Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Build a foundation in counseling theory, ethics, human development, and assessment.

COU-501: Counseling Theories

COU-502: Counseling Ethics & Issues

COU-503: Introduction to Counseling/Professional Development

COU-521: Foundations of Marriage & Family Counseling

COU-525: Social & Cultural Foundations in Counseling

COU-602: Clinical Assessments

COU-643: Trauma-Informed Advocacy & Crisis Intervention

COU-653: Addictions Counseling: Treatment & Intervention

COU-661: Psychopathology & Diagnosis

COU-662: Human Growth & Development

COU-672: Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders

COU-675: Technology-Assisted Counseling

COU-680: Psychopharmacology & Neuroscience in Counseling

COU-700: Research Methodology

Develop advanced skills in diagnosis, treatment planning, and specialized counseling practice

COU-610: Counseling Techniques

COU-612: Group Techniques

COU-772: Counseling Practicum Lab

>COU-774: Counseling Internship I Lab

COU-775: Counseling Internship II Lab

COU-782: Practicum: Counseling Field Experience

COU-784: Internship 1: Counseling Field Experience

COU-785: Internship 2: Counseling Field Experience

Cornerstone offers a transfer-friendly policy for qualified graduate coursework.

Equivalent master’s-level courses may be considered for transfer if they meet the following criteria:

• A grade of B or higher
• Completed within the past seven years
• From an accredited institution
• Equivalent in content and rigor

The following required courses must be completed at Cornerstone:

• COU-503: Introduction To Counseling/Prof Develop
• COU-610: Counseling Techniques
• COU-612: Group Techniques
• COU-782: Practicum: Counseling Field Experience
• COU-784: Internship 1: Counseling Field Experience
• COU-785: Internship 2: Counseling Field Experience

View all of the courses for your academic program.

Cornerstone’s M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to meet Michigan licensure requirements and prepare you to apply for the Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC) credential.

In Michigan, the LLPC is considered a provisional license, allowing you to begin practicing under supervision as you work toward full LPC licensure.

After earning your degree, you will complete the following steps to progress to full LPC licensure:

• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised counseling experience.
• Complete at least 100 hours of supervision with a qualified LPC.
• Pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE).
• Apply for full licensure within the required timeframe

For more information, visit the Michigan Board of Counseling.

If you plan to pursue licensure outside Michigan, your faculty advisor will work with you to help align your coursework with your state’s requirements.

Licensure requirements vary by state. Students should confirm eligibility with their state licensing board.

View participating states and licensure information.

Connect with the counseling profession early by engaging with organizations that support your growth, continuing education, and career opportunities.

Students are encouraged to explore professional associations such as:

• American Counseling Association
• Michigan Counseling Association
• West Michigan Counseling Association
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
• American Mental Health Counselors Association
• American School Counselor Association
• American Association of Christian Counselors
• National Board for Certified Counselors

Cornerstone’s clinical mental health counseling curriculum is aligned with CACREP standards and designed to meet Michigan licensure requirements.

CACREP accreditation is not required for licensure. Both CACREP-accredited and non-CACREP programs can lead to licensure when they include the required coursework and supervised clinical experience.

To learn more, view our CACREP Myths & Facts resource.

CACREP Myths & Facts

Prepare to counsel couples and families using a systemic, relational approach. Through this 15-credit hour program, you will focus on family assessment, communication patterns, and therapeutic interventions to address emotional and relational challenges and pursue licensure. Allows for Dual Licensure in Michigan.

• COU-520: Child and Adolescent Counseling – Explore developmental issues, strategies, theories, and methods for effectively counseling children and adolescents.
• COU-720: Advanced Marriage & Couples Therapy – Develop clinical skills in systemic assessment, treatment planning, and interventions for premarital, marital, and couples counseling, with an additional focus on human sexuality, sex therapy, and affair recovery.
• COU-730: Advanced Family Therapy: Assessment, Skills & Practice – Practical training with a focus on systemic family therapy theories, assessment, treatment planning, intervention and clinical skill development.
• COU-779: Internship III Lab – Taken alongside COU-788, this lab supports continued evaluation of clinical counseling skills through self-assessment and supervisor feedback during the final internship placement.
• COU-781: Internship IV Lab – Completed alongside COU-789, this lab supports continued development and evaluation of clinical counseling skills through self-assessment and supervisor feedback during the internship experience.
• COU-788: Internship III: Counseling Field Experience – Supervised clinical practice in professional settings, building competencies in interviewing, assessment, case conceptualization, and documentation with individuals, couples, families, and groups.
• COU-789: Internship IV: Counseling Field Experience – Engage in an extended supervised counseling experience within a professional setting. Strengthen skills in interviewing, clinical assessment, case conceptualization, and documentation while working with individuals, couples, families and groups. Clinical abilities are assessed through self-evaluation and supervisor feedback.

