M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Dallas

Upon successful completion of this program students will be able to:

Professional Practice

• Program prepares students to demonstrate contextual knowledge and application of the principles of mental health, wellness, and human development including prevention, education, consultation, intervention, and advocacy.
• Program prepares students to demonstrate knowledge and application of strategies for addressing diverse clients’ career development and employment opportunities in a global economy.
• Program prepares students to demonstrate knowledge and application of the helping process with diverse clients; counseling theories and techniques; prevention, education, and consultation; wellness models; counselor self-understanding; and the change process.
• Program prepares students to demonstrate knowledge and application of group development, dynamics, theories, techniques, therapeutic factors, and how they contribute to the design and facilitation of groups in a culturally relevant manner.
• Program prepares students to demonstrate knowledge and application of culturally and developmentally appropriate clinical assessment, diagnosis, and evaluation practices for diverse mental health service recipients in mental health service settings.

Diversity

• Program prepares students to demonstrate an intersectional lens of cultural competence in counseling with individuals, groups, and families from diverse cultural backgrounds as well as the ability to advocate for equity and social justice in the promotion of mental health on the behalf of clients, the community, and the profession of counseling.

Professional Behavior

• Program prepares students to demonstrate knowledge and application related to ethical professional counseling practice, establish a professional counselor identity, and engage in effective interdisciplinary practice.

Scholarship

• Program prepares students to critically evaluate and utilize research, evidence-based practices, and program evaluation to inform the practice of clinical mental health counseling with diverse client populations.

Application

• Application Fee ($50)
• GPA of 3.0 or higher is required
• Essay: The mission of the program is to prepare Clinical Mental Health Counselors (CMHC), representative of the communities we serve, to work in diverse trauma-informed interdisciplinary team environments applying core counseling skills in traditional and integrated care contexts utilizing both clinic based and telehealth service delivery methods to positively impact community members’ mental health and wellness needs across the lifespan, particularly those in mental health provider shortage areas. In a two-page essay address the following:
  • How you would contribute to the fulfillment of the program’s mission given your personal and professional characteristics and accomplishments, your academic background, and your experience, and
  • Upon successful completion of the program, how do you see yourself contributing to the profession as a clinical mental health counselor?
• Resume
• Three letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with your academic ability or work or volunteer efforts
• Admissions interview
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university

Accreditation

The M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in Dallas is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). To learn more about The Chicago School's institutional and programmatic accreditations, visit our Accreditation page.

Licensure

For information on whether a program at The Chicago School meets or does not meet licensure eligibility requirements for the state in which you wish to be licensed, please visit our licensure disclosures page.

Dr. Leigh Holman: Chair of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department

Dr. Michael Maxwell: Director of Clinical Training Associate Professor

Dr. Jose Lopez: Department Faculty

HyFlex Instruction and Saturday Classes

The Dallas CMHC program maximizes flexibility of online instruction while providing the personal connection of in person classes to meet the needs of working adults. Non-fieldwork courses meet for 7 weeks, and most are taught using a HyFlex instructional method where 49% of each course is completed asynchronously online during the week, with weekly class meetings on Saturdays, during which students and instructors meet on campus. For synchronous didactic class meetings, students have the option to attend either on campus or remotely through Zoom. However, skills and advanced skill practice is primarily conducted on ground in a state-of-the-art campus facility.

Although students have practice opportunities throughout their program of study, in the final year of the program, students must complete field-based training by providing counseling to members of the public through an approved clinical training site. Students are encouraged to consider providing counseling in areas where there is a mental health provider shortage and underserved populations that reflect the diversity in our community, reflecting  our institutional and program missions. During this time of supervised practice, students learn to integrate all they have studied and apply their learning in an actual client setting.

For students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program at the Dallas Campus, the director of clinical training maintains an extensive list of approved clinical training sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These sites meet The Chicago School’s requirements, which are consistent with the standards articulated by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This ensures that our students receive high-quality clinical supervision and practice that will prepare them for subsequent professional opportunities.

The sites are varied in terms of location within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, populations served (e.g., child, adolescent, elderly, LGBTQI+, religious, trauma survivors, those with addictions), and type of setting (e.g., psychiatric or specialized treatment hospital, residential treatment center, community counseling agency, school, private practice, correctional or forensic sites). The semester prior to entering fieldwork, students enroll in a zero-credit course called Practicum Readiness Assessment in which they work with the director and career services to develop a curriculum vitae (similar to a resume), seek and secure professional reference letters, learn appropriate interview etiquette and skills, and begin applying for and interviewing with approved sites to secure a clinical training site for their final year in the program. Students are encouraged to consult with their faculty advisors and mentors, in addition to the director, regarding the sites to apply to, which will align with their personal career goals.

