critical role to model cultural compassion and sensitivity to CITs in the classroom and empower them to do the same.
To conclude, it is the counselor educators’ ethical responsibility to provide a holistic learning environment by modeling holism in the classroom where CITs are cared for and nurtured, to grow personally, professionally, and clinically and fulfill the calling in their lives.
References
American Counseling Association (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. American Counseling Association
McAuliffe, G., & Eriksen, K. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of counselor preparation: Constructivist, developmental, and experiential approaches. Sage Publications.
Remley, JR, T. P. & Herlihy, B. (2016). Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling. Pearson Education, Inc
Selin Philip
Dr. Philip is a licensed professional counselor and counseling supervisor in Michigan. She joined CCU’s M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program faculty in 2016. She has worked in various mental health settings, and has extensive experience in teaching and supervising counselors-in-training. She has conducted, presented, and published research in multicultural counseling, spiritual and character formation of counselors-in-training, healing and empowerment of intra- and inter-personal relationships, and teaching in online counselor education and supervision. Currently, she is working on co-editing a book on social justice and advocacy to heal the social justice divide and encourage community action.
Featured Counseling Program: Denver Seminary Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program and School Counseling Program
Denver Seminary’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CACREP accredited) and School Counseling programs train students to become exceptional clinicians who skillfully engage the mental health needs of clients. By integrating biblical and theological learning into every class, along with engaging mentored Personal Formation processes throughout the program, students are equipped to develop their holistic counselor identity. https://denverseminary.edu/academics/master-of-arts-counseling/
Four Choices that can Transform Your Relationship
Relationships are all about choices. From building up your partner to forgiving the really big stuff, relationships are always about choices. In this article, we will look at four choices from my book, 10 Choices Successful Couples Make (Welch, 2019), that can help counselors work with couples to create lasting change in their relationships.
Choice #1 – Choosing to be Unselfish
Probably the most important choice I have seen couples make in my work as a marriage counselor is learning to value their partner’s needs over their own. Husbands and wives can choose to listen first and speak later and to honor each other. If both partners in the relationship have each other’s backs by thinking of the other first, relationships can flourish. If the couples you work with struggle with these power and control issues, my first book, The Controlling Husband (Welch, 2014), offers many techniques counselors can use to work with couples that struggle with power and control issues.
Choice #2 – Choosing to Communicate Well
Counselors can help couples learn to communicate at the “I really get you” level with what I call the “ABCs of Communication”. First, couples should communicate accurately (A) by stating specifically what each wants the other to know. Second, they need to communicate briefly (B) in bullet points that clearly state the information each wants to share. Third, couples benefit by communicating clearly (C) and verifying the message that was received. Finally, I suggest counselors help couples deliver (D) messages well to avoid having a hurtful or dismissive tone of voice completely destroy the message.
Choice #3 – The Niagara Falls Analogy
In my work with couples, I use the analogy of Niagara Falls. Conflicts often occur at the edge of Niagara Falls, when it is almost impossible to stop from going over the falls. However, upriver, it is much calmer and different choices are possible. Counselors can have each partner make two lists. One list describes the warning signs that the partner is becoming upset or not modulating affect well and the other should describe these warning signs for their partner. Each partner can then rank order the list based on how close to the Falls each warning sign is. Counselors can then help couples learn to use the warning signs to get out of the water before the conflict turns into a fight.
Choice #4 – Choosing Three Weekly “Marriage Moments”
Finally, I recommend counselors work with couples to schedule three meetings during the week. “Marriage Moment #1” is a planning meeting on Sunday night before the week starts. Couples can look at their planners and ask the question: “When are we going to be married this week?” Counselors can help these clients look at all their commitments and adjust their schedules so their relationship is a high priority.
“Marriage Moment #2” involves scheduling a check-in meeting during the middle of the week. Counselors can encourage couples to work on skills between sessions. If couples can voice concerns out loud and not let issues stay hidden, then they can talk about them in more detail during counseling sessions.
“Marriage Moment #3” is a weekly date time when couples can focus on each other, enjoy their company, and remember why they like each other. Counselors can ask couples to alternate planning this time each week so they each get in the habit of setting up a fun activity.
Counselors can help couples transform their relationships with these four choices.
