Counseling

Chair and Professor: David M. Kleist

Professors: Liz Horn, Leslie Stewart, Chad Yates

Associate Professors: Leila Roach, Renee Howells

Assistant Professors: Alexandra Gantt-Howery, Hana Meshesha, Ngonidzashe Mpofu

Clinical Assistant Professors: Conner Vrba, Angelica Castillo, Shawn Parmanand

Adjunct Faculty: Peter Pruett

Emeriti Faculty: Virginia B. Allen, Judith A. Crews, Stephen S. Feit
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and CounselingDegreePh.D
Educational Specialist DegreeDegreeEd.S.
Master of CounselingDegreeM.COUN.
Graduate Certificate in Animal Assisted ServicesCertificate
Graduate Certificate in Athlete CounselingCertificate

Master Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Master of Counseling (M.COUN.) program faculty is to nurture the next generation of highly skilled and ethically-minded counseling professionals.  The Department of Counseling faculty believe that providing comprehensive education, grounded in evidence-based practices, and a commitment to creating an environment of belonging, accessibility, as well as being representative of the world within which counselors work, prepares students to excel in counseling practice, research, advocacy, and leadership within the counseling profession. The Master of Counseling degree is designed to be the strong foundation upon which graduates enter a lifetime career in the counseling profession.

Master Program Objectives

The Master of Counseling program offers four specialty practice areas to meet students’ learning and professional career goals:

Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling;  Clinical Mental Health Counseling;  Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling;  and School Counseling.

Students will experience a variety of learning opportunities through rigorous coursework, hands-on experiences, and supportive mentorship.  We strive to empower our students to make meaningful and healthy contributions to the well-being of individuals, couples, families, and communities while upholding the highest of standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.  The clinical nature of this program allows students to graduate with confidence in their abilities to meet future client needs and state licensure requirements as professional counselors.  In addition, graduates from the School Counseling specialty practice area meet the requirements for the Idaho School Counselor Pupil Service Staff Certificate;  while graduates from the Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling specialty practice area meet the requirements to apply for the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.

Objectives for all students within the counseling program align with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) core areas and seek to maintain each of the following for all graduates: 

  • Develop a strong sense of professional counseling identity and ethical practice.
  •  Facilitate student exploration of the meaning and practice of culturally competent counseling and exploration of personal biases, privileges, and identities.
  • Prepare students to conceptualize clients from a developmental perspective and consider how this may impact client experiences throughout the lifespan.
  • Prepare students to work with clients in any stage of career development and life-work balance.
  • Provide students with a foundational knowledge of counseling skills and building therapeutic relationships.
  • Prepare students to engage with group counseling facilitation and systems approaches.
  • Prepare students to be competent in clinical assessment, program evaluation and consumers and producers of knowledge.

Student Professional Objectives: In addition to the above curricular objectives, the Department of Counseling, has program specific objectives including: 

  • School Counseling students will obtain certification as school counselors.
  • Students in all majors (Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling) will obtain the appropriate state licensure as professional counselors.

Doctoral Program Mission Statement

Our CACREP-accredited doctoral program in Counselor Education and Counseling is dedicated to advancing the field of counselor education and supervision through rigorous scholarship, innovative andragogy and supervision, and active engagement with leadership and advocacy. Our mission is to cultivate the next generation of leaders in counselor education and supervision who will shape the future of the counseling profession via transformative learning experiences, mentorship, and scholarly inquiry. 

We believe it is also our mission to:

  • instill a strong sense of professional identity as counselor educators, supervisors, social justice advocates, and researchers,
  • help students gain an understanding of the rich history and knowledge base in counselor education, 
  • facilitate expertise in the skills of teaching, supervision, advocacy, and research,
  • aid students/graduates in their initial job placement as a counselor educator,
  • teach and perform research applicable to the practice of counselor education, supervision, and counseling,
  • aid students in developing lifelong cultural humility and its integration into their roles as counselor educators and supervisors. 
  • The Department of Counseling also has a mission within the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences, College of Health, which is to represent the mental health perspective within the Division and to consult with Division faculty and departments, encouraging a holistic perspective for health care services.

Doctoral Program Objectives

The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Counseling is designed to prepare graduates for work in counselor education programs. The major emphasis of this program is to prepare graduates for a career in university teaching, supervision, and research in counseling programs.

