Outcomes & Careers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) employment of mental health counselors is projected to grow 23 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling.

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) are master’s-degreed mental health service providers, trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and disorders. LPCs make up a large percentage of the workforce employed in community mental health centers, agencies, and organizations, and are employed within and covered by managed care organizations and health plans. LPCs also work with active duty military personnel and their families, as well as veterans.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) employment of mental health counselors is projected to grow 23 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) the average salary of mental health counselors in the state of Pennsylvania is $45,740.

CTC Graduate Employment Information

In 2019, 94% of the graduates who completed the CTC program Employment Survey were employed either as full-time, part-time or per diem professionals. The majority of CTC graduates are employed within community mental health agencies, others are employed in K-12 school settings, higher education counseling centers, child welfare organizations, residential treatment centers, and private practice settings.

The CTC program fulfills the educational requirements for the licensed professional counselor (LPC) and national certified counselor (NCC) credentials. In addition, students enrolled in the Art Therapy Specialization are eligible for the Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and the Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) credentials.

Licensed Professional Counselor

In the state of Pennsylvania, professional counselors are governed by the State Board for Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors.

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National Certified Counselor

National Certified Counselors (NCC) are board certified counselors who offer the highest standards of practice because they have met stringent education, examination, supervision, experience, and ethical requirements.

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Registered Art Therapist

Becoming a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) requires the completion of qualifying master's level education (including art therapy core curriculum, supervised practicum and internship experiences) and post-education supervised clinical experience. In addition, Board Certification (ATR-BC) is a widely recognized professional designation of the major health and educational professions in the United States.

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National Counselors Examination

The National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) is an examination designed to assess knowledge, skills and abilities determined to be important for providing effective counseling services.

• Since 2016, CTC students 85% of students have passed the NCE during their final spring semester. Students in the CTC program have the option to take the NCE during their final semester of graduate studies.

The CTC Program produces an annual report on

• Program overview and updates
•  CTC program’s community impact and partnerships
• Faculty and student presence within professional communities
• Faculty and student scholarly work, and
• Student learning outcomes

Number of graduates in 2019:  41

Pass Rates on National Counselor Examination (NCE):

2018 – 93%
Since 2016 – 87%

Completion Rates

2019 – 85%
2018 – 72%
2017 – 67%
2016 – 89%

NOTE: Completion rates do not account for students who extend their time to complete clinical hours, require remediation on clinical skill development, or move to part-time status.

Job Placement Rate

94% of CTC graduates are currently employed, as reported on a self-report survey sent to CTC graduates annually.

Once you earn a Master of Family Therapy (MFT) degree, you are able to:

• Practice therapy (most people assume that it takes many more years of study) and make a significant difference in people’s lives
• Join an agency, school or business-setting
• Start an independent therapy practice
• Enjoy work/life balance (many therapists create their own hours in a fashion that works for them and flex them up and down as their own lives change)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, employment of mental health counselors is expected to grow by 36% from 2010 to 2020. The types of settings in which they work has grown as well. Couple & Family Therapists are employed in a variety of settings, such as:

• Hospitals
  
• Schools
  
• Mental health and social service agencies
  
• Colleges and universities
  
• Research centers
  
• Courts and prisons
  
• Employee assistance programs
  
• Private practice

Couple & Family Therapists are highly-trained mental health professionals who help clients solve a variety of relationship, emotional, behavioral and health problems. Families turn to Couple & Family Therapists for help in the areas of relational and marital conflict, divorce, sexuality, stepfamily development, parent-child relationships, the emotional impact of physical and mental illness, eating disorders, family violence and abuse and many more. Couple & Family Therapists are trained to evaluate and treat these issues in the context of the important relationships in which they occur.

Core competencies and personal characteristics shared by successful Couple & Family Therapists include:

• A mastery of clinical theory
  
• The ability to establish therapeutic alliances with multiple family members
  
• The ability to implement a wide range of therapeutic strategies
  
• Personal maturity
  
• Strong professional ethics

As the need for mental health professionals continues to grow, Couple & Family Therapists will enjoy increasing opportunities. According to the American Association of Marital and Family Therapy’s latest survey, the average salary for Couple & Family Therapists ranges from $33,000 for new clinicians to over $50,000 for those with more experience.

Our Program fulfills the requirements for licensure in the northeast region and many other states across the United States.

Students who complete Thomas Jefferson University’s Couple & Family Therapy program are eligible for licensure or certification. Because individual states establish laws regulating licensure, students must inquire directly with state licensing boards.

Our Program meets the academic requirements of Pennsylvania, all other states in the northeast region and most states nationally. In addition to the academic requirements, all states require supervised clinical experience beyond the master’s degree and the successful completion of an exam before a therapist can be licensed.

The Department conducts an ongoing cycle of data gathering, feedback from stakeholders and feedback from students and graduates of the Program to drive program improvement.