Clinical Addictions Counseling - Graduate Program

About the Program

There is a great need for addiction professionals in America today. The Lewin Group, a Maryland-based consulting firm, reports that 5,000 new addictions counseling professionals are needed each year just to replace those who are leaving the field. The need for professionals who hold an addictions counseling certificate is created by the rising number of addicting materials created and used each year. Individuals all over the world are losing the battle to drug and alcohol abuse, substance abuse or other addictive behaviors.

At Indiana Wesleyan University, we believe there is a need to help the addicted in the greater community of America and the world. To assist individuals in breaking these addictions, we want to prepare students to work in a variety of mental health settings. We offer a Master of Arts with a major in Clinical Addictions Counseling that allows participants to gain hands-on experience while being clinically supervised by men and women of diverse cultural backgrounds who hold doctoral degrees in a variety of areas related to counseling. Indiana Wesleyan University's goal is to provide the world with highly qualified Christian counseling professionals who seek to serve their communities in character, scholarship, and leadership.

The 48-credit-hour Master of Arts with a major in Clinical Addictions Counseling degree program helps prepare students to meet credential requirements. The program adheres to current evidence-based practice, integrating a Christian worldview with a behavioral and social sciences orientation. Through its undergraduate and graduate Addictions Counseling programs, Indiana Wesleyan University is an Approved Education Provider of NAADAC, the National Association for Addiction Professionals. Our graduate-level Addictions Counseling programs are also accredited through NASAC, The National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission. Participants in this program qualify for student membership and Addiction Professional in Training national certification through NAADAC and will be academically qualified to seek accreditation and become Master of Arts Clinical Addictions Counselors upon graduation.

Features of the Program

Courses and practicums are completed at our Marion or Indianapolis (North) sites, or entirely online
The program prepares counselors to work with chemical addictions and addictive behaviors such as eating, sexual, and gambling disorders
The program trains professionals to bring a Christian worldview to a national crisis in addictive behavior
Students are challenged to integrate their Christian faith into the practice of Christian counseling
All faculty members have earned doctorates and licenses, are committed to the Christian faith, and are active in the counseling profession
Graduates will be academically qualified to pursue state licensure and/or national certification

Program Mission Statement and Learning Outcomes

Mission

The Graduate Clinical Addictions Counseling program endeavors to train entry-level practitioners in understanding and healing the destructive nature of various addictions. Through academic rigor, using related healing arts and sciences, with integrated Christian thought, is dedicated to bringing forth addiction professionals with knowledge and application of healing skills to reclaim, redeem, restore and repurpose healthy individuals and families in body, mind, and soul to one another and God.

Program Learning Outcomes: Key Performance Indicators

Articulate a clear understanding of CADC professional identity
Deliver mental health services with multicultural competence
Integrate understanding of normal developmental concepts and processes in case conceptualizations
Conceptualize the relationship between/among work, personal relational well-being and other life roles
Demonstrate essential counseling skills with competence
Facilitate a group session with competency
Display counseling appraisal skills that demonstrate validity and reliability
Apply relevant research findings from professional literature to inform developmental of treatment plans/intervention strategies
Integrate faith-based or spirituality-based principles and strategies in case conceptualizations or interventions
Articulate a clear, accurate understanding of addiction counselor professional identity
Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental domains in addictions counseling (i.e., foundations, theories of counseling, prevention, intervention, advocacy; assessment, research and evaluation, and diagnosis)
Demonstrate skills and practices of addiction counseling in the delivery of behavioral health services (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, treatment, termination, documentation, and ethical practice)
Deliver addictions counseling services with multicultural competence and sensitivity
Demonstrate ability to apply relevant research and evaluation models in the practice of addiction counseling
Demonstrate ability to integrate faith with an addictions counseling practice in a clinically appropriate, sensitive, and ethical manner

Why wait?

Indiana Wesleyan University focuses on providing the right atmosphere for adult education and degree completion. Go beyond your Bachelor's degree and take the next step with a Master's degree from our Christian university. Call 866-468-6498 for more information about this graduate program.

Apply for Master of Arts with a major in Clinical Addiction Counseling

The NAADAC Minority Fellowship Program for Addiction Counselors (NMFP-AC) will increase the number of culturally competent Master's Level addiction counselors available to serve underserved and minority populations, and transition-age youth (ages 16-25) by providing tuition stipends of up to $20,000, training, education, and professional guidance to at least 30 students in the final year of an accredited Master's program in addictions/substance use disorder counseling per year.