Clinical Mental Health & Addictions Counseling

Note: The Addictions concentration is currently on hiatus.

Reach out to those in need as a licensed professional counselor.

The CACREP-accredited M.Ed. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health & Addictions Concentration at William & Mary prepares graduates to work in public or private human service agencies and in private counseling practice. Through a balanced focus on wellness and psychopathology, the program offers students a solid foundation in counseling theory, counseling strategies and a concentration in addictions counseling. Gain the knowledge and skills to make a deep impact on people’s lives.

Requirements

Graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health & Addictions Concentration complete a total of 60 semester hours of classroom and clinical course work. The program is organized into groups of required foundation courses, basic counseling courses, and specialized courses that enable a student to concentrate in addictions counseling.

See the Clinical Mental Health & Addictions Concentration Program of Study for course names and sequence.

Field Experiences

Clinical experiences are an integral part of students’ preparation, and practice in a clinical setting is integrated throughout the program. In the first year, students have their first client contact through a closely supervised practicum. In the second year, two internships provide intensive and diverse clinical experiences in community agency settings.

Students in the Addictions program complete their clinical experiences at local community agencies and the department’s New Leaf Clinic, which offers substance abuse counseling services to a diverse range of clients. Counselors at New Leaf conduct interventions using motivational interviewing techniques that encourage clients to take ownership of their own decisions and make positive changes in their lives.

Licensure

Licensure as a Professional Counselor in Virginia
At this time in Virginia, licensure as a Professional Counselor requires a master’s degree in counseling, 60 hours of graduate course work in counseling, a 4000-hour, post-master’s clinical residency, and successful completion of the licensure examination. The program of studies for all of the M.Ed.degrees in Counseling at William & Mary includes all the required areas of classroom and clinical instruction needed for licensure as a Professional Counselor in Virginia and most other states. The entire 60 hours need not be taken during the M.Ed. program. Students in programs requiring less than 60 hours for graduation may elect to complete the 60 hours required for Virginia licensure before or after they graduate.

Licensure as a Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner In Virginia (LSATP)
The program of studies for the Clinical Mental Health & Addictions Counseling program also meets the coursework and clinical instruction requirements for licensure in Virginia as Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner.