Wake Forest University Department of Counseling

CNS738b: Clinical Mental Health Practicum
Spring-1 2026


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Syllabus Contents

Course Faculty

University Supervisor: Ivana Stoilovich

Email: stoiloi@wfu.edu

University Supervisor: Shannon Warden

Email: wardensp@wfu.edu

University Supervisor: Anne Erickson

Email: ericksam@wfu.edu

University Supervisor: Courtney Borsuk

Email: borsukcs@wfu.edu

University Supervisor: Christine Gainey

Email: gaineyc@wfu.edu

University Supervisor: Donald Songy

Email: songyd@wfu.edu

University Supervisor: Joseph Pistorius

Email: pistorj@wfu.edu

Course Description

The practicum is a highly individualized learning experience that provides opportunities for growth in skills, knowledge, and personal development. In Practicum, students will be provided the opportunity to increase understanding of themselves and their impact on others as well as augment their understanding of their setting (school or community/mental health). Practicum meetings will be composed of various experiences to be determined by the needs, abilities, and concerns of the group members and supervisor. Activities will be designed to facilitate growth in specific counseling skills, case conceptualization skills, self-awareness, and professional identity development.

Course Objectives

From Section 4 of CACREP’s 2024 standards:

  1. Students are covered by individual professional counseling liability insurance while enrolled in practicum and internship. (CACREP 4.B)
  2. Supervision of practicum and internship students includes secure audio or video recordings and/or live supervision of students’ interactions with clients that are in compliance with applicable institutional, state, federal, and international privacy requirements for all program delivery types. (CACREP 4.C)
  3. Formative and summative evaluations of the student’s counseling performance and ability to integrate and apply knowledge are conducted as part of the student’s practicum and internship. (CACREP 4.F)
  4. Students have the opportunity to become familiar with a variety of professional activities and resources, including technology, as part of their practicum and internship. (CACREP 4.D)
  5. In addition to the development of individual counseling skills, during either the practicum or internship, students must lead or co-lead a counseling or psychoeducational group. (CACREP 4.E)

Assignments/expectations are linked to the above CACREP Standards and are designated by the corresponding number and letter (e.g., 4.B)

Practicum Overview

The counseling practicum is a pre-internship experience designed to help students further develop their individual counseling and group work skills under careful supervision. The practicum includes a minimum of 185 total hours, with at least 150 hours of field experience in a community/mental health or school setting plus at least 35 hours of individual/triadic and group supervision by University faculty. The 185 hours break down as follows:

Each semester’s experience includes the following:

Work in schools as an intern counselor and satisfactorily complete the following requirements:

Expectations per WFU Counseling Department as related to CACREP 2024 Standards 4:D–E

Student Expectations

Note: See Appendix A for the Tele-mental Health Counseling Policy regarding professional behavior expectations while counseling virtually.

Student Responsibilities

Note: Failure to complete tasks as assigned may prevent you from being able to complete the course.

    1. Consent to Record form: (CACREP 4.C) Check to see if your site has a written consent-to-record form. If the site doesn’t have such a form, you may use the WFU Consent to Record Form (PDF) provided on the WFU Counseling Department website and modify as needed in conjunction with your site and university supervisors. If you are modifying the WFU form or using your site’s form, please submit a blank copy to your university supervisor to review. Talk with your site supervisor about recording issues. Some sites have special requirements or circumstances. Obtain permission to record counseling sessions during your first session with a client. If the client is a minor, the form needs to be signed by a parent or legal guardian. You may also use the WFU Phone Consent Form (PDF) found on the WFU Counseling Department website to contact legal guardians. Talk to your site supervisor BEFORE you send out a consent form to anyone.
    2. Site Supervisor-Student Recording Agreement: (CACREP 4.C) Your site supervisor will sign this form verifying that your signed consent of record forms will remain secured onsite. This form can be found on Anthology.
    3. Ethical Guidelines for Internship and Practicum Students form: Please review the form with your site supervisor. You will need to initial and sign in the indicated spaces. This form can be found in Anthology.
    4. Professional Disclosure Statement: Work with your site and university supervisors to develop a professional disclosure statement, which identifies you as a Practicum student from Wake Forest University. You will find suggestions for what to include on Canvas. If you are involved in providing tele-mental health services, please remember to include that in your Professional Disclosure Statement.
    5. Practicum/Internship Learning Experience form: Develop and present a practicum agreement signed by the student and the site supervisor and approved by the university supervisor. Negotiation and modification of this contract may be required. This form can be found in Anthology.
    6. Learning Goals: Develop and submit a written statement of individual learning goals for practicum. Goals should be clearly and specifically articulated and should address issues in the following four areas: (1) specific counseling skills, (2) case conceptualization skills, (3) self-awareness, and (4) professional growth and development.
    7. Recordings: (CACREP 4.C) You will record as many of your client sessions as you are able. You will submit a minimum of THREE recordings for review and critique (if you are submitting group sessions for review, you must also submit individual sessions as well. Your tapes must be AUDIBLE. Inaudible tapes will NOT be accepted, and you will be asked to produce more tapes. You MUST use WFU Zoom Pro (zoom.wfu.edu) to record your sessions. You must test your recording device and Zoom Pro—prior to starting a session—to make sure that your audio is clear and AUDIBLE. Remember: you will need to ensure that you can send the recording to your university supervisor. Per Wake Forest counseling departmental policy, EITHER audio or video recordings are allowed.

