Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy - Animo Latinx Counseling

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy is approved by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to meet all of the educational requirements preparing students for state licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) and as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT). It is also nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The program emphasizes training clinicians who can serve the needs of individuals and families in their communities and provide evidence-based brief and long-term counseling while maintaining professional identities as counselors and marriage and family therapists. It strongly emphasizes a multicultural perspective; preparing counselors who will be sensitive to the diverse ethnic and religious heritages, lifestyles and special needs of individuals and families. Advancement to Practicum: Students undergo a comprehensive evaluation in the semester prior to their first practicum (COUN 530A or COUN 530B). This evaluation determines advancement to practicum. Advancement to practicum requires: 3.0 GPA for graduate courses. A “B” (3.0) or better in COUN 526. Successfully passing the faculty’s ongoing assessment of the student’s aptitude and suitability for the counseling profession, progress in skill development, interpersonal and cultural sensitivity, readiness to see clients, and ethical and professional conduct. A student may be: (a) advanced to practicum; (b) required to postpone practicum and complete remedial steps required by the faculty; or (c) disqualified from the program. Students in practicum (COUN 530A or COUN 530B, COUN 590, COUN 584A or COUN 584B or COUN 591) and who are seeing clients at their agency site are designated as Trainees by the BBS. Ánimo: Latinx Counseling Concentration (15 units): The Ánimo: Latinx Counseling concentration addresses the professional, curricular and training needs of mental health counselors working with Latinx and Spanish-speaking clients. The program provides trainees course curriculum that meets requirements to pursue licensure as Professional Clinical Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists in California, and is grounded in nationally approved competencies: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related-Educational Programs (CACREP) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Furthermore, the Ánimo concentration focuses on developing self-awareness as a bilingual and bicultural counselor, knowledge of Latinx-cultures and therapeutic-Spanish, familiarity with interventions appropriate to Latinx and Spanish-speaking clients, and social justice advocacy for issues relevant to the Latinx community. Although there will be ample opportunities to build therapeutic Spanish-speaking skills, the courses emphasize bilingualbicultural counseling skills and are taught in English and Spanish (primarily in English) to meet the trainees’ needs.