MENU APPLY NeuPerspectives A FRESH LOOK AT THE ROI OF EARNING AN ADVANCED DEGREE What is Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling? Topics: Counseling Programs Published on: 9/30/21 12:18 PM Share As a future counselor, it's crucial that you choose a graduate program that's going to prepare you to care for clients from an integrated and spiritual perspective. What does this mean exactly? Well, it means that in order to be an effective clinical mental health counselor, you need to have the skills and knowledge to approach client care in a holistic way. No matter your personal beliefs or spiritual practices, it's important that you obtain a graduate degree that's going to allow you to approach clinical care in a way that addresses the connection between mind, body, and spirit — a graduate degree like pastoral clinical mental health counseling. Unfamiliar with the discipline of pastoral clinical mental health counseling? Let's define it and then dive into Neumann University's own program — a unique graduate program for mission-minded, future mental health professionals. FOR FUTURE COUNSELORS LOOKING TO INTEGRATE SPIRITUALITY WITHIN CLINICAL COUNSELING PRACTICE, A GUIDE TO PASTORAL CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING IS A MUST-READ! PASTORAL COUNSELING VS CLINICAL COUNSELING? WHAT IS PASTORAL CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING? What is pastoral clinical mental health counseling? Does pastoral clinical mental health counseling differ from traditional clinical mental health counseling? The American Counseling Association defines counseling “as a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.” With this in mind, it is important to understand how pastoral clinical mental health counseling is a unique part of the discipline of clinical mental health counseling. Students pursuing a master's in pastoral clinical mental health counseling receive the same training and instruction as other clinical mental health counselors, but they integrate a pastoral perspective into every part of who they are and what they do. This integration of spirituality allows pastoral counselors to care for their clients from a holistic and integrated perspective, acknowledging the connection between the body, mind, and spirit. In other words, a pastoral clinical mental health counseling graduate degree prepares mental health professionals to approach clinical practice in a holistic way, allowing counselors to effectively care for clients with their spirituality in mind. NEUMANN’S MS IN PASTORAL CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING Neumann University’s CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling takes a holistic approach to mental health counseling, which affirms the active and ongoing interrelationship among clinical experience, spiritual reality, and mental health outreach. A practitioner-based program, graduates of the program are prepared to be counselors who integrate psychology and spirituality in a rigorous, informed, and clinically responsible way. The program welcomes people of all beliefs and spiritual practices. Neumann University’s Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is 60 credits and offers weeknight courses. This allows flexibility for the working professional and students in the clinical sequence of the program. Pro Tip: When researching clinical mental health counseling programs, it's important to choose a graduate program that is CACREP accredited. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is an organization that accredits master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling throughout the United States. Accreditation is a voluntary practice in which institutions submit themselves to a peer-review evaluation designed to provide assurance of quality education. This accreditation is seen as an industry-standard and ensures that students receive an education that will prepare them to be competent practitioners. Download our Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling Guide to learn more about choosing the right program for you. LEARNING & CAREER OUTCOMES OF THE PASTORAL CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING PROGRAM Students who choose to pursue a master’s degree in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Neumann University will be prepared for a career in clinical practice in a variety of settings. A highly flexible degree, Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling offers graduates the opportunity to work in environments like: Mental health agencies Private practice Faith-based counseling organizations Rehabilitation programs Schools Hospitals Other health institutions Nonprofits Government programs Upon completion of the master’s in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling, graduates will be prepared to engage in ethical and effective clinical practice. Through their coursework and hands-on learning experiences, students will also fulfill the following program outcomes: Be equipped to integrate psychology and spirituality in an academically rigorous, clinically responsible manner Meet the demands of a modern, global society Meet course requirements for professional licensure in the tri-state area of PA-NJ-DE, including National Counselor Exam (NCE) Pro Tip: In addition to coursework, it’s important to pick a graduate program that employs hands-on learning opportunities. And for graduate counseling students specifically, it’s crucial that you choose a program that places emphasis on experiential, practitioner-based learning. Neumann's Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate degree integrates practitioner-based experiences throughout the coursework in order to best equip graduates to engage in effective client care. CONNECT WITH US AT NEUMANN UNIVERSITY! The need for passionate and service-oriented clinical mental health counselors is evident. These individuals must be highly qualified and expertly trained in order to meet the needs of the present-day and in order to anticipate the challenges of the future. If you feel the call to fill this role and if you're ready to transform your future with this degree, we invite you to request more information or begin an application online. Thank you for answering this call to serve, we are excited to hear from you soon! As an aspiring mental health professional, it's important that you pick the program that's right for you. Download A Guide to Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Neumann University today! Download the Guide WRITTEN BY: BETTSY MCKLAINE About The Author: Bettsy McKlaine is the Director of Adult and Graduate Admissions at Neumann University and a proud Alumna. The Neumann Community has become her second family and she loves to interact with students, both from the undergraduate and graduate population. Her favorite time of year is at the start of each semester as students begin classes! GO BACK TO ALL POSTS RELATED STORIES Here's Why I Made a Career Change — and Chose a Pastoral Counseling Program DOWNLOAD OUR NEW GUIDE TO EARNING A COLLEGE DEGREE ONLINE DOWNLOAD NOW INTERESTED IN RECEIVING WEEKLY ADVICE AND TIPS ON EARNING AN ADVANCED DEGREE? 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