      Each recording should be accompanied by:

          • Recording Review Form
          • Transcript–at least 15 minutes

      These forms, as well as the Recording Grading Rubric can be found in Canvas under Case Presentations in Assignments.

      Please remember that it is your responsibility to adhere to the highest standards for privacy, including HIPAA and FERPA regulations, regarding client confidentiality. Do not include clients’ names or initials in any written communication (e.g., emails, recording review forms).

      You are encouraged to record as many sessions as possible. Your university supervisor may request additional recordings and/or transcriptions of sessions at any time in order to assess your clinical skills.

          • Recordings should comply with the host site’s policies.
          • Students should ensure that clients have signed proper release forms, which include the notification that such recordings may be used for educational purposes.
          • Listen to your recording before giving it to your university supervisor.
          • All recordings should be accompanied by the Recording Review Form which can be found on Canvas.
          • You must give your supervisor adequate time to review your recording.
          • Please turn it in for review at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled supervision. (This does not include Saturday/Sunday.)

      IF RECORDING AT YOUR SITE IS A CHALLENGE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR UNIVERSITY SUPERVISOR.

    8. Case presentation: (CACREP 4.F) Make at least one oral case presentation to your supervision group. Turn in the Recording Review Form and your full recording at least 48 hours prior to your presentation. Follow the guidelines for Oral Case Presentation found on Canvas. You should use one continuous segment of tape approximately 10 minutes long for your presentation. Make a note on your Recording Review Form about which 10-minute segment you plan to use. Students will sign up for presentation dates. This will count as one of your 3 required recordings. Additional opportunities to present cases may be required by your university supervisor, and/or requested by students. Student requests will be accommodated when time allows.
    9. On-site Supervision: (CACREP 4.F, 4.W, 4X) Meet in-person, regularly (preferably 1x/week for at least 30 minutes) with your site supervisor. Note: If there are any urgent, unusual, or otherwise pressing issues that supervisors need to be aware of, please notify your site and university supervisors as soon as possible (don’t wait until your next scheduled supervision meeting).
    10. Self-evaluation: (CACREP 4.F) In lieu of a final examination, submit a self-evaluation paper (3-4 pages) that describes your personal and professional achievements during the practicum. Discuss what you learned as a result of this experience and include goals for your next clinical experience.
    11. Participation: (CACREP 4.C, 4.F, 4.W, 4.X) Attend and actively participate in all weekly group sessions. One absence in group will be excused without penalty; however, more than one absence may result in a 10% deduction per absence in your final grade. Excessive absences are unacceptable and may result in failure to receive credit for the course. Arriving late, leaving early, driving during session, and not being in a private space are not permitted and will negatively impact your grade. These behaviors will be treated as absences, as well as potential ethical/professional violations. If you are unable to attend a supervision session, please let your university supervisor know as soon as possible, as part of your demonstration of professional behaviors in this course.
    12. Other Forms: There are several forms you will need to complete throughout the semester. Most forms are available on Canvas or Anthology. Failure to submit required forms as assigned may prevent you from being able to proceed to internship. Also see checklist at the end of the syllabus.
      • Time Log: Maintain a weekly time log recording your field experiences. This log will be completed in Anthology. Your completed time log will be reviewed regularly by your supervisors. Your Site Supervisor will sign off on your Time Logs. Please read the instructions in Canvas carefully as to recording time in 15-minute increments.
      • Recording Review Form: Submit a completed Recording Review Form with each recording as assigned.
      • Student’s Evaluation of Prac/Intern/Field Experience Form: This form is to be completed by you at the end of the semester.
      • Student’s Evaluation of University Faculty Supervisor: Louisa Steffen will send you a link to a confidential evaluation by the last day of the semester.
      • Site Supervisor Evaluation of Student: The site supervisor will submit a mid-semester and an end-of-semester evaluation of you. Your site supervisor should review this evaluation with you.
