Youngstown State University - Counseling Program

Congrats to Victoria Kress Ph.D., LPCC-S, NCC, CCMHC, Distinguished Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling & Addiction Counseling Program Coordinator, and Community Counseling Clinic Director Youngstown State University.??She was elected as the 75th President of the American Counseling Association and will begin serving as ACA’s President on July 1, 2026.?More info: https://bit.ly/42IfLm8 Founded in 1952, the American Counseling Association is considered the world's largest association solely representing professional counselors across various practice settings. ACA provides education, community and professional development opportunities for more than 60,000 members, including counselors in various practice settings and counselors in training.??

A special thank you to the Counseling Professionals who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in the 90 minute in-person panel discussion this week in Beeghly Hall at Youngstown State University.?Our Counseling Program graduate students (and undergraduate Psychology majors) appreciated hearing your experience,?wisdom, and advice on navigating the counseling program and profession.? *Jessica Oates, Founder/Owner and Clinical Counselor at Insight *Fran Clause, Counselor at HWS Best Health Counseling *Olivia Fustos, Counselor at Greentree Counseling Center *Kristin Wolf, Founder/Owner and Counselor at Equinox Sex & Relationship Counseling *Dominic Venetti II, Director of Family Preservation and Counselor at Cadence Care *Chad Conard, Clinical Director and counselor at Counseling Center of Columbiana Thanks also to Eta Chapter, Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International (CSI) for organizing and hosting this event!

Dr. Jake J. Protivnak and?Dr. Madeleine (Maddie) Stevens, Counseling Faculty, participated in a panel of professionals who talked about the importance of Wellness on Tuesday, Jan. 14th in the Hub in Youngstown State University in Kilcawley Center. Thanks to Jordan Record, YSU College Counseling and Student Affairs Counseling Program Intern / GA in First Year Student Services, moderated the panel!

Our new 'Post-Master's in Counseling: Certificate for Counseling Practice' has been approved by the Department of Education for "Gainful Employment". This matters because that designation allows individuals to receive financial aid while they are completing the coursework for another area of specialty. This certificate would be applicable to the following...Clinical Counselor returning for School Counseling license; School Counselor returning for Clinical Counseling license; Student Affairs professional returning for Clinical or School Counseling license, etc... More information about the YSU post-master's Counseling certificate can be found at: https://lnkd.in/gwShyZ_w

Interested in Pursuing a Doctorate in Counseling? Eta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, Counseling Program Honor Society Youngstown State University, has invited Dr. Cassandra Storlie, Doctoral Program Coordinator of the Counselor Education & Supervision program at Kent State University (KSU) to host a 30 minute information session about their doctoral program on Wed., Jan. 15th at 4:00 p.m. If interested in joining via Zoom, contact Eta Chapter CSI President, William Horn at [email protected] to RSVP and receive the Zoom link.

Welcome to the new Youngstown State University Counseling Program students that were admitted for Spring 2025 and attended the New Counseling Student Orientation. We look forward to your success in the program!

Fall 2024 Counseling Program Graduate Shaylyn Hawthorne! What did you enjoy most about the Counseling Program? What I enjoyed most about the Counseling Program, was how accommodating and understanding the faculty was. The faculty truly does support and care about us students when it comes to our mental health and personal lives. I also enjoyed the many connections I have made during my journey. I learned so much from faculty and classmates that will help me improve on my journey as a counseling professional. I feel like I have grown so much as a person throughout each semester. What are your future career plans/goals? After graduation, I will continue working at my intern site IamBoundless as an Outpatient Therapist working with individuals who have developmental disabilities, behavioral challenges, and mental health symptoms. Eventually I plan on continuing my education.

Fall 2024 Counseling Program Graduate Ara-Leah Hammann! What did you enjoy most about the Counseling Program? What I enjoyed most were the connections I made with faculty and my classmates as well as the opportunities to work with professors and peers on projects within the field. I knew the options within graduate counseling programs were limited regarding publication, advocacy and presentation opportunities but YSU offered more than I could have expected! I will forever be grateful for my counseling friends, colleagues and mentors and attribute my education to the YSU Counseling Program. What are your future career plans/goals? After I graduate, I plan to work for one year at Child Guidance and Family Solutions, and then I hope to move into private practice. Long term, I would love to co-own or open my own private practice, become a supervisor and possibly even get my Ph.D. and teach.

Fall 2024 Counseling Program Graduate Jordan Sarjeant! What did you enjoy most about the Counseling Program? There were many aspects to enjoy in the counseling program, but the most notable experience?for?me was the support from the caring faculty members. Their genuine desire to?help students succeed created an atmosphere that fostered my development. I also value the friendships I have gained and hope to maintain them in the future. It was wonderful to bond with students who shared similar goals and interests?from diverse backgrounds. Overall, the program provided a nurturing environment that was helpful in shaping my professional and personal journey. What are your future career plans/goals? Upon graduation, I plan to relocate to the Akron/Canton area to work as a school-based therapist. Eventually, I aspire to become independently licensed and open my own practice in my hometown of Steubenville, Ohio. There is a significant need?for?mental health services there, and I see vast opportunities to provide them.

Fall 2024 Counseling Program Graduate Megan Grams! What did you enjoy most about the Counseling Program? I really enjoyed making connections with my peers and professors. There is a wealth of knowledge available to students in this program and it starts with the peers and professors that we are in classes with. I have found people who I will continue to have connections with years after I?graduate. What are your future career plans/goals? I plan to continue working with kiddos at Cadence Care with a focus in trauma. I thoroughly enjoy working with young kids, adolescents, teens, and young adults!? I also would love the opportunity to become certified in EMDR. If a chance arises, I wouldn’t mind going back?for?my PhD and participating in research or even teaching psychology/counseling at the college level.