MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING

Be prepared for a career as a licensed professional counselor, where you are able to empower individuals, families, and groups to accomplish their mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.

You’ll engage in classroom learning rich in practical and theoretical knowledge, and clinical training. Plus, you have the opportunity to apply clinical skills in practice under close supervision by licensed faculty supervisors.

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The need for clinical mental health counselors continues to increase in the region and state. With the development of mental health parity laws, more people are accessing health insurance and mental health services. The demand for highly trained counselors, offering evidence-based interventions in mental health treatment settings, exists in clinics, agencies, integrative care settings, and private practice. Students will develop skills critical to effective clinical mental health counseling such as: assessment, diagnosis, intervention, advocacy, and program evaluation.

A CMHC MS degree can lead to work as a professional counselor working with a range of populations (children and families, adults, couples, and groups) in a variety of settings including

• Mental Health outpatient care
• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Agencies
• Integrative Care Settings
• Private Practice

Several factors set this 60-credit hour counseling program apart from other clinical training programs. The program meets the educational requirements for licensure as a professional counselor and prepares you for a career as a Licensed Professional Counselor. As a graduate student, you have the opportunity to:

Develop knowledge, skills, and awareness for a future career as a clinical mental health counselor.
Receive clinical supervision, mentorship, and advising from licensed faculty and supervisors.
Collaborate with faculty in determining practicum and internship placements that meet your clinical training needs and match your career interests.
Develop collaborative relationships with peers and faculty members through either a full-time or part-time program of study.
Collaborate with faculty members conducting research.

The priority deadline for admission is November 1, and the standard admissions deadline is February 15. (A priority deadline means we will review the apps early and make an early decision. The standard deadline means decisions won’t be made until March.)

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Program Overview

Course Schedule

Department Site

CMHC Program Assessment

CMHC Handbook

Vision
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside seeks to train and educate students to be professional counselors who meet the mental health, wellness, education and career needs of all members of their communities and the broader region. Program faculty aim to foster students’ professional, personal, and social growth so students develop to be ethical, trauma-informed, multiculturally competent counselors and leaders in the counseling profession.

Mission
To prepare counselors-in-training to meet the mental health, wellness, education and career needs of their communities and broader region, with a commitment to underserved populations. In addition, to work towards eliminating mental health stigma, through both professional leadership and providing ethical, trauma-informed and culturally competent counseling services, informed by current research, holistic care, and clinically effective interventions.

Do you have a bachelor's degree in something other than psychology?

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed for people who want to help others. In addition to psychology majors, sociology, anthropology, criminal justice, communication, education, and students with other undergraduate majors can pursue the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
18 Credits in Social Sciences
GPA of 3.0

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Learn more about application requirements, program schedule, and licensure at our open houses in October and March. Other available resources include a program interview on Community Matters, WGTD radio. We also encourage you to review the video testimony from a Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student.

CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH FACULTY INTERVIEW

PROGRAM RESOURCES

PROGRAM OF STUDY (FULL-TIME)

PROGRAM OF STUDY (PART-TIME)

Careers after Parkside

The need for clinical mental health counselors continues to increase in the region and state. With the development of mental health parity laws, more people are accessing health insurance and mental health services. The demand for highly trained counselors, offering evidence-based interventions in mental health treatment settings, exists in clinics, agencies, integrative care settings, and private practice. Students will develop skills critical to effective clinical mental health counseling such as: assessment, diagnosis, intervention, advocacy, and program evaluation.

A CMHC MS degree can lead to work as a professional counselor working with a range of populations (children and families, adults, couples, and groups) in a variety of settings including

•   Mental Health outpatient care
•   Hospitals
•   Clinics
•   Agencies
•   Integrative Care Settings
•   Private Practice

PROGRAM CONTACT INFO

Robtrice Brawner | 262-595-2980 | cmhcgradprogram@uwp.edu

Robtrice Brawner, Ph.D., LCPC (MD)

Associate Professor

Dr. Brawner earned her doctoral degree in Counselor Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and has been a practicing counselor for over 15 years. Dr. Brawner is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) for the state of Maryland and the current director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

Dr. Brawner began her career as a mental health therapist working in residential, school, and outpatient environments; and spent eight years working as a college counselor and administrator at Northern Virginia Community College. At the community college level, Dr. Brawner worked as a disability counselor, transfer and general advisor, personal and crisis counselor, teaching faculty member, and coordinator for programs designed to improve the retention of community college students. Prior to joining the faculty at UWP Dr. Brawner taught both masters and doctoral level counseling courses at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, DC campus and served as a department chair. Dr. Brawner is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and has served as a co-chair of the ACA presidential targeted task force on LGBT individuals for the young adult age group. Dr. Brawner has been a member of the ACA Research & Knowledge committee, and a past chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee for the ACA American College Counseling Association (ACCA).

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Aaron Carlstrom, PhD, LP

Associate Professor – Psychology

I co-advise the undergraduate certificate in Mental Health Skills, was a co-developer and former Program Director of the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, and past recipient of the Advising Excellent Award.

The courses I teach are in the areas of counseling and clinical psychology, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including courses in counseling theories, assessment, career counseling, and abnormal psychology.

My research interests are in vocational psychology and career development, with a focus on the connection between work, career development and mental health, and the evaluation of career development interventions.

Prior to joining UW-Parkside in 2012, I was a psychotherapist with the University Counseling Services, and an Assistant/Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs. I received a B.A. in psychology from Marquette University, and a M.S. in Educational Psychology-Community Counseling and Ph.D. in Urban Education-Counseling Psychology (APA Accredited) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

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Ann Friesema, PhD, LCPC

Associate Professor

Ann Friesema, Ph.D., LCPC (IL), is an Assistant Professor of Counseling in the Psychology, Professional Counseling, and Neuroscience Department. She is the Clinical Director for the CMHC program and oversees the clinical training partnerships with mental health organizations and agencies in the region. Her research areas include relational-cultural theory, clinical supervision, and trauma-informed teaching. In addition to her role at UW-Parkside, Dr. Friesema serves as a co-facilitator of the Education as Relational Practice affinity group within the International Center for Growth and Connection. As a counselor educator, Dr. Friesema is interested in relational strategies of teaching and supervising. As a counselor, Dr. Friesema maintains a limited private practice in Chicago providing individual counseling services, supervision, consultation, and training.

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MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Do you have a bachelor's degree in something other than psychology?

FIND OUT MORE!

CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH FACULTY INTERVIEW

PROGRAM RESOURCES

Careers after Parkside

PROGRAM CONTACT INFO

REQUEST INFORMATION