      • University Supervisor Evaluation of Student: The university supervisor will submit a mid-semester and end-of-semester evaluation of student completed by university supervisor. Your university supervisor will review this evaluation with you.
    13. Individual Counseling: (CACREP 5.H.11; 5.H.14-18; 4.D) Practice and continue to improve your basic counseling and interviewing skills with individuals, including structuring a counseling session and following the lead of the client to build a helping relationship. Keep progress notes for all individual counseling sessions in accordance with the site requirements. If you are in a co-counseling role, discuss your observations with your site supervisors and with your university supervisor.
    14. Group Counseling (CACREP 4.E) During either practicum or internship, students must lead or co-lead a counseling or psychoeducation group. If the student does not gain experience leading or co-leading a group during practicum, they must gain this experience during internship.
    15. Consultation, Collaboration, & Community: (CACREP 5.H.3; 5.H.11; 5.H.15; 5.H.16, 5.H.19; 4.D) Participate in at least one consultation experience, if possible. This may include parent consultation, consultation with school personnel, peer review at the site, or consultation with other agencies (when appropriate).
    16. Evaluation of Student: (CACREP 4.F) All requirements for and interactions regarding this course are opportunities to demonstrate your professional counseling knowledge and behavior. Grades on your midterm and final evaluations are earned based upon our observations of your clinical and professional competence in multiple areas (see evaluation form for specific domains). You will be evaluated on your clinical skills and professional dispositions as demonstrated in: your attendance (including being on time, in an appropriate setting, and with necessary technology); your session recordings and review forms; your contributions to and engagement in individual and group supervision; your openness to and integration of feedback; your timely completion of all course requirements (including all paperwork and required signatures); your professional, timely, and ethical communication with supervisors, clients, and colleagues; and other professional tasks.

Course Materials

Items listed refer only to the textbook(s), WFU library readings, or scholarly articles or resources, and are typically available through the Course Materials tool (accessible via the Course Menu or Getting Started Module). Refer to the course space for all other instructional content (websites, lectures, videos, interactive activities, etc.).

Required Text(s)

Hodges, S. (2024). The counseling practicum and internship manual: A resource for graduate counseling students (4th ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Co. ISBN: 9780826166067 (paperback) ISBN: 9780826166074 (ebook)

Required Materials

The following are available through Course Materials:

Additional Materials

Webcam.

Methods of Instruction

Instructional methods in this course include discussions and variety of other supervision activities. Examples of such activities include:

Instructor Interactions

Apart from clinical courses, WFU online courses are primarily asynchronous in nature, meaning students and instructors can engage with the learning materials at different times. There are a few notable exceptions, however, such as live sessions, office hours, and triad work (skills courses). For the asynchronous portions of our courses, students interact with instructors through virtual discussion boards, weekly video and/or written announcements, email communications, and formative and summative feedback on assignments. For the synchronous portions of our courses, students interact with lead instructors in weekly, recorded live sessions, and with practitioner instructors in office hours. Regarding live sessions, lead instructors meet virtually with students one hour per week in which they present on a topic related to the learning material for the week, as well as answer questions that students have about the course material or assignments. In office hours, practitioner instructors answer students’ questions about course content and assignments. They also, at times, present on topics related to that week’s lessons.

In clinical courses, university supervisors interact with students primarily through individual/triadic and group supervision sessions. University supervisors also monitor students’ time logs, review required practicum and internship documents, evaluate their counseling session recordings and writeups, and submit midterm and final evaluations related to students’ counseling skills development, as well as their professional dispositions and behaviors development.

Assessments

This section provides an overview of the items due during this course. See the Course Schedule for additional details.

Discussions

Weeks 1–14: Individual/Paired Supervision
Weeks 1–14: Weekly Group Supervision

Assignments

These are the assignments that will be completed and submitted throughout the duration of the course.

