Online Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health

Graduates of UMO’s Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health program will be prepared to: 

• Provide individual and group counseling services in a variety of mental health settings.
• Assess for trauma and provide crisis intervention to support clients in distress.
• Administer psychological and educational assessments to assist with diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Diagnose mental health and substance use disorders based on clinical evaluation.
• Develop and implement treatment plans tailored to clients’ needs.
• Evaluate client progress and adjust interventions to improve therapeutic outcomes.

To be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health program, applicants must:

• Submit a response to two personal statements to include the following (250-word minimum for each question):
  1. How does the Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health program support your professional goals? And, why is this graduate degree in counseling the right one for this season of your life?
  2. Describe a time when you received feedback that was difficult to hear in the moment. How did you respond? How did the experience impact you directly?
• Submit a resume.
• Submit three letters of recommendation from professional sources (e.g. undergraduate professors/advisers; employers; organizational leaders; clergy) that can attest to the applicant’s academic and personal traits that illustrate intellectual abilities; interpersonal communication skills; dependability, motivation, and integrity; self-awareness; and the capacity to accept constructive feedback. Letters of recommendation submitted by the applicant should include the organization’s logo, a recommender signature, and recommender contact information (email and phone number). Letters of Recommendation should be submitted as a PDF document.
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. A GPA of 2.5-3.0 will be considered based on submission of the personal statement. Official transcript required.
• Invitation to participate in a pre-admissions interview conducted by program faculty. Invitation to interview does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
• Online new student orientation is required prior to the start of the program.
• GRE or GMAT are not required.

As you prepare for your online master’s in counseling courses, be aware of two possible fees that will be required as part of your professional experience courses (practicum and internship) that occur approximately midway through your program:

1. Registration for the Tevera data system: A one-time fee of $220 will be required when enrolling in COUN 500. This provides lifelong access to an online platform for managing your clinical and licensure information. You will be able to track your progress and begin building your professional identity through this real-time activity tracker. In addition, the Tevera video system will be required when enrolling in COUN 591. A one-time fee of $50 allows you to upload and store counseling session videos in a HIPAA-secure platform in your Tevera account.
2. Liability insurance: This will be required to participate in your professional experience courses. Liability insurance can be obtained at a student rate of approximately $105 through the American Counseling Association. Obtaining a membership in this organization will allow you to utilize liability insurance.
3. Criminal background check: This requirement is agency-specific, and some—but not all—agencies require it before you are eligible to complete your practicum and internship. The average cost is $50 or less.

Our annual report provides key insights into the master’s in counseling program, including enrollment and graduation data, admissions statistics, student demographics, and more.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Master of Science in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health program at the University of Mount Olive is to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills, and appropriate attitudes to competently engage in professional clinical mental health counseling as culturally responsive practitioners and advocates in an increasingly diverse society.

VISION STATEMENT

The vision of the faculty is a commitment to purposefully provide learning opportunities that facilitate the development of counselor identity and ethical practice utilizing a variety of research-based counseling interventions and assessments to address the individual needs of diverse clients in an empathetic and culturally sensitive manner. Faculty mentoring, programming that aligns with the profession’s accrediting body, and supervised clinical experiences further support counselor identity development.

VALUES STATEMENT

The values espoused by the faculty are reflective of the University Covenant and the American Counseling Association. We value the following:

• Respect for diversity of thought, values, and principles
• The whole person through the biopsychosocial-spiritual perspective
• Effective collaboration between faculty and students
• Modeling examples of service to the profession, individuals in crisis, and society
• Scholarship in research that promotes competent scientist-practitioners
• High-quality, inspiring, and engaging learning environments
• Ethical standards of honesty, trustworthiness, integrity, justice, responsibility, caring, and respect

The Counseling Program Advisory Board consists of counseling program faculty, other UMO faculty, current students, alumni, site supervisors, and community professionals. The board meets at least once a year to:

• Evaluate the overall effectiveness of UMO’s master’s in counseling program in meeting its established goals and learning objectives
• Ensure CACREP accreditation standards and the training requirements of the counseling profession are upheld
• Ensure the educational and developmental needs of our students and the communities in which we and our students serve are met

Current Advisory Board Members:

Mary Affee, Ed.D., LCSW, CTP, RPT-S, CHC, CFSW
Employer/Position: Horizon Integrated Wellness Group – Owner & Therapist; Cary, N.C.

Deborah Buchanan, Ph.D., NCC, LCPC
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Division Chair & Program Director

Tina Duggins, LMFT
Employer/Position: Thrive Counseling & Consultation PLLC; Fayetteville, N.C.

Wendi Ferrell
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Graduate Student

Lakisha Flynn
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Graduate Student

Heather Goodson, LCMHC, LCAS, CCS
Employer/Position: Integrated Behavioral Health Services, PA; Fayetteville, N.C.

Michael Headen, M.S., LCMHC, LCAS, CCS, CCSOTS, CBIS
Employer/Position: Simplicity Counseling – Co-Owner & Therapist; Goldsboro, N.C.

Angela Johnson, Ph.D., LPC
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Core Faculty

Gregory Jones, M.S., LCAS-A
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Alum (2023)

Tyshayla Joyner
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Graduate Student

Christina Kelley, M.A., LCMHC
Employer/Position: Pride in North Carolina – Lead Regional Director; Kinston, N.C.

Natalie Kemp, M.S.
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Psychology Department Faculty

Barbara Kohler, LCMHC
Employer/Position: The Kohler Group PLLC – Owner & Therapist; Greenville, N.C.

Arianna Lay
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Alum (2024)

Raychelle Lohmann, Ph.D., NCC, LCMHCS (NC), LPC (SC), ACS, GCDF, BC-TMH
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Core Faculty 

James Powell, Ph.D., LCMHC, LCMHCS, LCAS, CCS
Employer/Position: Preferred Choice Healthcare Inc. – Executive Director & Therapist; Shelby, N.C.

Julie Smith
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Alum (2023)

Joshua Smith, Ph.D., NCC, LCMHC
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Core Faculty

Suzan Wasik, Ph.D., NCC, LCMHC, BC-TMH
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Core Faculty

Mysha Wynn, M.S., M.A., CADC, LCMHC-A
Employer/Position: Project Momentum Inc. – Founder/Executive Director; Rocky Mount, N.C.
University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Alum (2023)

David Zealy-Wright, M.S., LCMHCS, LCAS, CCS
Employer/Position: University of Mount Olive – Counseling Program Clinical Coordinator