References:
Welch, R. (2019). 10 Choices Successful Couples Make: The Secret to Love that Lasts a Lifetime. Ada,
MI: Baker/Revell.
Welch, R. (2014). The Controlling Husband: What Every Woman Needs to Know. Ada, MI: Baker/Revell.
Professor of Counseling
Dr. Ron Welch joined the faculty of Denver Seminary in 2008 as associate professor of counseling. He has worked in the field of clinical psychology for over 20 years, has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 1997, and holds a diplomate in professional counseling. Dr. Welch is the author of the book The Controlling Husband – What Every Woman Needs To Know which released in June of 2014. He speaks both locally and nationally on issues related to power and control in marriage. He is the author of several articles and book chapters and has presented at numerous professional conferences.
Featured Counseling Program: Colorado State University Counseling and Career Development MA Education Program
The Counseling and Career Development MA program at Colorado State University offers three CACREP-accredited specializations: school counseling, career counseling (one of five in the nation), and clinical mental health counseling. We keep wellness at our core and are dedicated to engaging students in authentic, meaningful, and healthy ways.
https://graduateschool.colostate.edu/programs/counseling-and-career-development-ma/
Jacqueline J. Peila-Shuster, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
Professional Ethical Identity
The foundation of our students’ healthy and solid professional ethical identity begins with understanding what’s in their core. We, as faculty, work hard at helping students learn about who they are, at their core, and then how to develop that into the ethical professional they will need to be. This commitment is implemented through readings, discussions, genuine dialogs, and thought-provoking assignments.
As one of the faculty at Colorado State University, I get an opportunity to start this initial discussion and genuine dialogue with our first-year students. In the Ethics course I teach, the dialogue with students usually begins with the questions, “Who are you? Who are you really?”
Most of the time, students are surprised by this question. They are ready to begin exploring and learning about the profession, not necessarily uncovering and exploring who they are down deep, who they are at their core. When asked this question, “Who are you?” in the first class meetings, students speak to their roles: a partner, a parent, or a manager at a business. While these roles are important aspects of identity, however, they aren’t about the students’ core. When they are pushed a little harder (“Who are you really?”) they being to share aspects of their character. “I’m a kind person,” or I’m generous,” or “I’m a helper.” This is definitely getting closer. I follow up with, “What needs are you meeting when you are kind, generous or helping?” “What motivates you to be kind, generous, a helper?” With these questions, students are encouraged to look deeper into needs, motivations, values, and virtues.
We have found students are usually in one of the following four groups. Some students have never really considered some of the deeper levels of their identities. A second group may have thought about who they are, but haven’t really articulated their thoughts, which brings another level of insight. Others have articulated what’s there, but they haven’t stopped to assess what is fundamental, missing or problematic in their core. The last group includes those who haven’t explored the relationship between their core identity and its relationship to their developing professional identity.
The foundation of a healthy and solid professional ethical identity begins with understanding what’s in your core. As faculty, we know that our students’ professional ethical identities grow in a reciprocal fashion. By this we mean, as students uncover, explore, and articulate parts of their core identity, this influences how they view the culture of the profession and their commitment to ethics. In turn, the exposure and growing understanding of the profession’s ethics and culture, influences who they are as people at their core. We also know that the opportunity to uncover, explore, and articulate what resides in the core is the foundation for their professional ethical identity. This awareness helps emerging professionals better assess the fit between themselves and the profession, and understand what it means to make a solid commitment to professional ethics.
Sharon Anderson
Currently a professor in CSU's School of Education, Dr. Sharon Anderson previously served as director of graduate programs from 2006-2009. She holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Denver, and has been a licensed psychologist in the state of Colorado since 1995. Dr. Anderson has been with Colorado State University since 1994 where her research interests include counseling, career development, counseling for justice, and higher education leadership
Adams State University Counselor Education Program
Meeting the needs of working professionals, the Adams State University Counselor Education Program offers Master of Arts degrees in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling online or on-campus. The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is on-line with two one-week summer residencies. The Counselor Education Program is CACREP accredited.
