What Is Counseling?
The practice of professional counseling is the application of mental health, psychological or human development principles, through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic intervention strategies that address wellness, personal growth, or career development, as well as pathology.
Mission Statement
The Counselor Education Graduate Program at SUNY New Paltz trains highly skilled mental health and school counselors knowledgeable in both the practice and science of counseling. The program’s climate combines rigorous academic standards along with a collegial and supportive mentoring environment that conceptualizes students as emerging professionals. The program is committed to academic and personal development of counseling trainees within an atmosphere that values cultural and intellectual diversity. The program’s goal is to prepare mental health and school counselors who:
- Possess the knowledge and skills necessary to practice as highly competent counselors
- Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a commitment to continually expanding their counseling knowledge and proficiency
- Understand and model the professional standards and ethics of their profession
- Attend to their own personal growth, as well as that of their clients, through utilizing supervision, valuing interpersonal feedback, and engaging in ongoing self-evaluation
- Show mastery of the research process and understand its central role in counseling practice and conducting program evaluation
- Are open-minded and respectful of multicultural and intellectual diversity
- Use their counseling knowledge to function as compassionate and caring practitioners, advocates, and leaders within their profession and within the communities they serve
Program Philosophy
The comprehensive counseling programs combine theoretical and applied approaches to serving clients. Courses in all of the programs provide a balanced selection of academic and experiential education, with an emphasis on reflective practice of skills. The programs prepare professionals to help people develop their resources to resolve problems, to make decisions and to facilitate growth and development.
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
If you would like more information about counselor education at SUNY New Paltz please contact:
Susan Buckbee, Administrative Assistant
Office: Wooster Hall 319
Email: buckbees@newpaltz.edu
Admission Information
Alana Matuszewski
Director of Graduate Admission
Phone: (845)-257-3285
Email: gradadmissions@newpaltz.edu
