Discover our mental health counseling concentrations in Addictions Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling and Trauma Studies. These specialized areas of study are designed to equip you with the right skills for a rewarding career in counseling and complement your master's degree in Mental Health Counseling (in the U.S.1), Mental Health Counseling (in Puerto Rico) or School Adjustment & Mental Health Counseling (in MA).
1Students should refer to their state's licensure requirements.
The Addictions Counseling master's concentration will equip you to develop the knowledge and skills for effective counseling, treatment, education and prevention.
Program Highlights
Graduates will complete the coursework and field experience required for licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) certification.
Addictions Counseling Careers
Addictions counseling professionals help people through public health agencies, youth services, residential treatment programs, hospitals, outpatient substance abuse programs and homeless shelters.
$76,980
Median annual pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors**
388,200
Number of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselor jobs**
**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm (visited December 21, 2023).
Course List
Choose three of the following courses to complete the Addictions Counseling concentration:
- Addiction Disorders
- Family Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
- Alcohol and Drugs in Society
- Psychopharmacology in Addictions and Mental Health Counseling
The elective, clinical concentration for Rehabilitation Counseling is for those who wish to pursue national certification as a rehabilitation counselor (CRC) by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and state licensure as a rehabilitation counselor (LRC) by the Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services. Candidates must also pass an exam and have had 36 months of acceptable employment.
Program Highlights
A focus on rehabilitation counseling helps practitioners to more comprehensively serve the mental health and vocational needs of individuals with cognitive, developmental, psychological, medical, intellectual and physical challenges, especially in the areas of:
- Seeking employment
- Maintaining employment
- Returning to work
These individuals include veterans who face mental health and rehabilitation complications, and a host of other issues related to the interface of disabilities and mental health.
Rehabilitation Counseling Careers
Graduates will be qualified to pursue national certification and state licensure as rehabilitation counselors, and for the more general licensure in mental health counseling, allowing for significant career flexibility.
Rehabilitation counselors typically work in settings such as mental health agencies, the Veterans Administration, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, insurance companies dealing with disability, non-profit agencies, employee assistance programs, disability management firms and consulting agencies.
$39,990
Median annual pay for rehabilitation counselors*
84,800
Number of rehabilitation counselor jobs*
Course List
The Rehabilitation Counseling concentration includes the following core courses and elective trauma courses:
Core courses
- Vocational and Affective Counseling
- Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disabilities
- Vocational Assessment and Evaluation
- Rehabilitation Plan Development
- Clinical Interventions for Combat Stress and Trauma
- Trauma Interventions in Schools
Trauma courses
Choose one of the following trauma-focused courses to complete your concentration. (These courses are not required for School Adjustment Counseling students.)
- Post Traumatic Stress Reactions
- Clinical Interventions for Combat Stress and Trauma
- Trauma Specific Interventions
- Trauma Interventions in Schools
The master's concentration in Trauma Studies is built on a commitment to educating compassionate, ethical and effective trauma specialists. The program emphasizes the role of trauma specialists in implementing trauma-informed care across disciplines and utilizing community resources. This training in crisis intervention, trauma treatment and prevention.
Program Highlights
Students will gain knowledge of crisis, trauma, post-traumatic stress reactions, trauma-specific interventions and disaster mental health in multi-cultural settings. They can apply the learned skills in trauma assessment, counseling and treatment to effectively respond to immediate and long-term needs of survivors, including war veterans, survivors of child abuse, first responders, immigrants and refugees, as well as victims of crime, disasters, domestic violence, sex trafficking and torture.
Trauma-Focused Careers
Graduates will qualify to work in crisis response teams, provide trauma-informed care in community mental health, addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in school settings and provide support for veterans, survivors of gender-based violence and refugees.
$79,180
Median annual pay for emergency management directors*
11,800
Number of emergency management jobs*
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Emergency Management Directors, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/emergency-management-directors.htm (visited December 21, 2023).
Course List
The Trauma Studies concentration includes the following courses:
- Post Traumatic Stress Reactions
- Clinical Interventions for Combat Stress and Trauma
- Trauma Interventions in Schools
- Trauma Specific Interventions