Counseling Home

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA), "Professional counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. Counselors work with clients on strategies to overcome obstacles and personal challenges that they are facing." (https://www.counseling.org/aca-community/learn-about-counseling/what-is-counseling/overview).

• American Counseling Association (ACA)
  ACA Code of Ethics
• Nebraska Counseling Association (NCA)
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
  2016 CACREP Standards
• Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)
  ACES Standards for Counseling Supervisors

According to the American School Counselor Association, “Today's school counselors are vital members of the education team. They help all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow. Learn more about the school counselor's role.” (https://www.schoolcounselor.org/administrators/role-of-the-school-counselor).

• American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
  Ethical Standards for School Counselors
• Nebraska School Counselor Association (NSCA)
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Nebraska Department of Education (NDE)

The CSC Counseling Program is currently seeking accreditation with CACREP for our Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

The CSC Counseling Program’s Mission is to prepare quality professional counselors for careers with state, regional, or national public and private mental health agencies, mental health institutions, and educational systems.

We are committed to producing ethically and culturally competent counselors who demonstrate professional leadership with a purposeful commitment to client advocacy, and social justice, for the western High Plains States and the broader pluralistic nation.

The Counseling Program actively recruits students from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and cultural influences. Faculty value diversity among its student population and in society at large. This commitment to and appreciation of individual differences can be found in all aspects of our program, including student selection and admissions, faculty hiring, classroom instruction, texts and teaching materials, clinical practice and supervision, departmental administration, day-to-day operations, and policy formation.

The Counseling Program views recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students from the western High Plains as a major focus. We define the term diverse group broadly, including ethnic, racial, and cultural identities as well as in personal world views, gender identity, sexual preference, age differences, and the challenges associated with disabilities of various kinds. To attract and support a diverse student population, we have taken several initiatives including but not limited to the following:

• Flexibility
  Our courses are scheduled to meet the needs of a diverse non-traditional student population. Most of our courses are delivered in an online format to provide options for those students who may need to complete their program in stages or on a part-time basis.
• Affordability
  Our tuition is highly competitive with other institutions in Nebraska and is significantly less than many online programs offered by private and for-profit institutions.
• Financial Support
  Our college offers a financial assistance program (FAFSA), which is open to all students without discrimination. Our Counseling Program provides three graduate assistantships that cover tuition and provide a stipend. Assistantships are available for students enrolled in a graduate degree program and designed to provide opportunities for supervised educational experiences at the graduate level.
• Advertising
  Actively advertising that our program has a strong emphasis on diversity. The program website and mission statement highlight diversity.

1. The Counseling Program strives to educate academically prepared counselors.
2. The Counseling Program strives to produce diverse counselors.
3. The Counseling Program strives to develop dispositionally appropriate counselors manifesting clear counseling professional identities.

Upon successful completion of the CSC Counseling Program, graduates will be able to:

1. Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice: Develop a professional identity as a counselor, demonstrate an understanding of the counseling profession, and demonstrate a willingness to provide counseling services within the ethical guidelines of the counseling profession.
2. Social and Cultural Diversity: Demonstrate an understanding of the social and cultural influences, the effects of power and privilege, and the impact of acculturative experience on the counseling process.
3. Human Growth and Development: Develop an understanding of developmental aspects of human growth and appreciation for the nature of human development and its integration within the counseling process.
4. Career Development: Develop an understanding of career development and approaches for conceptualizing the interrelationships between work, mental wellbeing, and other life roles within counseling.
5. Counseling and Helping Relationships: Gain significant knowledge and application of major counseling theories. Demonstrate effective individual counseling techniques that facilitate client growth and the ability to evaluate progress toward treatment goals.
6. Group Counseling and Group Work: Develop both experiential and theoretical understandings of group purpose, development, dynamics, counseling theories, group counseling methods and skills, and other group approaches.
7. Assessment and Testing: Gain knowledge and skills in assessment techniques and apply basic concepts to individuals and/or group appraisal.
8. Research and Program Evaluation: Develop the ability to read, critique, evaluate, and contribute to professional research literature.
9. Clinical Mental Health Program: Practice counseling utilizing knowledge and application of various theories, dynamics, and techniques.
10. School Counseling Program: Develop a model for implementing a school counseling program.