As this academic year has progressed, the faculty and staff at 天美视频 have been in a season of preparation regarding how learning in graduate programs will be delivered post-pandemic. Over the next few months, we will be publishing updates regarding changes to the graduate programs as we move into the future. Two important updates at this stage are:

1. Formation is one of our core values. Much of the relational and formative experience of our students is inherent in on-campus student life and academic study. We have also come to value our learning being accessible and have been energized by new students who reside outside of the Seattle area able to access education at 天美视频 for the first time. Among the work that we have been doing is reviewing options for our graduate programs that align with our commitments to both formation and accessibility.
2. We will be filing a petition by April 1 with ATS (Association of Theological Schools), our national accrediting body, for approval to provide distance education post-pandemic and will hear word on their approval of our application by mid-to-late June. Approval of this petition will give us the opportunity to offer education to those who do not live within commuting distance in the Seattle area. We have received approval from NWCCU (Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities), our regional accreditors, to provide distance education post-pandemic. While we have not yet finalized how our programs will be offered to students learning at a distance, filing this petition to ATS is an important step in the process.

鈥淎t the core of our pedagogy, our practice, and our hope is a G-d that is with us. I believe we have been called to such a time as this, even as we face change and unknown. As we make space for gratitude in the midst of our grief, we focus in on our calling and resist losing our mission to the despair of our times. I believe there is still work for us to do鈥攅specially in this time of polarizing energies鈥攍oving G-d and neighbor through transforming relationships.鈥� said President J. Derek McNeil in a communication to students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Departments from across the institution have worked diligently this year to make distance education and student life accessible for all. The Library staff is ensuring students are able to access resources necessary for coursework, and the IT department is available via an online help desk for students in need of technical support. Members of the Office of Students & Alumni continue providing a variety of opportunities for students and alumni to connect virtually, maintaining the school鈥檚 emphasis on building relationships and vocational formation.

鈥淚 have been grateful and inspired by the courage of our faculty and our students as we shifted to online learning out of necessity due to COVID-19. It has confirmed for us that we’re able to provide good, quality remote learning that aligns with our mission. Our values for relationships and for the integration of psychology and theology remain at the heart of this endeavor.鈥� said Dr. Misty Anne Winzenried, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning.

The school continues to follow guidance from Washington State and King County, which has not yet provided a clear date to be able to re-open campus.

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What is counseling licensure?

Licensure is the granting and regulating of a license for professionals. To practice as a counselor or therapist, you need to become licensed. In our country, licenses are issued by the state, which means we have 50 different processes for 50 different states, and for regulating the practice of mental health counseling and therapy in their state.

The first place to start is knowing the licensure process in the state where you live, and also to check the process in a state you might live in the future. As you’re researching the license requirements in your state or the state you might want to live in in the future, bear in mind that this is a process. You’ll notice that some of the requirements are a bit different, and that’s okay. That’s just knowledge that you want to come equipped with as you pursue your education鈥攚hich leads me to the first step of licensure requirements.

What are the education requirements to become a licensed counselor?

Each state is going to have specifics around what they expect from your education. To practice as a professional counselor therapist, you need to have a master’s degree in a behavioral science-related field. That might be a master of science and counseling, or it might be a master of arts in counseling psychology, like our program here at 天美视频. But you need to show that the degree received matches their education requirements.

The education requirement will spell out content areas that you’re expected to have some robust training and knowledge in. That ranges from things like research and assessment to treatment to working with diverse populations. Something that you鈥檒l want to pay attention to is how many credit hours of each subject area does that state care about. Some states will want you to have six credits of ethics. Another state might want four credits. So again, just be equipped with the knowledge of what your state or states that you might want to practice in are looking for in a counselor.

How important is my school鈥檚 accreditation?

After you have a sense of the content areas that your state wants you to have experience in, pay attention too to the accreditation they want your school of training to have. 天美视频 is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which is the regional accrediting body for the Pacific Northwest. If you’re from a state that prioritizes applicants for licensure, give the Department of Health a call and find out what their appeals process is. Most states, if not all, have an appeal process in place, and often it will default into regional accreditation and perhaps showing 鈥淗ere’s how my program matches CACREP requirements.鈥�

Where can I find the application to become a licensed counselor or therapist?