Week 1: Telemental Health Policy Agreement
Week 4: Forms

Students are expected to complete and submit the following required documentation by the end of Week 4:

If students will be conducting any tele-mental health counseling as part of their internship, they will complete the documentation requested as part of the Tele-mental Health Counseling Policy found in Appendix A.

Weeks 1–14: Weekly Time Log
Weeks 1–14: Weekly Individual/Paired and Group Supervision Meetings
Week 7: Site Supervisor’s Evaluation of Clinical Mental Health Students - Midterm
Week 8: University Supervisor’s Evaluation - Midterm
Case Presentation and Recordings
Individual Supervision Counseling Recordings – Recording Review Forms
Week 14: Self-Evaluation Paper
Week 14: Site Supervisor’s Evaluation - Final
Week 14: Student's Evaluation of Practicum Experience
Week 14: Student's Evaluation of University Supervisor
Week 14: University Supervisor’s Evaluation - Final

Student Learning Outcomes/Key Performance Indicators

There are four signature assignments for this course, the midterm and final site supervisor evaluations and the midterm and final university supervisor evaluations. These evaluations will be completed by your site and university supervisors in Anthology Portfolio, an e-Portfolio, data storage, and data management program. The midterm and final evaluations will be used for course grade calculations (as described in the Grading Policies), program evaluation reporting, and student learning outcomes (SLO)/key performance indicator (KPI) monitoring. For program evaluation reporting and SLO/KPI monitoring, we use a CACREP rubric that measures student learning on a scale from 1 (harmful) to 5 (exceeds expectations). The student learning outcome on which you will be evaluated for the midterm and final evaluations are:

Based on the 2024 CACREP standards (2.E.1.a., 2.C.1.a.), our counseling program is required to report aggregated SLO/KPI ratings, as well as monitor individual student SLO/KPI progress. The expectation is that students, on average and individually, will receive average CACREP rubric ratings of 4 (meets expectations) on each SLO/KPI measure. Student ratings on SLO/KPI measures that fall below a 3 (near expectations) may result in remediation.

Late Work

Students are encouraged to make the same effort to submit all assignments on time that they would use in the workplace. It is, however, understood that sometimes circumstances arise that are beyond our control. To request an extension, students should contact their University Supervisor as soon as a problem is identified to provide details and determine a realistic deadline. Assignments submitted late without prior approval will not be eligible for full credit.

Unless arrangements have been made, students who submit late assignments will receive a 10% grade deduction for each day beyond the due date.

Grading Policies

This table details the grade points and/or percentages of each assignment.

Grading
Assignment Points Possible Percentage
University Supervisor’s Evaluation - Midterm 100 40%
University Supervisor’s Evaluation - Final 100 60%
Total 200 100%

Final grading is at the discretion of the university supervisor.

Note: Per Department and University policy, for skills and clinical courses such as this one, a grade below 82.5 will result in the student being required to re-take the course.

Grading Scale

This table lists the letter grade corresponding to ranges of points.

Grading Scale
Letter Grade Percentage
A 93–100
A− 90–92
B+ 87–89
B 83–86
B− 80–82
C+ 77–79
C 70–76
F 0–69

AI Policy

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT) is permitted for the following activities:

The use of generative AI tools is not permitted for the following activities:

Using AI in a way that is not permitted is a violation of the Graduate Student Academic Honor Code (PDF) If you are uncertain about whether you can use AI in any other instance, please ask your instructor.

Academic Policies: Tele-mental Health Counseling, Academic Integrity, Bias, and Other Academic Policies

Every student is required to practice and adhere to the principle of academic integrity while undertaking studies with Wake Forest University. Maintaining academic integrity is considered an essential academic standard of every graduate course and program. The University does not tolerate academic dishonesty.

Tele-mental Health Counseling Policy

Every student is required to practice and adhere to the Tele-mental Health Counseling Policy as a provision of distance counseling services rendered during clinical courses observed by Wake Forest University. To maintain integrity with the policy see the guidelines in detail in Appendix. A.

Academic Integrity

Every student is required to practice and adhere to the principle of academic integrity while undertaking studies with Wake Forest University. Maintaining academic integrity is considered an essential academic standard of every graduate course and program. The University does not tolerate academic dishonesty.

The graduate faculty at Wake Forest has adopted a formal honor code to provide guidance for student conduct with respect to academic pursuits. Read the Graduate Student Academic Honor Code (PDF).