Counselor education and counseling students at Idaho State University will be:

  • Prepared to teach courses in counseling skills and counseling theories.
  • Prepared to supervise counselors and counseling students via individual/triadic and group supervision across all counseling specialties (i.e., CMHC, CRC, MCFC, and SC).
  • Prepared to teach selected courses in one or more of the CACREP counseling specialty areas.
  • Prepared to teach selected courses within 3 of the CACREP core areas.
  • Prepared to evaluate counselor education programs and counseling sites.
  • Knowledgeable of professional issues in the field of counselor education and the profession of counseling.
  • Knowledgeable of ethical issues and practices in the field of counselor education and the profession of counseling.
  • Experienced in developing and conducting qualitative and quantitative research.
  • Experienced in writing for professional publications.
  • Experienced in the advisement and mentorship of master’s level counseling students.
    Knowledgeable and skilled in providing advanced clinical counseling skills.

  • Knowledgeable and integration of sociological manifestations of cultural diversity, intersectionality, and positionality and the roles and duties of a counselor educator. 

Counselor Education

Graduate-level preparation for:

  • counselors who seek employment in schools, universities, community mental health, and various other settings, and
  • college student affairs professionals.

Pre-Counseling

Preparation should consist of a broad undergraduate course of study, including some work in psychology (learning and personality theory), sociology, and the communication skills. For those seeking positions in public elementary and secondary schools, state certification requirements should be considered.

Degree Programs

Degree programs offered by the department include Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Counseling, and Educational Specialist. Majors are available within the Masters of Counseling (M.COUN) degree: Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; School Counseling; Student Affairs Counseling (M.COUN.); and Counseling (Ed.S.).

Accreditation

The Department of Counseling programs are approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) as follows: Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling (M.COUN.); Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.COUN.); School Counseling (M.COUN.);  and Counselor Education and Counseling (Ph.D.). The Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Program is new as of the fall of 2020 and accreditation is presently being sought. 

Progression in Clinical Track Classes - Master's

Students who obtain a final grade of 2.7 (B-) or lower in any clinical track class will be dismissed from the Department of Counseling. Students who withdraw from any clinical track class, without the prior approval of the department, will be dismissed from the program. Students can appeal their dismissal from the program through ISU's Appeal Policy.

Departmental Dismissal Policies

Master's Degree Retention and Dismissal Policy

Department of Counseling faculty are confident that each student admitted has the potential to be successful in graduate study. Success in course work, clinical practice, case presentations, comprehensive exams, oral exam, and enactment of the core dispositions are examples of the continuation standards within the Department. Such successes facilitate students' progress toward completing a degree in the Department of Counseling. However, admission into the counseling program does not guarantee success. Faculty expect students to fully engage in all aspects of the learning environment, showing openness to new experiences and risk-taking necessary to develop as a person and professional counselor. The student’s Masters' Committee Chair/Advisor plays an integral role in giving feedback to a student, thus providing opportunities for continued growth and development. Engagement in all aspects of the academic experiences developed by faculty in the Department exemplify professional competence and will increase the probability of successful completion of the program.

The Department of Counseling faculty members have a professional responsibility to serve as gatekeepers for the counseling profession. Counseling is a profession that requires active and complex gatekeeping to protect the public welfare of our communities. In particular, gatekeeping refers to the responsibility of all counselors, counselor educators, and student counselors to intervene with counselor trainees, supervisees, professional colleagues, and supervisors who engage in behavior that could threaten the welfare of those receiving counseling services. This responsibility is mandated in the ethical standards of both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) by specifying that counselors must act to rectify the problematic condition through appropriate organizational and professional channels (ACA, 2014, Section F.5.; NBCC, 2005, Section A; McAdams & Foster, 2009).

Faculty, site supervisors, and doctoral students systematically discuss and evaluate students’ progress in the program. When impediments are identified, the student will be informed verbally and in writing. Impediments may include, but are not limited to, those offered by Frame and Stevens-Smith (1995):

  • inability to be open, flexible, positive, and cooperative
  • unwilling to accept and use feedback
  • unaware of impact on others
  • inability to deal with conflict and accept personal responsibility
  • inability to express feelings effectively and appropriately

The above examples are also found in the description of the Core Dispositions in the Student Handbook. If others (i.e., faculty, doctoral level supervisors, and site supervisors) have made similar observations, the Department Chairperson, Master's Committee Chair (i.e. advisor), or other faculty will initiate a meeting with the student to discuss the apparent impediment to progress toward professional competence. Remedies and expected behavior changes will be discussed and outlined in written and verbal form.

Students will be given specific feedback on the nature of their their problems of professional competence and steps to remove the barrier(s) to progress toward professional competency when appropriate. In many instances a Professional Progression Plan (PPP) will be crafted to provide clear and specific ways the student can improve and continue to progress in the program. However, in more extreme cases (e.g., student poses a potential harm to self or others), faculty may choose to remove the student from the program without a PPP. In such cases, faculty will meet to discuss the student's failure to meet continuation standards (i.e., retention requirements) and a vote for dismissal will be entertained, guided by Graduate School policy.