Applications for licensure are typically found on your . The most important thing that your state will ask you to meet is the education requirement, which looks at the program鈥檚 curriculum, such as: What did you get training in? What are the content areas that you have expertise? They track research assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and working with diverse populations. Some states will require specific courses, like drug and alcohol dependency, or vocational and occupational direction. Whatever program you choose, you’ll want to make sure that as you’re signing up for classes, you are following those guidelines.

Does 天美视频 meet counseling licensure requirements for the state of Washington?

As a school with a counseling program in the state of Washington, our counseling psychology program automatically meets all of the curriculum requirements for the state of Washington. But if you’re coming to 天美视频 from another state, or know that after coming here you might move to another state, you’ll want to have the state鈥檚 curriculum requirement list alongside you as you’re registering for classes. Our academic advisors actively work with students on as discerning classes to register for in the program.

How does my internship impact becoming a licensed therapist?

The last component of your education that you’ll want to pay attention to is the internship expectations. To complete a masters in counseling, you will need to complete a clinical internship. That means you’re out in the community working at a site and working directly with clients. Every state has different requirements, mostly related to the hours that you’ve completed. For instance, Colorado wants you to have 600 internship hours during your program of study. Washington State wants you to have 250 hours during your program of study. We have incredible partnerships with mental health agencies and other counseling services around the region. Each year we do an internship fair, and there are a number of sites that pursue our students to work at their organizations.

Practically speaking, what does the licensure application process look like?

Once you’ve completed your degree, you’ll apply for licensure in the state where you wish to practice. All states have something that’s called a . What that means is you’re in the field, you’re practicing as a therapist, but you’re doing that under supervision of a more seasoned clinician. or instance, in Washington state post-graduation, you go online to the Department of Health, apply for licensure, submit things like your transcript, offer information around how you met the expectations, and let them know that you’re working with a supervisor, and they send you something back saying 鈥淲onderful, congratulations, you’re a licensed mental health counseling associate鈥�. In Washington, associate means you’re working towards full licensure.

Supervision means that you have someone who’s a seasoned person in the field who legally is responsible for you in your work and is someone who you legally can lean into. Because counseling is such a unique field, and so much of it is rooted around containment and creating a safe space that’s confidential for the people that are coming and bringing such tender parts of their stories, you’re going to be holding a lot. A supervisor is a safe, legal space where you can bring the content that you’re working with in a clinical way and get support, feedback, and development.

How long do I have to remain under counseling supervision?

In Washington State, associates are . That sounds like a lot, but depending on the pace at which you鈥檙e working, it typically takes people anywhere from 1 to 3 years to complete those hours. The 3000 hours is broken up into two ways: indirect and direct. Indirect means anything you’re doing related to your clinical work. It might be reading a book. It might be attending a training. It might be doing your case notes. It might be working with your supervisor. That’s 1800 hours of the 3000. Direct hours are any work you鈥檙e doing directly with another person. That could be individual therapy, family therapy, or group therapy. It’s any time you’re doing direct clinical work with a person.

How do I find a supervisor?

If you’re working in a community mental health agency, or in a hospital setting, typically you’re assigned a supervisor, and that person signs off on your clinical work. If you’re in private practice, or maybe you’re in an agency setting that doesn’t offer the type of support that you feel like you need to thrive in the work, you can pursue an approved supervisor. An approved supervisor is someone who is also licensed in the state where you’re practicing, and has met additional requirements beyond the counseling license to become an approved supervisor. They meet with you on a regular basis, and when you are reaching the culmination of your hours, they’ll sign off on the hours that you completed under their supervision.

What are CEU鈥檚 in relation to counseling licensure?

In addition to your clinical hours and your supervision hours, you’ll also need to show proof of . This is an ongoing part of working as a professional in the field. It’s very important and valuable to be able to continue to learn and grow, and that’s one of the expectations of your license is that you’ll be committed to. To apply for licensure you’ll need to show that you’ve completed 36 hours of continuing education.

Is there a test or exam I need to take in order to become a licensed counselor?