Academic dishonesty may be an academic issue or a disciplinary issue, or both, depending on its pervasiveness and/or severity. Any student engaged in academic dishonesty may face reprimand, disciplinary warning, a lowered or failing grade(s), and/or probation or suspension from the course, academic program, or University; or expulsion from the University.

The list that follows includes examples, although not all-inclusive, of academic dishonesty:

For the complete academic honesty policy and tips to avoid plagiarism, please see your Graduate Student Handbook (PDF).

Bias

You deserve a community free of bias and discrimination. A bias incident is an act or behavior consciously or unconsciously motivated by the offender’s bias against facets of another’s identity. As stated in the University's Equal Opportunity Policy, these facets include race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, and veteran status. If you experience or witness an incident of bias or discrimination, please visit Report Bias.

Other Academic Policies

For further information on all academic policies, including the policies for adding and dropping a course, requesting a grade of incomplete, academic probation, termination of enrollment, reinstatement, and student and faculty expectations, see the Graduate Student Handbook (PDF). Further information can be found in the WFU Department of Counseling Clinical Experience Manual (PDF).

Synchronous Class Recording Notice

In accordance with Wake Forest University’s policy regarding class recordings, be mindful of this information:

Academic Engagement and Monitoring

It is very important that students actively engage in class discussions, and that students communicate in a timely manner with their instructors if unforeseen circumstances negatively affect their academic engagement. WFU monitors student academic engagement through student activity in the course, much of which can be monitored automatically in Canvas (e.g., logging into the course in Canvas, participating in discussion boards, submitting assignments, reviewing learning materials in the modules); attending live sessions, office hours, and individual/triadic/group supervision sessions; and communicating by phone or email with instructors. If an entire week passes without a student submission of an assignment and/or no contact is made with instructors, the following will occur:

Technical Requirements

Identify the minimum device configuration requirements for this institution.

Identify the minimum technical requirements to view the online course.

Help Desk Support

Assistance to resolve technical problems is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Students can access the Help Desk at: Wake Forest Help Desk.

Help Desk services are restricted primarily to problems associated with the functionality of the course delivery platform. Responsibilities include:

Sometimes students may not be sure whether a problem they are having is caused by their computer system or the online learning management system. The Help Desk will help students figure out where the problem lies and attempt to resolve issues immediately. However, some highly advanced hardware issues may require additional assistance. If this is the case, the Help Desk may suggest seeking assistance from a local computer repair establishment.

Canvas Support

Call a Canvas Expert: 833.383.5792

For Canvas technical support, select the Help icon in the navigation bar, where students will find several options including:

When submitting a ticket, be as specific as possible in the description of the issue. Include the name of the course and the date the issue occurred, the browser being used and, if possible, screenshots to help Canvas support personnel troubleshoot the issue and expedite service.

Note: Lead Faculty and PIs do not provide Canvas support.

AskDeac Help Desk

AskDeac services include most technology issues outside of the scope of course delivery. Common requests include assistance setting up a VPN, setting up a WFU Zoom account, using Google Drive, and resetting WFU email passwords.

Assistance to resolve technical issues is available through Email or Live Chat from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Phone support is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

Access AskDeac at: AskDeac.

A Welcoming Learning Environment for All

Pro Humanitate—As a part of the Wake Forest community, the faculty and staff of the Department of Counseling fully embrace the concept of Pro Humanitate - to better the lives of all humans. In each of our classes (graduate, undergraduate, face-to-face and virtual), we strive to affirm every person and every identity. We embrace the development of critical thinkers that consistently aspire to become culturally responsive and encourage you to challenge your own biases while developing the necessary skills to enter your chosen profession.

To learn more about WFU’s commitment to ensuring a welcoming learning environment for all, read the Non-Discrimination Statement and policy on Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability, and explore campus resources.

Accessibility and Special Accommodations

Wake Forest strives to provide equal access for all learners. Learning content contained within the Canvas Learning Management System is designed to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Throughout our course development process, we test the capabilities of our learning content against these standards.

Wake Forest University recognizes its responsibility for creating an institutional climate in which students with differing needs and abilities can thrive.

Along with the mission of the Division of Student Life, Disability Services exists to enable students with disabilities to experience equal access to the academic, social, and recreational activities and programs at Wake Forest University. To achieve this goal, the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS) is available to offer academic support for all Wake Forest Students. CLASS staff works with students, faculty, and staff to implement services and accommodations that are in accordance with both state and federal laws and our own commitment to this goal.

