Overview of Master Degree Programs in Holistic Counseling
Majors Overview August 8, 2018This article talks about master’s degree programs in holistic counseling and their education requirements, coursework, and job and wage outlook.
Master’s Programs in Holistic Counseling
Many social, physical, and mental illnesses are believed by holistic counselors to originate from a disintegration of the self from the environment or community. Students may need 2-5 years to complete holistic counseling master’s degree programs that can also entail separate specific graduate programs, including a mental health counseling certificate with a holistic counseling concentration. Students learn about the five levels of holistic healing, including one-on-one consultation, personal development, large system, small system, and global system skills. Practical knowledge is available through clinical work and internships.
Licensure is compulsory in every state for mental health counselors, including those who have learned holistic methods; enrollees must, therefore, ensure that the program considered by them satisfy the requirements in their state. While each state may have its separate requirements, a master’s degree, continuing education and several thousand hours of clinical experience are needed for licensure.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a baccalaureate degree and meet a relatively high undergraduate grade point average standard. In many holistic counseling programs, applicants are also required to submit GRE or GMAT scores.
Coursework
The focus of program coursework is on arming enrollees with the skills necessary for functioning as professionals in the mental health field along with assisting their clients to develop personally. A practicum and an internship may be in the program. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Holistic counseling practicum
•Creative intervention skills
•Assessment and treatment
•Systems theory and family therapy
•The mind-body connection
•Foundations of holistic counseling
•Psychopharmacology for mental health professionals
•Counseling through creative arts
•Healing
•Grief counseling
•Group process
Job and Wage Outlook
In 2017, 260,200 individuals in the United States were employed as mental health counselors. Over the 2017-2027 decade, a 23% job growth rate has been predicted for mental health counselors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2017, these professionals brought in an average annual wage of $43,300 (BLS).