The final component of applying for licensure is taking a national exam. There are two options available. There is the NBCC, which is the exam. And there’s the NCE, which stands for the . Washington State will accept either exam. Some states will only accept one or the other. So again, as you’re researching the requirements for your state or the state you wish to live in, pay attention to what they require. NCE is a multiple-choice exam and is comprehensive around the field of counseling. The NBCC is a more vignette-focused exam and will present various scenarios and ask diagnostic and theory questions. I would say if you’re going to get licensed in Washington, think about the way you learn and your study approach, and pick the exam that aligns most with you.

You can complete the exam at any point in your licensure period. So you could do it the day after you graduate when theories and terms and theorists are fresh in your mind. You could put it off and do it right before you鈥檙e ready to submit everything to the state. I would recommend doing it earlier rather than later.

Now that I鈥檝e completed all the requirements to become a licensed counselor, what are my next steps?

Once you’ve completed what鈥檚 called your licensure period, you submit everything to the state. They review it and send you back a certificate showing that you are a licensed mental health counselor or licensed professional counselor. At this point, you’re fully licensed!

Once you’ve become fully licensed, the work then is to maintain your license. The way you maintain your license is to renew it every year, which means you pay a fee and also complete the continuing education requirements. In Washington, your license is due on your birthday every year and your CEUs are due every two years.

It’s such a privilege to be in a therapeutic role with another person, with a family, with a community, and whether you end up resonating with the title of therapist or counselor or psychotherapist or analyst, whichever path you go down in your practice, just hold that end goal with you as you move through your education and as you move through your licensure period.

Due to changes from COVID-19, we recommend checking for any updates to the licensure process in your state.

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鈥淲e are elated that this hard work has come to a good end. It is a sign of our collective commitment to grow, develop, and mature as an institution,鈥� said Dr. J. Derek McNeil, President and Provost. 鈥淭his is a significant milestone, one that has been twelve years in the making.鈥�

The journey toward accreditation began in 2015 when NWCCU approved 天美视频 as an Applicant for Candidacy. As a candidate, the school underwent a rigorous review process and multi-day site visits by the accrediting body, culminating in a final visit in the Fall of 2019. The site team, led by Dr. Linda Samek, Provost, George Fox University, left this last visit with affirming commendations and insights for continued growth.

鈥淭he accreditation process was for us, a very useful and rewarding experience,鈥� said Cheryl Goodwin, Director of Institutional Assessment and Library Services. 鈥淚t made us reflect on our teaching and assessment, challenged us to be self-critical, and gave us extremely valuable guidance to improve our students鈥� educational experience. It is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have worked tirelessly in pursuit of accreditation as an important step in the fulfillment of our mission of serving God and neighbor.鈥�

Throughout this process, key members of the institution worked tirelessly to create an Interim Candidacy Self Evaluation Report and ensure all recommendations from the evaluation team were met in a timely manner. The Candidacy stage, as noted in an earlier press release, allows an institution to clarify the institution鈥檚 capacity for long-term impact. 天美视频 achieved accreditation in approximately a year and a half, well ahead of the average Candidacy period of two to four years.

鈥淣WCCU is committed to an accreditation process that adds value to institutions while contributing to public accountability, and we thank you for your continued support of this process,鈥� said Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, NWCCU President, acknowledging the school鈥檚 achievement.

In their official letter of action, the Commission commended 天美视频 for:

• Its committed, caring, and high-quality faculty and staff.
• The integration of theology and psychology and its deep embodiment of the integrative experience through the holistic student education process as offered by faculty and staff, including the active and relational follow up with alumni.
• Highly committed and well-qualified administrators and trustees who demonstrated steadiness and took on additional responsibilities, all with a keen focus on mission fulfillment.

鈥淎ccreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities marks 天美视频 as an institution that has successfully engaged in a rigorous evaluation process alongside other quality institutions in our region. We are grateful for the years of hard work by our accreditation team, faculty, and staff, and for the maturity and growth that the process has ignited for us as an institution,鈥� said Misty Anne Winzenried, PhD, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning.

In his announcement to faculty, staff, and students President McNeil stated: 鈥淚t is with great hope and expectation that we look to the future of 天美视频. To the upcoming graduates who will be among the first to culminate their degree with this distinction, and to partnerships that we will build with other institutions and organizations across the Pacific Northwest. We have much to offer, and much to learn and receive.鈥�

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