GCU Counseling World

Counseling Community Connections

Counseling Community Connections (CCC) is an online resource center, building community and strengthening personal and professional counselor identity.

CHSS Academic Unit

CHSS Academic Unit:

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) counseling academic unit consists of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), School Counseling (SC), and Counselor Education and Supervision (CES), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs and articulates its purpose through mission statements, program objectives, and goals that focus on best practices to equip counselors in training as change agents in a global society. 

Counseling Academic Unit Mission Statement:

The mission of the counseling academic unit is to prepare counselors-in-training with the knowledge, skills, and dispositional values to become competent global counselors and leaders.

Academic Unit Leadership:

IMG_0810.JPGDr. Anna Edgeston

Academic Unit Leader and Assistant Dean of Counseling Programs 

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Program

Dr. Kimberly Grigg

Director of School Counseling (SC)

School Counseling Degree Program


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Dr. Jennifer Young

Director of Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES)

Counselor Education and Supervision Degree Program

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Desiree Jackson
Program Manager, Practicum/Internship Coordinator

noname_1705434495306Dr. Liesl Hecht
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Chair

noname_1707928311862Dr. Emily Shier
Practicum and Internship Faculty Liason

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Michael Coplan

Faculty Chair

Dr. Kimberly McCann 

Faculty Chair

CHSS Academic Unit Program Objectives

Select a program below to view the program objectives:

CMHC

CMHC Program objectives are designed so that learners will:

  • Counselor Identity and Ethics:  Develop best practices and counselor identity as informed by ethical and professional standards and GCU dispositional values.
  • Diversity and Advocacy: Gain opportunities to practice ethically as advocates for social justice through exposure to multicultural counseling theories and experiential exercises that promote awareness of cultural bias and diverse worldviews. 
  • Human Growth and Development: Acquire knowledge and skills to meet the diverse needs of individuals in the context of human growth and development.  
  • Counseling & Helping Relationships: Cultivate counseling and helping skills by integrating counseling theories and research, engaging in community collaboration and outreach, and developing skills to apply in professional and therapeutic relationships.
  • Group Counseling and Group Work:  Integrate theoretical foundations and consider dynamics and therapeutic factors to gain knowledge of theories, develop techniques, promote leadership skills, and facilitate the therapeutic group process for diverse clients.
  • Research and Program Evaluation:  Acquire the knowledge and skills needed to  identify, evaluate, and utilize research to inform best practices in counseling.  
  • Career Development: Attain the knowledge that prepares them to demonstrate skills in vocational counseling and the relationship between roles in career, life, school, and mental health. 
  • Assessment & Testing: Demonstrate and apply skills that adequately and consistently use assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes. 
  • Specialty Area for CMHC: Demonstrate knowledge and skills in conducting intake interviews, mental status exam, biopsychosocial history, mental health history, psychological assessment for treatment planning and caseload management, contextual factors, and competence in clinical mental health fieldwork.

SC

School Counseling program objectives are designed so that learners will:

  • Counselor Identity and Ethics:  Develop best practices and counselor identity as informed by ethical and professional standards and GCU dispositional values.
  • Diversity and Advocacy: Gain opportunities to practice ethically as advocates for social justice through exposure to multicultural counseling theories and experiential exercises that promote awareness of cultural bias and diverse worldviews. 
  • Human Growth and Development: Acquire knowledge and skills to meet the diverse needs of individuals in the context of human growth and development.  
  • Counseling & Helping Relationships: Cultivate counseling and helping skills by integrating counseling theories and research, engaging in community collaboration and outreach, and developing skills to apply in professional and therapeutic relationships.
  • Group Counseling and Group Work:  Integrate theoretical foundations and consider dynamics and therapeutic factors to gain knowledge of theories, develop techniques, promote leadership skills, and facilitate the therapeutic group process for diverse clients.
  • Research and Program Evaluation: Acquire the knowledge and skills needed to  identify, evaluate, and utilize research to inform best practices in counseling.  
  • Career Development: Facilitate college and career readiness standards to support the development of students in P-12 settings.
  • Testing and Assessment: Utilize assessment methods, research, and program evaluation to appraise effectiveness of comprehensive school counseling programs using outcome data to inform future practice.
  • Specialty Area for SC: Develop an educator and counselor identity that integrates the GCU Professional Dispositions of Learners and upholds ASCA professional and ethical standards as licensed/certified school counselors by acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to plan, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school counseling programs based on research and national standards.

