A nationwide shortage of clinical mental health and school counselors has led to increasing demand for effective training programs to help fulfill the need. ̽̽ is working to address the issue with its newly launched PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision.
“We see the addition of the PhD program as an opportunity to help our field meet the mental health needs of our communities,” says Dr. Nancy Thacker Darrow, who serves as the coordinator of the new program. “Through our emphasis on social justice and equity, we also aim to prepare students to meet the needs of underserved communities in Vermont, the U.S., and across the globe.”
The new program is a unique opportunity for counseling professionals seeking to elevate their clinical skill sets, become scholar-activists in their communities, and broaden their impact on the wellbeing of others.
“Our faculty will prepare students to be critically conscious educators, supervisors, advanced clinicians, scholars, and advocates. Graduates will expand their influence and job prospects in the counseling profession,” Thacker Darrow says.
Doctoral students will work alongside internationally accomplished faculty with expertise in a variety of research, clinical, and supervisory areas. The program will provide built-in systems for mentorship and opportunities to collaborate on research and scholarship. Faculty will support students' internship experiences in teaching, clinical supervision, research, leadership and advocacy. Joining Thacker Darrow to lead the new program are Drs. Aishwarya Joshi, Jane Okech, Lance Smith, and Julie Welkowitz. Research and scholarship profiles for each faculty member can be found on the program's webpage.
“Students will also benefit from a cohort model,” says Dr. Thacker Darrow. “We recognize graduate study is a challenging journey. As a cohort, students will learn from and support each other throughout the program.”
The 75-credit hour program of study can be completed either full-time in four years or part-time in six years. Graduates will be well-prepared for careers as instructors of counseling in higher education settings, as leaders in community agencies or schools, as counselors in student support programs, or as practitioners in private counseling practice and consultation.
Thacker Darrow is particularly excited about the interdisciplinary training students will receive. "Students will benefit from courses on teaching and research methods taught by colleagues across the College of Education and Social Services,” she explains. “We also have a strong network of collaborators across ̽̽ and throughout Vermont who will support our PhD students. Our faculty are well equipped to build upon our high-quality master’s program and produce counselor educators who will become the next generation of leaders in the profession.”
Applications for the PhD program are welcome from counseling professionals with a master’s degree who have experience providing counseling services to diverse populations in schools, community agencies, private practice, or other settings. The application portal opens on July 1st, but interested candidates are welcome to seek information and ask questions through the program’s webpage.
About the Department of Counseling, Human Development and Family Science at ̽̽
The Department of Counseling, Human Development and Family Science is deeply committed to high quality teaching, research, professional service, and the importance of a collaborative scholarly environment. Pedagogy and curricula are grounded in culturally responsive social justice principles of expanding access to services, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, and exploring pathways to interrupt systemic barriers to positive development and healthy relationships.