The first fieldwork opportunity is the practicum, which requires students to be at their clinical site for at least 100 hours over a full semester with at least 40 contract hours of face-to-face client counseling. Nonclient contact hours may include activities such as researching client diagnostic issues, reading evidence-based practices published in peer-reviewed research journals, or identifying ancillary resources for clients; identifying psychometrically sound client assessments and writing assessment reports; writing individualized treatment plans; documenting services in medical charts; completing necessary paperwork for billing purposes; consultation and/or coordination of services with other professionals such as primary care physicians, psychiatrists, social workers, prescribing psychologists, probation officers, and teachers; and/or engaging in supervision.

Once the practicum is successfully completed, students progress to the internship. They will complete two semesters of an internship, where they will spend an average of 20-25 hours per week at a clinical site providing counseling to clients. In Internship I and II, they will amass another 600 hours of clinical practice under supervision of a licensed mental health provider who practices at the independent practice level and meets the program's supervision standards. The total number of hours of supervised clinical practice gained during the three fieldwork classes is a minimum of 700 hours, at least 40% of which (280 hours) are direct counseling hours with clients. During fieldwork classes, students will attend weekly supervision at their site and will participate in a weekly seminar on campus so that they are fully supported throughout the process. Student competencies are assessed at midterm and at the end of each semester of fieldwork by both the site supervisor and the faculty seminar leader. Students are provided with specific actionable feedback on strengths and areas for growth, with suggestions on how to remediate any deficiencies.

Transfer of credit for the practicum and internship is not granted, and practicum and internship requirements are never waived. Further details regarding the practicum and internship are available from the CMHC director of clinical training.

Students registered in this program incur a one-time $195 Experiential Learning Technology Fee.

Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy

The course reviews basic theories, principles, and techniques of counseling and psychotherapy, as well as applications to a variety of therapeutic settings. The course also focuses on personal theory construction, bias embedded in theory, and cultural diversity.

Diagnosis of Mental Health Issues

This course addresses the general principles of etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders. Major definitions and descriptions of psychological phenomena as categorized and classified by the DSM diagnostic system are covered. This course includes models of mental status assessment as well as the application of how cultural factors influence mental health.

Lifespan Development

This course examines typical development from infancy through advanced age, focusing on the development of perceptual and cognitive processes, psychosocial roles, and familial interpersonal processes. Current clinical approaches are examined from diverse theoretical viewpoints and in light of recent research findings. Cultural diversity and individual differences are integral to this course.

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at The Chicago School is committed to educational experiences that provide training in mental health counseling for a variety of clinical settings, such as:

• Couples/family counseling
• Social service and mental health agencies
• College counseling centers
• Non-profit organizations
• Private practice

Focusing on three core areas of ethical practice, multiculturalism/social justice, and advanced clinical practice, the program prepares students to work with a range of diverse clientele, including those within underserved communities.

The Dallas campus is located at the epicenter of Texas arts and culture. Cultivating a progressive approach to psychology, the programs at the Dallas campus are designed to reflect the evolving needs of the changing world. The city provides you with ample opportunity to network with working professionals, receive high-quality real-world training, and help those in need through community service.

Along with these opportunities, Dallas boasts the largest urban arts district in the country and offers a range of entertainment options, including hundreds of museums, public galleries, community theatres, and music venues we know you will enjoy.

Students have the option to participate in ongoing student engagement opportunities including a Clinical Spanish Club preparing students to improve competence in bilingual clinical counseling; Counseling Practice lunch-n-learns to learn about the business of counseling; Counseling Book Club each semester highlighting different non-academic books on counseling related topics; Professional Advocacy activities like Texas Counseling Association Advocacy Days at the state legislature; Career Advancement and Networking opportunities through career services; and Continuing Education Specialized Credentialing opportunities.

2022-2023

2021-2022

2021-2023 Vital Statistics Report

The Chicago School is dedicated to keeping our professional degree programs accessible to anyone regardless of financial status. In addition to the scholarships that may be available, our Financial Aid Department will provide you with information to determine what financial arrangements are right for you.

Learn More

The Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals Tuition Rate has been established to support mental and behavioral health professionals who aim to better serve their clients and the community through advanced education and training. Students may be eligible for special tuition rates and/or additional institutional aid.

Visit our Financing Your Education page to learn more.