Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Mary Nuosce
The past two years have shined an especially bright light on mental health. And that is a good thing. However, it also demonstrated the need for more professionals who are educated and trained to be a valuable community resource.
Thankfully, gone are the days where people would go to great lengths to ignore or hide mental health issues because of the stigmas associated with it. Today, people can talk more openly about mental health. For professionals in the field, there are many avenues where they can apply their knowledge and skills, and it’s not just in an office.
Our Bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology includes classes, projects, and discussions about the study of human behavior and how to motivate others. This will help you strengthen your oral and written communication skills, plus you’ll further develop critical thinking skills and apply psychological concepts to problem-solve a variety of situations. You’ll participate in live chats, discussions and simulations that are interactive, which teach you to apply what you learn. These are skills that managers and leaders in organizations find not only useful, but also valuable.
Some of the classes you’ll take include general, social, educational, abnormal, cognitive, organizational, and experimental psychology. Additional classes include the principals of developmental psychology, the psychology of conflict management, and the principles of analytic techniques. These are your core classes, and with general education and electives, you’ll gain a well-rounded education.
During your journey with this degree, you’ll develop a solid foundation for careers that include human services and management.
Additionally, we offer a certificate in substance abuse awareness and treatment. It’s another layer of knowledge that naturally builds upon the bachelor’s degree. Classes for this certificate include basic counseling skills, screening and assessment, basic counseling skills, treatment modalities, advanced professional addiction knowledge, professional ethics in alcoholism/chemical dependency counseling, and applied practice in addictions. You can complete this certificate in eight months, and it meets the academic training requirements for the Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) certification. The Florida Certification Board explains additional requirements needed in order to earn the full CAP.
With this degree, you can apply it in many settings, including community agencies, hospitals, hospices, case management, and if you earn the certificate, the substance abuse counseling area. The people you help can range from children and adolescents to adults, the elderly and veterans. You can make a positive impact on people, whether as a manager or a leader of an organization, to clinical settings. And that impact will likely extend to that person’s family and friends.
For more information, visit Hodges.edu. Classes start every month.
Dr. Mary Nuosce, LMHC, NCC, is a core faculty member for Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Hodges University.
239-482-0019 | Hodges.edu