https://www.adams.edu/academics/graduate/counselor-education/
Dr. Mark Manzanares, Program Chair; markmanzanares@adams.edu
Suicide Prevention Training in Counselor Education
Suicide is a global pandemic. It affects all ages and populations. In 2018, nearly 800,000 people died by suicide worldwide (WHO, nd), and in the US, nearly 48,000 people died by suicide (Drapeau & McIntosh, 2019). According to a task force formed by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS; Schmitz et al., 2012), graduate students across all mental health professions are not adequately trained in suicide prevention. Professional counselors are the least prepared according to the task force. The lack of training is alarming considering counseling students as early in their training as practicum may be faced with a suicidal client or student. Furthermore, the finding of a national study conducted at the turn of the century that concluded nearly 24% of counselors can expect to lose a client to suicide some time in their careers (McAdams & Foster, 2000).
While the CACREP 2016 Standards require counselor preparation programs to cover suicide assessment and intervention, there remains a lack of competencies developed by the profession to which counseling students are trained. As I began to search the literature on how to train counseling students in suicide prevention, I quickly turned my attention to finding a set of competencies in which students need to be trained, because the counseling profession did not have its own set of competencies. I found there are multiple sets of competencies. Perhaps the most comprehensive set is the one published by the AAS. In addition, authors from other mental health professions have published sets of competencies (i.e. AAS, 2010; Joiner, 2005; Sullivan & Bongar, 2009; Kleespies et al., 1993, 2009; Rudd, 2006). The set of competencies I have found most useful as an educator is the set developed by Cramer et al. (2013). Cramer and his colleagues developed ten core competencies based on the competencies cited above.
In my teaching practice I infused suicide prevention training into clinical courses, beginning with Practicum. I teach primarily online, where we meet for class in weekly Zoom sessions. My focus in clinical courses is teaching students the warning signs of suicide, how to complete risk assessments, safety plan, and immediate intervention.
I had the opportunity more recently to develop and teach an elective course on suicidology. This course provides an in-depth and comprehensive study of the field of suicidology. It starts with students self-reflecting on their attitudes and beliefs toward suicide. Students then learn how to locate and use data on suicide, theories of suicide, assessment, suicide in select populations and settings, prevention, intervention, postvention, and working with suicide survivors and loss survivors. Students also complete three free online trainings through the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). As a final project, students develop a suicide prevention plan report and presentation for a population of their choice. This final project is a culmination of everything they have learned throughout the course.
Recommendations I have for counseling programs: As a program, agree upon a set of competencies, such as the AAS or Cramer et al. (2013), in which students are trained; infuse coursework related to suicide prevention across multiple courses, such as assessment and helping relationships; include experiential training in clinical courses, starting with Practicum, and continue through Internship. In addition, provide opportunities to students to gain additional training through programs such as Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).
Dr. Neil Rigsbee is an associate professor in the Counselor Education Program at Adams State University. His research interests include quantitative research methods in counseling; online suicide assessment training; veterans issues; community mental health.
Email: neilrigsbee@adams.edu
References & Resources
American Association of Suicidology. http://www.suicidology.org
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills. https://www.livingworks.net/asist
Cramer, R. J., Johnson, S. M., McLaughlin, J., Rausch, E. M., & Conroy, M. A. (2013). Suicide risk assessment training for psychology doctoral programs: Core competencies and a framework for training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 7(1), 1–11. doi: 10.1037/a0031836
Drapeau, C. W., & McIntosh, J. L. (for the American Association of Suicidology). (2020). U.S.A. suicide 2018: Official final data. Washington, DC: American Association of Suicidology, dated February 12, 2020 downloaded from http://www.suicidology.org
McAdams, C. R. & Foster, V. A. (2000). Client suicide: Its frequency and impact on counselors. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 22(2), 107–121. Retrieved from http://www.amhca.org/journal.html
Schmitz Jr., W. M., Allen, M. H., Feldman, B. N., Gutin, N. J., Jahn, D. R., Kleespies, P. M.,…Simpson, S. (2012). Preventing suicide through improved training in suicide risk assessment and care: An American Association of Suicidology Task Force report addressing serious gaps in U.S. mental health training. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 43(3), 292–304. Doi: 10.1111/j.1943-278X.2012.00090.x
Suicide Prevention Resource Center. https://www.sprc.org/
World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/
