Holistic Counseling
Our programs provide training for those interested in the mental health counseling field. For more than 30 years, our master's programs have incorporated the best in counselor education training with a holistic perspective. Our graduates are prepared for the mental health counseling licensure exam and the world of work as professional mental health counselors.
Our Program
We offer a 60-credit master’s degree in holistic clinical mental health counseling and a 48-credit master’s degree in holistic counseling. Both programs prepare students for careers in the professional counseling field in a variety of settings.
Holistic counseling provides students a unique perspective into the lived experience. We seek to understand each student and client’s developmental growth, honor their personhood and recognize the importance of social justice in their journey. Within our program, students learn how to establish relationships based on respect and empathy, which help clients grow.
Courses are primarily offered at our Newport campus, with select courses offered at our Center for Adult Education in Warwick and online.
Program Spotlight: Cultural Awareness
The course Cultural Awareness in Counseling takes an innovative and experiential approach to examining culture in the lives of counselors and their clients. Students explore personal thinking styles, biases, identity models, cultural counseling competencies, ethics and issues of justice and mercy though a creative and challenging lens. Each semester, students and the professor leave this course as a better version of their previous selves.
One of the important things I learned in this course is that everyone has biased attitudes and beliefs. We have to actively work to deconstruct these on a daily basis to develop a holistic thinking style.
Amirah Nelson ’18 (M), counselor, Stanley Street Treatment and Resources
Holistic Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.)
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Time to complete: 5 years
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Program format: Evening classes
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Application deadline: March 1, May 1 or Nov. 1
Holistic Counseling (M.A.)
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Time to complete: 3 years
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Program format: Evening classes
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Application deadline: March 1, May 1 or Nov. 1
Our Faculty
Courses are taught by seasoned professionals who are experts in their field. Instructors work one-on-one with students to meet their individual needs while serving as career-focused mentors.
Holistic Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.)
60 credits
Required courses:
- HLC500: Research Methods
- HLC504: Holistic Foundations
- HLC505: Interpersonal Helping Skills
- HLC506: Professional Orientation and Ethics
- HLC507: The Body/Mind Connection
- HLC508: Human Growth and Development
- HLC509: Theories of Counseling
- HLC510: Cultural Awareness in Counseling
- HLC513: Couple and Family Counseling
- HLC515: Assessment and Treatment Planning
- HLC516: Group Process
- HLC517: Career Counseling
- HLC518: Appraisal
- HLC528: Understanding Trauma in Counseling
- HLC540: Integrating Meaning
- HLC550: Advanced Helping Skills
- HLC551: Practicum in Counseling
- HLC590: Internship and Seminar I
- HLC591: Internship and Seminar II
Students also take five elective credits in holistic counseling or holistic leadership. Electives are designed to strengthen students’ abilities to serve specific client populations by fostering growth, adding skill development and opening professional vistas.
Upon graduation, the Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists requires a candidate to complete two years (2,000 hours) of relevant counseling experience in the workplace, with 100 hours of clinical supervision from a board-approved supervisor, prior to taking the licensure examination.
Holistic Counseling (M.A.)
48 credits
Required courses:
- HLC500: Research Methods or HLC512: Evaluation Research
- HLC504: Holistic Foundations
- HLC505: Interpersonal Helping Skills
- HLC506: Professional Orientation and Ethics
- HLC507: The Body/Mind Connection
- HLC508: Human Growth and Development
- HLC509: Theories of Counseling
- HLC510: Cultural Awareness in Counseling
- HLC513: Couple and Family Counseling
- HLC515: Assessment and Treatment Planning
- HLC516: Group Process
- HLC517: Career Counseling
- HLC550: Advanced Helping Skills
- HLC551: Practicum in Counseling
Students also take six elective credits in holistic counseling or holistic leadership. Electives are designed to strengthen students’ abilities to serve specific client populations by fostering growth, adding skill development and opening professional vistas.