More and more children each year suffer from diagnosable mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. But, unfortunately, less than 20 percent of them are diagnosed and receive the care they need. Azusa Pacific University has a solution for clinicians eager to bridge this gap. The M.S in Counseling Psychology with Specialization in Children and Adolescents equips clinicians with the tools, skills and tactics necessary to treat today’s American youth. This program is available in full-time and part-time options to help students succeed at their own pace. Plus, APU offers fieldwork opportunities to give students firsthand experience while putting in the 280 practicum hours required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Mental health counseling for children
This M.S. in Counseling Psychology prepares clinicians to serve the mental health needs of our youngest citizens, our children and youth. From a curriculum grounded in a Christian perspective, students will explore best practices for treatments, examine issues in childhood trauma and recovery, and study subjects like youth substance abuse, multicultural counseling and psychopharmacology. Graduates of the program will be prepared to pursue LPCC licensure in California. Students solidify their child and adolescent counseling skills with coursework in:
- Group counseling
- Multicultural counseling
- Diagnosis and treatment planning
- Ethics and professional issues
- Treatment of substance use disorders
- Interventions for trauma and crises
- Counseling adolescents
- And more.