CES

The program objectives are designed so CES learners will: 

  • Teaching: Develop a personal, theory-driven teaching pedagogy, a universal curriculum design to cater to various learning styles, and utilize appropriate evaluation methods in alignment with adult learning theories and counselor education. 
  • Supervision: Provide individual, triadic and group supervision in various contexts, assess the developmental level of supervisees, and conduct supervisory administrative responsibilities. 
  • Mentorship: Act as a mentor and assist in screening, evaluation, remediation, upholding professional dispositions, and gatekeeping functions as a supervisor and counselor educator.  
  • Counseling: Assess research-based counseling processes, blend relevant theories, and consider counseling implications of clients from different perspectives. 
  • Leadership: Develop an evidence-based, socially aware leadership style to utilize in the role as supervisor, counselor educator, and counselor.   
  • Advocacy: Integrate the role of advocate by using appropriate models and strategies to promote change at the individual, systemic, and policy levels.  
  • Research: Choose appropriate designs (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, action research) and form research questions that are culturally relevant, meaningful, and ethical.  
  • Scholarship: Engage in professional writing for peer-reviewed journals, submit conference proposals, and be proficient in developing grant proposals. 
  • Multicultural Awareness: Integrate social justice, diversity, inclusion, equity, and cultural sustaining practices and principles as a supervisor, counselor educator, and counselor.  
  • Ethics: Understand relevant legal and ethical issues and responsibilities as a supervisor, counselor educator, and counselor.  
  • Program Evaluation: Utilize a systematic process to conduct comprehensive assessments to evaluate the overall effectiveness and advocate for the betterment of programs.  
  • Evidence Based Theories: Utilize relevant theoretical frameworks and models to develop a personal style when conducting roles and responsibilities as a supervisor, counselor educator, and counselor.  
  • Technology: Utilize relevant and secure technological advancements as a supervisor, counselor educator, and counselor. 

Social Justice Statement

Counseling professional ethical standards identify the value in promoting social justice as one of the core professional expectations within the counseling profession. As a counselor in training (CIT), professional counselor or aspiring counselor educator, being a part of the counseling community requires us to be diligent in how we provide support and care to our communities. Due to the various challenges in society, being an empowering advocate for individuals that are marginalized, oppressed and experience barriers, is essential to our profession and professional roles.   

As we are encouraged to interconnect and build healthy relationships, advocating for social justice is an important part of our professional identity. Social justice advocacy has an impact on community, state, national and diverse cultures globally. Moreover, CIT, professional counselors and aspiring counselor educators help shape legal, political, economic, moral and ethical values by enacting justice enhancing endeavors, which produces positive change.  

Considering this statement, how can you contribute to your professional identity as a CIT, professional counselor or aspiring counselor educator? How can we as graduate and doctoral programs become more involved in the area of social justice and advocacy? Asking these questions and becoming intentional about taking action in our communities (locally and afar) is central to our profession. It is here that we stand as catalysts for change, ultimately paving the way to making a lasting impact for justice in the lives of all we serve. 

Upcoming Events

April 11, 2025
TEAL DAY- As an outward symbol of advocacy and hope for counselors and the profession, ACA created T…
May 1, 2025
During the month of May, the American Counseling Association (ACA) joins the national movement to ra…
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Get Started Here: https://cce.gcu.edu/getting_started

Counselor Education and Supervision: https://cce.gcu.edu/counselor_ed

Clinical Mental Health Counseling: https://cce.gcu.edu/cmhc

School Counseling: https://cce.gcu.edu/school

Epsilon Honors Society: https://cce.gcu.edu/epsilonhonorssociety

GCU Counseling Webinars: https://cce.gcu.edu/webinars

Alumni: https://cce.gcu.edu/homepage/alumni

Gallery: https://cce.gcu.edu/homepage/gallery

NCE Resources: https://cce.gcu.edu/homepage/nce

ACA: https://www.counseling.org/

ASCA: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/

AMHCA: https://www.amhca.org/home

ACES: https://acesonline.net/

NBCC: https://www.nbcc.org/

Student Success Center: https://www.gcumedia.com/lms-resources/student-success-center/v3.1/#/

Career Resources: https://www.gcumedia.com/lms-resources/student-success-center/v3.1/#/tools/student-quick-access/274

Health and Wellness: https://www.gcu.edu/admissions/campus-resources/health-wellness-clinic

Technical Support: https://support.gcu.edu/hc/en-us/articles/202013760-Contact-Technical-Support

Faith Integration: https://www.gcu.edu/why-gcu/christian-identity-and-mission

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Counselor and Counseling Resource List

The purpose of this document is to provide easy access to resources across the country for counselors and counseling. It is organized by state and divided according to regions identified within the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and American Counseling Association (ACA). Use the link below to access the document for website links and resources to support you and your work.

Announcements

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