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  • Program Features
  • Curriculum Overview
  • Application Assistance
  • Placement Support

I have at least a bachelor's degree, as required by Walsh University's graduate programs.

I have at least a master's degree, as required by Walsh University's graduate programs.

I am a licensed RN
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CACREP-Accredited
A recognized standard for quality and licensure readiness

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Dedicated Licensure Preparation
Our graduates leave prepared to pass their NCE exam

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100% Online
Earn your degree without on-campus visits

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Field Experience Support
A dedicated team helps you secure your placement

Be the Counselor Your Community Needs

Walsh University's online Clinical Mental Health Counseling track prepares you to answer an important calling, to sit with people through their hardest moments and to help them heal. Through CACREP-accredited coursework, embedded field experience and dedicated support at every step, you'll build the clinical skills and professional credibility to pursue licensure and step confidently into a counseling career.

This track is built for purpose-driven professionals ready to serve individuals, families, and communities across a wide range of mental health needs, all while balancing the responsibilities you already carry.

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Walsh Graduates holding their degrees

Fast Facts

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5 Start Dates Per Year
Begin when the timing is right for you

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Balance Work, Life & School
A balanced course load designed for working adults

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Part-Time Coursework
Study around your job and family

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Chemical Dependency Certificate
Add an optional specialization to expand your reach

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Field Experience Near Your Community
Gain hands-on experience close to home

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Personal Enrollment Support

Personal Enrollment Support
A dedicated advisor to guide you from application to program start

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WUO-school-counseling-icons_Make an Impact Sooner

Make an Impact Sooner
Complete your degree in just over 3 years

About The Program

Build practical skills in lifespan development, addictions counseling, culturally responsive practice, and effective interviewing techniques—all essential for supporting diverse communities. 

When entering the program with a 2.75 GPA or higher, you will not be required to take a GRE or MAT exam. 

Guided by Catholic values emphasizing human dignity, guidance to prepare you to become a licensed counselor ready to serve. The program consists of:  

  • 60 total credit hours completed in just over three years, part-time. 
  • Five convenient starts per year, 100% online coursework, and no on-campus visits required. 
  • 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours. 

Why Clinical Mental Health Counseling 

Our program's coursework blends counseling theory with the practical, human-centered clinical skills that define effective mental health practice. Across the track, you'll develop the competencies clinical mental health counselors rely on every day. 

You'll learn to:

  • Apply counseling theories and evidence-based techniques
  • Conduct clinical assessments, diagnose conditions and design effective treatment plans
  • Build strong and culturally responsive relationships with diverse clients
  • Recognize and respond to crisis and co-occurring disorders
  • Understand human development and mental health across the lifespan
  • Navigate the professional, legal and ethical standards of clinical counseling
  • Apply research and data to inform and improve your clinical practice

By the time you begin your field experience, you'll be ready to put these skills into practice with the guidance of experienced supervisors.

What CACREP Accreditation Means for You

Walsh's counseling program holds accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This matters because CACREP is a recognized national standard for quality counseling education.

For you, it means your coursework aligns with professional standards, employers recognize your degree, and you graduate prepared to pursue licensure with confidence.

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CACREP Accredited

Field Experience and Placement Support 

Confidence comes from doing the work.
That's why supervised field experience is built into your program, along with real support to help you get there. 

Your field experience includes:

  • 100 practicum hours to begin applying counseling skills with real clients or students
  • 600 internship hours to deepen your supervised, hands-on experience
  • Clinical placements completed near your community
  • Experience across diverse settings that reflect real counseling work

How our placement support works:

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1. We start early.

Your field experience team connects with you well before your placement begins, so nothing feels rushed.
 

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2. We help you find sites.

The team identifies approved practicum and internship options near your area at no additional cost.

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The counselor is talking to the patient

3. We handle the details.

From site agreements to supervisor coordination, we guide the process alongside you.

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4. We stay with you.

You'll have a partner from your first placement hour to your final internship day.
 

Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Curriculum

Below is a sample list of courses you will take while enrolled in the online behavioral health counselor program. After finishing 60 credit hours of coursework, you will complete 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours.

Orientation to the counseling profession through an examination of the history and philosophy of the counseling profession; professional roles of counselors; professional counseling organizations; and legal, ethical, and professional issues in professional counseling. Introduction to stages and strategies in the counseling process. Development of attending skills, basic and advanced counseling skills, as well as an introduction to case conceptualization skills. Includes an intensive laboratory focused on developing interviewing skills and mastering counseling procedures.

Overview of human development processes and stages. Analysis of predictable conflicts and crises associated with progression throughout lifespan, as well as the impact of cultural and environmental factors upon development. Overview of developmental theories (physical, psychosexual, cognitive, emotional, and social development) that describe development from conception to death. Concentration upon applying theoretical concepts to counseling various populations across lifespan.