This six-credit hour program will equip you with with practical skills in assessment, treatment planning, and relapse prevention, preparing them to pursue licensure and work in clinical or community settings.

• COU-651: Clinical Diagnosis & Assessment of Addictions – Cultivate diagnostic skills to conduct comprehensive evaluations and develop effective treatment plans for clients with addictive and compulsive disorders, integrating current research and a Christian worldview.
• COU-652: Sociology of Addictions – Explore addiction counseling through sociological and systemic lenses, emphasizing cultural competence, case management, client education, service coordination, and community collaboration from a Christian worldview.

Through this six-credit hour program, you will learn to assess and treat individuals affected by trauma, including abuse, grief, and crisis through trauma-informed care, evidence-based interventions, and crisis response skills.

• COU-642: Sociology of Trauma – Understand the sociological impact of trauma locally and globally, examining factors that affect a community’s ability to prevent and respond to traumatic events.
• COU-644: Trauma Counseling & Recovery – Examine trauma and recovery through a Christian worldview, integrating current research with effective counseling theories for children and adults. Address issues such as abuse, violence, natural disasters, PTSD, and complex trauma. Emphasize strategies for emotional restoration, resilience, and coping, while also exploring vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue.

Through this 15-credit hour program, you will expand your clinical training through courses taken at Cornerstone Theological Seminary. Your courses will provide you with the biblical foundations to address emotional, relational, and spiritual issues through a Christ-centered lens while meeting professional counseling standards.

• CTS-500: Christian Counseling Philosophy – Develop a comprehensive philosophy of counseling as discipleship through a Christian worldview, focusing on personal beliefs, counselor-client roles, and ethical and legal standards in pastoral settings.
• MIN-500: Christian Spiritual Formation – Examine biblical Christianity applied to faith and practice in today’s culture, focusing on the communal aspects of spiritual growth and formation.
• BBL-501: Biblical Hermeneutics – Learn the process of interpreting biblical texts to understand their original meaning and apply their significance today.
• THE-550: Theology for Counseling I – Explore core concepts of the Christian worldview and how to integrate the doctrines of Scripture, God, and humanity into counseling practice.
• THE-551: Theology for Counseling II – Study Christian worldview, applying doctrines such as sin, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, salvation, and last things — death, judgment, heaven, and hell — to counseling scenarios.

Yes. Cornerstone’s M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to meet Michigan licensure requirements and prepares graduates to apply for the Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC) credential and progress toward full LPC licensure.

Students are equipped to practice counseling with professional competence and a Christ-centered perspective on care, dignity and human flourishing.

Cornerstone’s program is primarily online with two required in-person residencies. Each residency is three days and provides hands-on clinical training, faculty interaction and opportunities to grow in both professional skill and personal formation.

At Cornerstone, students complete 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours as part of the program. These supervised clinical experiences are required for licensure and include direct client contact.

Students apply counseling skills in real-world settings while integrating ethical practice, professional standards and a Christ-centered approach to care.

No. CACREP accreditation is not required for licensure. Cornerstone’s program is designed to meet Michigan licensure requirements, including the required coursework and supervised clinical experience.

The curriculum integrates a Christian worldview with clinical training to prepare graduates for meaningful, ethical counseling practice.

While Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSWs), and Licensed Psychologists (LPs) may all provide counseling services, their training and professional focus differ.

Clinical mental health counselors (LPCs) are uniquely trained to support client development across the lifespan, with an emphasis on wellness, holistic mental health, and client empowerment.