Professional Membership & Student Associations

Student participation in professional associations (e.g., American Counseling Association and its divisions) is strongly encouraged throughout their time in the Program. Students are required to maintain membership in the American Counseling Association during their clinical training courses. Membership in this organization fosters professional development, professional identity, and provides the student with liability insurance during their clinical experiences. Students must purchase and upload their liability insurance to Supervision Assist prior to their Practicum Placement Application being approved. If invited, students are encouraged to join Antioch’s chapter of the counseling honor society, Chi Sigma Iota.

Professional Portfolios

Creating a professional portfolio can simplify the student’s job search, licensure process, and provide documentation of achievements. While in the program, the portfolio can serve as a repository of documents students will need for graduation and licensure application. The contents will evolve as students move through their career.  You may wish to have both a hard copy and a digital version. Supervision Assist might be the best way to track all the needed documents for your professional portfolio. Suggested items for your portfolio are:

• Transcript

• Course Syllabi 

• Evaluations from Practicum/Internship experiences

• Practicum/Internship contracts

• Copies of all monthly progress reports

• Copies of all Internship hours logs

• Supervisor evaluations

• Professional organization membership information

• Certificates of attendance or completion of seminar/workshops/conferences

• List and/or copies of any presentations given

• Samples of academic and Practicum/Internship work

• Résumé

• Skills and Accomplishments list

• Letters of recommendations

• Awards

• Human Subjects Research Certificate

If you are creating a digital portfolio, you may also consider…

• • Audio and video clips

  • Link to program web site

  • Links to web sites or presentations

Licensing & Credentialing, Post-Graduation

Graduates of the CMHC Program may apply for professional credentials recognizing their level of training and experience. Credentials may be granted by national professional boards/organizations or by state licensing boards. For all items in this section, please contact the Clinical Director for more information or assistance. 

The CMHC Department recognizes the importance of licensure and certification for professional practice. The legislature in each state establishes the criteria for licensure and an appointed board determines if an individual's education and experience meet their standards. The Department has designed its programs to be consistent with the standards of the representative professional organizations. Individual states, many of which base their legislation on professional organization's standards, vary as to specific coursework, number of hours of supervised practice, supervisor qualification, and other required criteria. While the Program offers coursework and Internships that allow students to put together a licensable portfolio, it cannot guarantee licensure. Students with any negative results on a criminal background check should inquire with the state board in advance to determine if the results of their background will hinder their ability to become licensed in their state. 

As graduates of our CACREP-accredited Program, students are eligible to obtain full certification as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) upon graduation after passing the National Counselor Exam (NCE) or National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (CMHCE) offered in April or October of their final year and completing the required applications. The Program will submit the names of all students in good standing to NBCC then NBCC will invite upcoming graduates to apply for the NCC. Please note that students who are interested in this process are applying for the credential which includes taking the exam prior to graduation. To learn more, please attend one of the Program’s informational sessions and visit the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) website. 

Licensure Resources 

Students will learn about the steps to pursue State licensure in the Professional Orientation and Ethics course; however, students are responsible for knowing the expectations of the State in which they plan to apply for licensure. Students should actively consult their State’s counseling board for the most recent information about professional licensure, including which exam(s) are required. Faculty are available to consult with students and the following websites are helpful when navigating the licensure process:  

American Counseling Association       American Association of State Counseling Boards

To locate contact information, available licenses, and required examinations per State, visit the NBCC’s State Board Directory: http://www.nbcc.org/Search/StateBoardDirectory