If a student has a disability that may require an accommodation for taking this course, use the Student Portal Login located on the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS) website. Alternatively, contact the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success at the contact information provided.

Contact Information:

118 Reynolda Hall, WFU
Winston-Salem, NC, 27109
Phone: 336-758-5929
Email: class@wfu.edu

Grievances

Situations may arise in which a student believes that they have not received fair treatment from a faculty member in an academic matter. In such cases, within two weeks of the student's awareness of the treatment they should talk with the faculty member. If the student and faculty member cannot resolve the problem, the student should immediately consult their advisor and the Chair of the Counseling Department as indicated in the Graduate Student Handbook (PDF). If a resolution satisfactory to both parties cannot be reached in a reasonable time, which can vary according to the complexity of the matter, the student may choose to initiate the Graduate Student Academic Grievance Procedure as indicated in the Graduate Student Handbook.

Emergency Contingency Plan

Disaster Planning/Catastrophic Event Policy: In the event the University calendar is disrupted by disaster or catastrophic event, please continue with the assigned lessons and adhere to the due dates of assignments and discussions. The instructor will be available by email or by phone, unless the internet or phone is inaccessible.

Course Schedule

This section details the activities for each day of the week.

The course week runs from Monday (Day 1) to Sunday (Day 7). Due dates for assignments and discussions are stated in day numbers. Unless otherwise noted, all assessments are due by 11:59 p.m. E.T. on the designated day.

Please Note: Readings refer only to the textbook(s), WFU library readings, or scholarly articles or resources, and are typically available through the Course Materials tool (accessible via the Course Menu or Getting Started Module). Refer to the course space for all other instructional content (websites, lectures, videos, interactive activities, etc.).

Week 1: Introduction to Practicum (January 12 – January 18)

Week 1 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.B, 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19
  • The Department of Counseling Student Clinical Experience Manual
  • Practicum Syllabus
  • Practicum Forms
  • The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 1: Introduction to the counseling Profession and Chapter 7: Models of Supervision
 None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 2: Clinical Writing Documentation in Counseling Records (January 19 – January 25)

Week 2 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.B, 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 Policy & Procedure Manual at your practicum site

The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 5: Clinical Writing and Documentation in Counseling and Chapter 6: Clinical Issues		 None

Week 2: Telemental Health Policy Agreement
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 3: Cultural Competence and Humility (January 26 – February 1)

Week 3 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19
  • The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 2: Cultural Competency and Humility
  • Frame, M. W., & Williams, C. D. (2005). A model of ethical decision making from a multicultural perspective (PDF) Counseling and Values, 49(3), 165–179.
 None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 4: Client and Counselor Safety (February 2 – February 8)

Week 4 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.B-D, 4.H, 4.A.11, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 9: Crisis Intervention and Chapter 10: Ensuring Safety None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Learning Experience Form
(Due Day 7)

Professional Disclosure Statement
(Due Day 7)

Site Supervisor-Student Recording Agreement Form
(Due Day 7)

Learning Goals
(Due Day 7)

Ethical Guidelines Form
(Due Day 7)

Consent to Record Form
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 5: Ethical Practice (February 9 – February 15)

Week 5 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 4.D, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19

The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 4: Ethical Practice and 12: Termination in Counseling

 None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 6: Trauma and Loss (February 16 – February 22)

Week 6 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19

The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 11: Trauma and Loss

 None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Counseling Recording 1 - Recording Review Form
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 7: Managing stress and self-care (February 23 – March 1)

Week 7 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 8: Managing Stress & Self-care Strategies None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Site Supervisor's Evaluation of Clinical Mental Health Students—Midterm
(Due Day 7)

Counseling Recording 2 - Recording Review Form
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 8: Children and Adolescents (March 2 – March 8)

Week 8 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14 -19 Association for Play Therapy None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

University Supervisor's Evaluation—Midterm
(Due Day 7)

Counseling Recording 3 - Recording Review Form
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Spring Break (March 9 – March 15)

Week 9: Case presentations, group and triadic supervision (March 16 – March 22)

Week 9 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 None None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Counseling Recording 4 - Recording Review Form
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 10: Case presentations, group and triadic supervision (March 23 – March 29)

Week 10 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 None None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 11: Case presentations, group and triadic supervision (March 30 – April 5)