This course provides an exploration of social and cultural diversity in counseling, including diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural heritages and sexual identities and socioeconomic statuses. It includes a study of historical and current issues of equality as applied to socially marginalized groups; personal reflection on the impact of one’s own attitudes, beliefs, worldview, and racial and cultural identity on the counseling process; strategies for employing culturally competent counseling in individual, group, and family modalities, including specific behavioral skills and application of various theories of racial and cultural identity development; the role of the counselor as an advocate for members of marginalized groups and for the pursuit of social justice; and ethical and legal obligations of counselors in dealing with social and cultural diversity.

Provides an overview of addictive disorders and addictions counseling. Discusses the neurobiological, genetic, psychological, developmental, behavioral, and sociocultural perspectives on the etiology, development and recovery processes associated with substance use disorders. Explores assessment, diagnosis, intervention strategies, determination of appropriate level of care, and specific treatment modalities and counseling approaches for substance use disorders listed in the DSM-5. Discusses the impact of addictions on families, the self-help movement, relapse prevention approaches and the prevention of addictive disorders. Considers treatment issues with diverse cultural groups. Provides an overview of special ethical issues involved in addictions counseling.

This course provides an orientation to the professional specialty of clinical mental health counseling, including professional roles, identity and functions, the history and philosophy of the profession, scope of practice, ethical and professional practice issues (such as managed care), credentialing, and clinical supervision, models, and processes. The course explores models and programs used in the prevention and treatment of mental health across diverse populations, and the design of mental health service delivery systems across levels of care. The course investigates the organizational (including emergency management systems), financing, public policy and regulatory processes of mental health service delivery systems. Advocacy for mental health service needs across diverse populations and for the advancement of the profession will be considered. Prerequisites: BSC 560, CHD 602, CHD 603, CHD 610, CHD 624, CHD 730, CHD 740.

Want More Info?

Submit your information to access a brochure for our online counseling degree program.

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What Is the Career Outlook for Clinical Mental Health Counseling?

Few careers offer the combination of purpose, stability, and impact that clinical mental health counseling provides. As demand for mental health services continues to rise, skilled counselors are needed in communities across the country. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of school and career counselors and advisors is projected to grow 3% over the same period. 

Career Path

Median Annual Wage (BLS*) 

Marriage and Family Therapists $76,960
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors & Advisors $71,430
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $64,440
Rehabilitation Counselors $51,820

*Salaries reflect U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures and vary by location, experience, employer, and specialization.

Your Career Opportunities: 

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): Guide individuals toward mental well-being through tailored therapeutic approaches.
  • Behavioral Health Specialist: Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to design and implement treatment plans.
  • Substance Abuse Counselor: Help clients overcome addiction and achieve sustainable recovery.
  • Clinical Case Manager: Coordinate comprehensive care for individuals navigating complex mental health needs.

With demand for mental health professionals projected to grow rapidly, this track positions you to fill critical gaps in care and make a tangible difference in your community. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Walsh's CACREP-accredited program stands out for its clear focus on preparing you to pass your licensure exam and thrive in a counseling career and hands-on clinical training. Coursework is 100% online with no campus visits required, and practicum hours secured near your community.

You'll graduate career-ready, equipped to make a meaningful impact in a field facing a nationwide shortage of mental health professionals.

Yes. The program is built to prepare you to pass your licensure exam and launch a meaningful counseling career. The program is CACREP-accredited, a recognized standard for quality counseling education, which means its curriculum meets the rigorous academic requirements most states expect for licensure.

Walsh's program requires 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours. This hands-on clinical experience is a core part of your training, giving you the confidence and real-world skills to work directly with clients under professional supervision before you graduate and satisfy the field requirements many states expect on the path to licensure. 

Our field experience team works with you directly to help identify and secure approved practicum and internship sites in your area, guiding you through the process step by step.

No. You do not need a psychology background or undergraduate degree in psychology to apply. We welcome applicants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds united by a shared passion for helping others.

If you're considering a career change into counseling, this program is designed to give you the foundation and clinical training you need to succeed, regardless of your undergraduate major.

Walsh offers an optional Chemical Dependency Certificate you can add to your degree. This specialization deepens your expertise in substance use and addiction counseling, an area of growing demand, and helps you stand out to employers while expanding the populations you're prepared to serve.

The master’s degree program in counseling at Walsh University is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Reach out to an Enrollment Advisor

Whether you have a simple question or need advice to determine which program is best for you, our friendly advisors are here to guide you. They can chat with you on your schedule and guide you through the entire admissions process so you can feel confident in moving forward with Walsh University Online.

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