The PPP represents a formal agreement between the Department and student who has been identified as having impediments to their progress as a counselor in the program. Upon receipt of the PPP, the student will review the plan and provide their signature indicating an understanding of the requirements expected and as agreement to meet the requirements described within. A student who chooses to appeal the content of their PPP must initiate a two-tiered appeal process, beginning with a formal written letter emailed to the Department Chair, from the student's ISU email address. It is the content of the PPP that is open for appeal, not the existence of the PPP itself. The second and final level of the appeal procedure is communicating intent to the Dean of the College of Health. This requires a formal written letter emailed to them directly, from the student's ISU email address.

If the PPP is upheld by the Department Chair and the Dean of the College of Health, and the student still refuses to sign, a vote for dismissal will be entertained, guided by Graduate School policy.

 Dismissal of a master’s student can be initiated in a variety of circumstances including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Dismissal will occur when students violate the criteria established by the Graduate School (see Appeals and Dismissals in the Graduate Catalog). http://coursecat.isu.edu/graduate/generalinfoandpolicies/appealsanddismissals/

Dismissal for failure to meet continuation standards related to academic and clinical competency will occur when a student: 

  • Earns a B- or below in COUN 6696 Prepracticum Counseling Techniques,
  • OR earns a B- or below in COUN 6621 Counseling Ethics,
  • OR earns a B- or below in COUN 6624 Cultural Counseling,
  • OR six credits at or below 2.7 (B- or below),
  • OR earns below a 3.0 cumulative GPA (B),
  • Or when students obtain a final B- or below in Practicum COUN 6697 or Internship COUN 6698.
  • Students must complete COUN 6696, 6621, and 6624 to progress in the program.
  • Withdraws from a course without approval from their advisor

Students earning a B- or below in clinical coursework have the ability to appeal and must petition and gain approval from the graduate faculty in the department in order to continue in the program. The Department of Counseling follows the Appeal Process detailed in the Appeals and Dismissals section of the ISU Graduate Catalog. http://coursecat.isu.edu/graduate/generalinfoandpolicies/appealsanddismissals/

Due to the nature of the program, students can be dismissed for professional competence concerns (i.e., unrelated to success with course assignments and grades). The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (2014) requires counselor educators to provide remediation and/or dismissal from counseling programs when “they become aware of limitations that might impede performance” or when students are unable to demonstrate “they can provide competent counseling services to a range of diverse clients (6.f.b.).” As stated above, gatekeeping is an ethical mandate for counselor educators and designed to protect counselors in training and their current and future clients. Professional competence concerns that could lead to dismissal include, but are not limited to, impairment as described by Frame and Stevens-Smith (1995), academic dishonesty, ethical violations, lack of professional comportment, personal attitudes or value systems that conflict with effective counseling relationships, and personal concerns or psychopathology.

In all cases of dismissal, the student will be notified in writing by email and certified mail, return receipt requested, that the student is dismissed, and must be told in the document that they have the right to appeal according to the Idaho State University Graduate policy.

Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating and plagiarism. For the complete statement on academic dishonesty, please refer to the current ISU Catalog at http://coursecat.isu.edu/graduate/generalinfoandpolicies/academicdishonesty/

Plagiarism represents the most obvious, and potent, form of academic dishonesty for a counselor and scholar. A confirmed incident of plagiarism can be career-ending, particularly if the incident is deemed intentional. However, even unintentional plagiarism is still plagiarism and a serious ethical issue. This form of academic dishonesty also is of primary importance for you as a master's student. Your understanding of the breadth of what is considered plagiarism, and the steps to avoid an incident of plagiarism, is central to your development and success as a master's student and scholar.

Examples of ethical violations include, but are not limited to, the improper use of technology, failure to secure informed consent, breach of confidentiality, and lack of professional comportment. Lack of professional comportment includes, but is not limited to, a lack of engagement in course requirements, issues within interpersonal relationships with peers, doctoral students, and faculty, and inappropriate use of power with clients and other students. Faculty believe the enactment of the core dispositions embodies the values of the counseling profession and deficiencies in these areas could lead to dismissal. All students are encouraged to seek counseling and attend to their mental health. A student’s unwillingness to attend to intra- or inter-personal impediments contributing to impairment may lead to dismissal.

Dismissal Process Flow Chart

Process is continuous from start to graduation.

Counseling Dismissal Process Flow

In addition to the ACA Code of Ethics, the Department of Counseling adheres to Idaho State University policies with regard to student conduct and academic dishonesty. For more information about university expectations of student conduct, see the Idaho State University Student Code of Conduct website.