Week 11 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 None None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 12: Case presentations, group and triadic supervision (April 6 – April 12)

Week 12 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F,4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 None None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 13: Case Presentations, group and triadic supervision (April 13 – April 19)

Week 13 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19

The Counseling Practicum & Internship Manual, Chapter 13

Complete the Practicum/Internship and Preparing for the future

 None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Week 14: Final Evaluations (April 20 – April 26)

Week 14 Schedule
Lesson Readings Discussions Assignments Quizzes/Exams
CACREP Standards: 3.A.11, 3.C, 4.C, 4.D, 4.F, 4.V, 4.W, 4.X, 5.H.3, 5.H.11, 5.H.14-19 None None

Weekly Group Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Individual/Triadic Supervision
(Due Day 7)

Weekly Time Log
(Due Day 7)

Counseling Recording 5 - Recording Review Form
(Due Day 7)

Self-Evaluation Paper
(Due Day 7)

Student's Evaluation of Practicum Experience
(Due Day 7)

Student's Evaluation of University Supervisor Form
(Due Day 7)

University Supervisor's Evaluation—Final
(Due Day 7)

Site Supervisor's Evaluation of Clinical Mental Health Students—Final
(Due Day 7)

Case Presentation and Recordings
(Due Day 7)

 None

Appendix. A

Tele-Mental Health Counseling Policy for Practicum and Internship Students

The emphasis of the counseling program, first and foremost, is to train individuals to be school and clinical mental health counselors. Some additional specialization, such as training in a particular theoretical orientation or with special populations, can occur through students’ practicum, internship experiences, and extracurricular training programs. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted traditional practicum and internship courses by requiring many students to provide distance professional services as opposed to face-to-face counseling. The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC; 2016) defines distanced professional services as “the use of electronic or other means (e.g., telephones or computers) to provide services such as counseling, supervision, consultation, or education” (p. 1). The Department of Counseling has developed the following guidelines regarding practicum and internship students’ provision of distance counseling services:

      • It is the responsibility of the site and the student to be familiar with and comply with all state and federal regulations, ACA ethical standards, and NBCC policies regarding the provision of distance counseling. In particular, please verify that your state licensing board allows non licensed clinicians/students to perform tele-mental health counseling.
      • Students are NOT permitted to provide counseling across state lines.
      • Students must use appropriate technology-based communications to perform distance counseling that meet up-to-date encryption standards and applicable laws. An example of an effective software program is a VSee (not the free version) that includes a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement.
      • Students, in consultation with their site and university supervisors, must use informed consent forms and/or professional disclosure statements for distance counseling that adhere to ACA (2014) and NBCC (2016) standards.
      • Sites must have appropriate protocols, as described in the ACA (2014) Code of Ethics (Standard H.3), to perform client verification.
      • The site must provide training and supervision to students related to distance counseling.
      • Students are generally required to only perform counseling, be it face-to-face or distance, at their sites under supervision from a site supervisor who also is on site. However, students may provide distance counseling from their homes. In order to do so, the student must make arrangements with their site supervisor to ensure that the site supervisor and another licensed professional from the site are available and accessible to the student during the student’s distance sessions with clients.
      • In the event of a client crisis, the student must be able to contact the site supervisor (or other licensed professional from the site) by phone or other forms of immediate electronic communication. Thereby, as part of their learning experience form and crisis protocol assignments students should describe steps they will follow in the event of a client experiencing a crisis (e.g., suicidal/homicidal ideation, abuse reporting, etc.) such that the student needs supervisory consultation, within session supervisory consultation, and/or needs the supervisor to join the distance counseling session. This description should include how the site supervisor or other licensed professional from the site can join the distance counseling session as well as be contacted for consultation or within session consultation.
      • The student must obtain site supervisor approval for each client with whom they would like to conduct distance counseling. Additionally, the student must inform their site supervisor of the specific days and times in which they plan to provide distance counseling (e.g., Monday and Wednesday from 9am – 3pm Central Time) and receive confirmation from their site supervisor that the site supervisor will be available during these days and times to be contacted at any point while the student is conducting a distance counseling session. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the site supervisor apprised of any changes to their distance counseling session schedule and ensure that the site supervisor is available to be contacted if session times are changed.

**Please note that this policy may be revised as needed for reasons that include, but are not limited to, adhering to changes in CACREP requirements.**

For a list of image credits for this course, visit the CNS738b Credits Page.