Practicum- 5902

Practicum Requirements: Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CED 5902)

Students enrolled in CED 5902, must complete supervised practicum experiences that totals a minimum of 100 clock hours (an average of 10 hours per week (or more, but no more than 15 hours a week) over one 15-week semester). Students can only be at one site during practicum. This practicum experience provides opportunities for the development of clinical counseling skills under supervision and includes the following activities and requirements: 

  1. a minimum of 40 hours of direct service with clients and a minimum of 60 hours of indirect services, as previously defined. 
  2. a minimum of weekly interaction with an average of one (1) hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision (supervisors are expected to review students counseling sessions), which occurs regularly over a minimum of one academic term by an approved on-site practicum supervisor. (This required supervision is not counted as in-direct or direct hours). If you are placed at two sites in the same semester you are required to have weekly supervision for an hour on average by both site supervisors. 
  3. a minimum of an average of one and one half (1 ½) to 3 hours per week of group supervision that is provided on a regular schedule over the course of the student’s practicum by a university program faculty member. (This required supervision is not counted as in-direct or direct hours).
  4. a minimum of one (1) hour of individual or triadic supervision once weekly by a university supervisor, who will review raw data. (This required supervision is not counted as in-direct or direct hours).
  5. audio/video recording of most of the student’s counseling sessions with clients for the purposes of weeklysupervision by either site or university supervisor.
  6. evaluation of the student’s performance throughout the practicum experience including informal and formal assessments (mid-term and end of the semester formal evaluations will occur at the minimum). Evaluations are completed by the counseling student, site supervisor, and university supervisor, and peer supervision by classmates may also occur for group supervision/class and/or individual or triadic supervision.
  7. opportunity to become familiar with a variety of professional activities and resources, including technological resources.
  8. adherence to ACA code of ethics.
  9. demonstration of appropriate professional behaviors and disposition, as outlined in the evaluation tools.
  10. If the 10 group facilitation hours are not achieved in HPC 5900, then they have to be achieved in HPC 6900. Please note, being a process observer for group does not count as group facilitation. Group facilitation includes psycho-education group, group counseling and group therapy. Psycho-education must have a goal of changing behavior(s) or attitude(s), provide coping skills around feelings or behaviors, and must have a process component to the group.

Please reference the Clinical Field Experience Manual (PDF, 1.7 MB) for additional details.