Health Psychology and Counseling Master of Arts (MA)

The Master of Arts in Counseling and Health Psychology prepares graduates to function as independent professional mental health counselors, in both behavioral health and medical settings. Massachusetts has quickly become one of few states in the country leading health care reform. Specifically, there is a movement toward using integrated behavioral health models within primary care and other medical settings.  Through a series of several courses, our graduates will gain a solid background in Health Psychology, Behavioral Medicine interventions, and Integrated Behavioral Health in medical settings. Students will learn to function as members of interdisciplinary teams and in the treatment of chronic illness and other behavioral health and medical specialties. The Counseling and Health Psychology program utilizes the bio-psycho-social-spiritual frame to understand health and human behavior. With the understanding of the Mind/Body connection, the mental health professional will be exposed to Behavioral Medicine interventions including evidence-based approaches to care, motivational interviewing, brief treatment models, biofeedback, hypnosis, and other relaxation techniques. Graduates of this program will have fulfilled all educational requirements to qualify for licensure in the state of Massachusetts as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and develop basic competencies in being a key member of a team, ready to conduct brief assessments, consult with colleagues from other health care disciplines, and treat patients and families in both brief and extended models of care .