Counseling

[HereThereEverywhere]

American considering making the change from teaching to counseling. Have education masters, if that matters. Looking for a program that is mostly or all online,cheap, but willing to consider less cheap options if the quality is there. Bonus points for international focus and includes college counseling. I know there has been a post on similar topics in the past, but have searched a bit off that and looking to see if there’s an update or something more specific to my search. Thanks in advance for the help.

[PsyGuy]

None that will accomplish what I think youre trying to accomplish. The most efficient route is the DC pathway, any Masters in counseling (or equivalent) is acceptable provided you meet the course requirements as part of the degree program, it need not be a program in school counseling. The real benefit is you can meet the field work/clinical hours with two years of classroom teaching experience. Thus opening up a much wider number of degree programs more of them likely to be online. You can obtain the credential without actually ever having counseled anyone.

Most of the college counseling or international programs are out of CA or part of the PTC, they certainly arent cheap or online.

[HereThereEverywhere]

Thanks @psyguy

I’d looked at ptc/ Ctc but most counselors in my life told me that, while good programs, they would not lead to a position in international school counseling.

[PsyGuy]

@HereThereEverywhere

I agree with your colleagues, because its true, but you asked for international. There is no IE counseling credential just as there is no IE teaching credential, there is no international regulatory authority for IT credentialing. There is no counseling one either, programs such as those at Uni prepare counselors for their jurisdiction and region. You might find a program that has a focus on the international or second language student but at most you will get a course, you arent going to find a whole degree program.

College counseling is a practicum experience program, there are some certification programs on the US west coast and a few others, but the heavy part of that job focus is still obtained in the field, making contacts, and building relationships while staying current on what Uni admission and enrollment processes are evolving.

CTC will get you a handful of credits from SUNY that can be used in part towards a multi disciplinary masters, you dont get a credential out of it.

[HereThereEverywhere]

PsyGuy wrote:
>
> CTC will get you a handful of credits from SUNY that can be used in part
> towards a multi disciplinary masters, you dont get a credential out of it.

Hm, so maybe possible to start with CTC to dip my toe in, if I like it, have the credit through SUNY and use that program for DC credential?

[mamava]

Lehigh University offers an online master's in international counseling.
https://ed.lehigh.edu/academics/degrees ... ing-online

I believe there are a couple of face to face requirements, but they are offered both Stateside and internationally. I also don't know if this particular program leads to the ability to get licensed in a US state, which might be something a person would want or need. I have 2 former colleagues that did this program and moved from teaching into counseling. Good luck!

[PsyGuy]

@HereThereEverywhere

I wouldnt, that would be a pretty horrible idea. You can only apply at most is 2 courses/6 credits towads the SUNY Masters and the Masters is a MS in Multi-Disciplinary Studies, its not a counseling degree, and wouldnt meet the DC requirements. The SUNY degree is also pretty expensive, its USD$580/credit for online courses and USD$1000/credit for other courses. There are a minimum of 30 credits required for the degree, assuming they are all online credits thats USD$17,400 and doesnt include the travel costs and other fees associated with CTC which is about USD$4K per course. Thats a really expensive Masters program that doesnt accomplish anything.

I have a similar position regarding the Lehigh University program. First, its not all online. Youre required to spend 2 summers in residence, one in PA and the other in an international location, including all the travel and accommodation that comes with it.
Second, only about 9-12 credits of the 36 credit program are international courses, the bulk of the program is the same general mental health counseling program you would find anywhere.
Third, its also expensive at USD$575/credit thats USD$20K in tuition and doesnt include travel costs during the summer residency requirements. Thats easily another USD$10K for 2 summers.
Fourth, the program doesnt include a credential, but it would meet the requirements for the DC credential.

To start off you want to identify what Unis in the state you have residency in to qualify for resident/in-state tuition rates, then find one that has an online counseling program, then either ensure the degree is school counseling or the counseling courses they offer meet the DC requirements.
Counseling programs are by and large mental health programs, a handful of "international" courses isnt going to amount too much, most of them are just the same domestic course with international added to the title, their isnt anything revolutionary about them. Very few of them include anything regarding college counseling, and when they do its a small part of the vocational career development unit in the program.

[HereThereEverywhere]

@psyguy you seem pretty pessimistic on any of the options. Why so? To the numbers you are peeling out for grad school in the US seem pretty standard.

[interteach]

I've worked with some counselors who got their degree and certification from Goddard College and they spoke highly of it. I think you have to do a long internship but you don't have to be on campus much and you can get a license at the end.

[interteach]

And one more thing. It sounds like just about no counseling program focuses a lot on college counseling and the counselors I know say you're pretty much on your own to learn about it. There's a UCLA program for college counseling but no one says anything very good about it.

[PsyGuy]

@HereThereEverywhere

I wouldnt say its pessimism, its why pay a premium for a substandard program? Why pay USD$30K for a multiple disciplinary studies masters and a couple of CTC courses that are little more than some summer conference events. Why pay USD$30K for what amount to a mental health masters that has a handful of courses that they just put international in the title. Its a lot of coin for a mental heath degree where there isnt anything special about either of these programs. They arent particularly international, they arent fully online, neither of them include a credential, neither of them is cheap.
I look at programs and ask, wherever you are in the world, could you do as well or better than these programs and the answer is a resounding yes. There is very well a local Uni you could get a counseling degree from, eliminating the need for an online program, and probably cheaper. What else are these programs going to do for you that some generic local mental health degree program is going to do? You may as well go to Harvard for an Ed.M in something related to mental health and that will be FAR more marketable than CTC or Lehigh in getting an appointment as a counselor. Theres just nothing brag worthy about CTC, SUNY, Lehigh and neither of these programs is anything more than a MH degree.

[HereThereEverywhere]

Thanks @psyguy I will keep that in mind.