Harding - Mental Health & Wellness - Mental Health & Wellness Programs

Cannon-Clary College of Education

Our Purpose

The mission of the mental health and wellness programs is to prepare counselors to provide caring, compassionate and competent counseling services in a variety of settings to diverse populations. To that end, students will be provided with a current, practical, and ethical education consistent with Harding’s Christian foundations equipping them to be effective counselors/therapists capable of facilitating healthy change, growth and development.

Entry Level Master's Degrees in Counseling

M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CACREP accredited)
M.S. in Marriage and Family Counseling (Seeking CACREP accreditation)
M.S. in Professional School Counseling (CACREP accredited)

Accelerated dual degree B.S. in psychology-M.S. in professional counseling: Qualified students can complete both a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Master of Science in professional counseling at an accelerated pace by taking up to 14 hours of master’s coursework during their senior year of undergraduate study.

Educational Specialist in Counseling

The Ed.S. in counseling prepares candidates to become leaders and practitioners in their field. Building on the master's degree, this program is designed to provide advanced training, licensure support, and credentialing in a related field separate from the 60-hour master's degree. Four concentrations are offered:

Marriage and Family Counseling (15 hours)
Professional Clinical Mental Health Counseling (15 hours)
Professional School Counseling (12 hours)
Licensure Proficiency (12 hours)

This degree may provide additional support for professional credentialing as a Licensed Professional Counselor and/or Clinical Mental Health Counselor for individuals seeking licensure.

Certificate in Counseling Skills

The 18-hour certificate program is designed to equip preachers, youth ministers, family ministers, women’s ministers, church leaders, missionaries and lay leaders with the tools necessary for working with and helping those dealing with addictions, marital issues, parenting difficulties and other mental health concerns within a church or ministry related context.

Online delivery

Church ministers, shepherds and ministry leaders are offered a significantly reduced rate on the counseling skills certificate. The cost is $250 for the first class with a 50% tuition reduction for remaining certificate classes.

Master of Science in Student Affairs

This non-licensure program is designed to meet the needs of people currently working in higher education who desire to move into mid-level positions within the college or university. Harding’s Master of Science in student affairs will be taught from a Christian perspective. A student with a bachelor’s degree in any field will be considered.

Licensure Endorsements

Learn more about the curriculum plan in the Academic Catalog.

Licensure in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Adding this licensure to your eligible degree prepares candidates in advanced knowledge and skills to become leaders and practitioners in the field of professional counseling/psychotherapy. Practice is given in utilizing current counseling principles in real-world settings through practicum and internship experiences. Candidates are equipped with strategies including cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions that address wellness, personal growth, crisis and mental health including pathology.

This licensure program will provide candidates with competencies (as defined by CACREP and ACA) designed to positively impact a variety of people across the lifespan. The addition of this licensure to your eligible degree can lead to professional credentialing as a Licensed Professional Counselor and prepares for professional counseling practice in a variety of settings including but not limited to schools, community, mental health, private practice and ministry.

The Licensure in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is for applicants who already possess a master’s degree in counseling or a related field and are pursuing additional coursework for licensure in clinical mental health counseling.

Licensure in Professional School Counseling

The Licensure in Professional School Counseling is open to applicants who already possess a master’s degree in counseling or a related field and are pursuing additional coursework needed to become licensed as a professional school counselor.

Adding the Licensure in Professional School Counseling to your eligible degree helps prepare entrance-level professionals to become competent professional school counselors. Practice is given in utilizing current counseling principles in real-world settings through practicum and internship experiences. Candidates are equipped with strategies including cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions that address wellness, personal growth, and crises. This licensure program will provide candidates with competencies (as defined by CACREP and ACA) designed to positively impact a variety of people across K-12.

Courses meet current course requirements for K-12 licensure/practice for counseling in public or private schools, including higher education, as approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.

When to Apply

Applications should be submitted by the following dates:

Summer term: March 30

Fall term: July 1

Spring term: November 15

Academic Catalog

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the program, all students will be expected to:

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the history of professional counseling as well as the ethical practice of the profession in a variety of interdisciplinary settings.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how issues of diversity influences help-seeking behavior as well as how to effectively help a diverse, multicultural client population.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of human development across the lifespan and how deviations can influence behavior.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the role of career in wellness.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of and the skill to apply counseling approaches to client need.
Students will demonstrate knowledge and skill to provide group counseling to a variety of diverse client populations, concerns and settings.
Students will demonstrate the knowledge and ability to select and utilize appropriate assessment instruments to assist in client care.
Students will demonstrate the ability to read and understand research as well as conduct research necessary to better serve their clients.

For those students enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialty area:
Students demonstrate an ability to provide evidence based CMHC services to diverse clientele in a broad range of clinical settings

For those students enrolled in the Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling specialty area: Students demonstrate an ability to provide evidence based MCFC services to diverse clientele in a broad range of clinical settings.

For those students enrolled in the Professional School Counseling specialty area:
Students demonstrate an ability to provide evidence based School Counseling services to diverse student clientele in a broad range of educational & community settings

Course Schedules

Spring

Summer

Fall

Additional Resources

Drug Addiction & Abuse Info:

Addiction Help Today

AllTreatment

www.drugrehab.com/addiction/drugs

Equine Therapy:

www.stablechange.weebly.com

Suicide:

The Jed Foundation

Crisis:

Try Nova

Organizations:

American Counseling Association

American School Counseling Association

Arkansas Counseling Association

Chi Sigma Iota - Exemplar

National Board of Certified Counselors

Licensing Boards:

Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling

Arkansas Board of Education

Student Resources:

How to Sleep When Stressed

Veterans/Military Training Info:

MilitaryOneSource.mil offers training on "Treating the Invisible Wounds of War"

Military and Government Counseling Association

Internships and Practicums

Supervisors and students should contact the Mental Health & Wellness office for a direct link to training materials, handbooks and forms. Please contact Dr. Marc Fager for if you have additional questions.

Mission Statement & Annual Report

Harding University Mission can be found at harding.edu/about/mission

College of Education Mission Statement: “Touching hearts and challenging minds through Christ by preparing professionals for Christian service to children, families, and communities.”

Mental Health & Wellness Mission Statement: The mission of the mental health and wellness programs is to prepare counselors to provide caring, compassionate and competent counseling services in a variety of settings to diverse populations. To that end, students will be provided with a current, practical, and ethical education consistent with Harding’s Christian foundations equipping them to be effective counselors/therapists capable of facilitating healthy change, growth and development.

Mental Health & Wellness Annual Evaluation Report 2022 pdf

Mental Health & Wellness Annual Report 2021-2022 pdf

Mental Health & Wellness Annual Evaluation Report 2021 pdf

Mental Health & Wellness Annual Report 2020-2021 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2019-2020 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2018-2019 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2017-2018 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2016-2017 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2015-2016 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2014-2015 pdf

Professional Counseling Program Annual Report 2013-2014 pdf