CACREP AccreditedThe MA in Counseling with an Emphasis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, offered at the main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs .

Specialty Area and Program Delivery

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialty area is the primary emphasis pursued by our students, and is designed for persons who want to practice all types of counseling. This is an on-ground program, with in-person weeknight classes at the main campus in Webster Groves, St. Louis.

Two core courses (COUN 5220 Assessment and COUN 5850​ Research) are taught in an asynchronous online format. Students take three electives that are available in various modalities (in-person, synchronous online or asynchronous online).

Webster Groves, St. Louis, Missouri Unit Resources and Information

Admission Criteria

All graduate school applicants complete the and submit a $50 application fee.

Applicants to the Master of Arts in Counseling program must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required for the clinical mental health emphasis.

In addition to the academic requirements, applicants must submit the following:

  • Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities.
  • Three professional references (at least one should be from a former professor/instructor). Download Counseling Recommendation Form (PDF)
  • A current résumé detailing education and work experience.
  • A personal essay (minimum of three pages, double-spaced) outlining professional interests, background, career goals and aptitude for graduate-level study.
  • Participation in a personal interview is also required to assess the applicant's suitability for the program and the counseling profession.

Minimum Degree Requirements

To complete the MA in Counseling program, students must meet the following requirements:

For more detailed information, please refer to the General Admission Information and Additional Admission Requirements for MA in Counseling Program sections of the University catalog.

Program Costs

The MA in Counseling requires a minimum of 60 credit hours to complete.

  • Tuition: For the 2025-2026 academic year, graduate tuition is $775 per credit hour. This rate is subject to change.
  • Application Fee: There is a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $50.
  • Other Potential Costs: Students should also budget for additional expenses, including:
    • Books and supplies (estimated at $125 per course).
    • Matriculation fee of $150.
    • Graduation fee of $130.

A more comprehensive list of fees can be found in the Graduate Tuition and Fees section of the University website. Students who need a detailed breakdown of costs can request a personalized report from the Office of Admissions, by calling 314-246-7800 or 800-753-6765 or sending an email to admit@webster.edu.

Financial Aid Information

Âé¶¹ÉçÇø offers various financial aid options to assist graduate students with program costs. The primary sources of aid are through federal and private loan programs.

To apply for financial aid, students should:

  • Complete the . Âé¶¹ÉçÇø's Title IV code is 002521.
  • Complete the .

Available financial aid options include:

  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Non-need-based loans available to eligible students. Interest accrues while the student is in school.
  • Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans: Allows students to borrow up to the cost of attendance.
  • Private/Alternative Education Loans: Offered by private lenders with varying terms and conditions.

Additionally, a limited number of scholarships may be available. Students are encouraged to explore options such as the Grad-to-Grad Scholarship for eligible Âé¶¹ÉçÇø alumni and scholarships for International Graduate Students or Military-Affiliated Students.

For detailed information on financial aid, including the types of loans and scholarships available, please visit the Graduate Financial Aid section of the university website.

These resources are designed to support your academic progress and field experience throughout the program.

vary by state. The Counseling curriculum is designed to satisfy the educational requirements for licensure in the states where we offer the Counseling program. It is the student’s responsibility to educate themselves on the licensure or certification requirements of the state where they wish to pursue licensure or certification.

Please note that state licensure and certification requirements are reviewed from time to time. The Department of Professional Counseling is committed to ensuring that students have the curricular and academic preparation to make them eligible to apply for initial licensure or certification. The department may therefore revise curriculum from time to time in order to keep abreast of changes in licensure and certification requirements where possible.

Licensure by State:

State Does Webster’s in-person St. Louis program meet licensing requirements? Licensure Information
Arkansas Yes
Colorado Yes
Connecticut Yes
Florida Yes
Georgia Yes
Illinois Yes
Kansas Yes
Massachusetts Yes
Missouri Yes
New Jersey Yes
North Carolina Yes
South Carolina Yes
Texas Yes
Virginia Yes
Washington Yes

Webster’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree prepares students for licensure in these 15 states. We know that life happens, and students may end up moving to a different state while in the program or after graduation. Most states require a similar core curriculum with differing additional requirements. For details on individual state licensure (LPC and LMHC) or certification requirements, consult .

Each student enrolled in the in-person Counseling program is assigned a faculty advisor. Advisors are full-time faculty and have knowledge of licensing requirements in various states. Students must work with their academic advisor to ensure that their program plan fulfills all education requirements for licensure in their respective state.

Access key documentation and the management system needed to support our student trainees.

Outcomes for graduates of the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for St. Louis:

Graduates in Academic Year 2023-2024 31
Pass Rate on NCE in 2024 91%
Completion Rate (3 year*) Percentage of students who graduated within 2.5 years of starting the program 48%
Job Placement Rate 55.6%

*About half of students complete the program in 3 years. The remaining 50% may take anywhere from 3 years and one term to 4 years or more.

AY 23-24 CACREP Vital Statistics Counseling CMHC, (Webster Groves)

Table 1. AY 23-24 Enrollment of MA Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC

Campus Headcount
Webster Groves 99

Table 2. AY 23-24 Count of MA Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC Degrees Conferred

Campus Headcount
Webster Groves 31

Table 3. AY 23-24 Percent of MA Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC Completion within time to degree

Campus 3-year graduation rate FA20 & SP21 cohort 
Webster Groves 48.0%

Table 4. AY 23-24 Percent of MA Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC Examination Pass Rate

NCE Pass Rate Campus Number Tested Number Passed
Fall 2023: 92% Webster Groves* (Includes Online) 25 23
Spring 2024: 83.3% Webster Groves* (Includes Online) 6 5

Table 5. Job Placement Rate* 2023-2024 of MA in Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC Graduate Students

Campus Job Placement Percentage
Webster Groves 55.6%

*Based on data from outcomes survey responders

Table 6.  AY 23-24 MA Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC Applicants

Campus Headcount
Webster Groves 116

Table 7a. Gender and Race/Ethnicity of AY 23-24 MA Counseling w/ Emphasis in CMHC Enrollees

Total 80 19 99
Race/Ethnicity Female Male Total
Asian 5 0 5
Black or African American 10 2 12
Hispanic 3 2 5
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 1 0 1
Two or more races 5 1 6
White 56 14 70

7b. AY 23-24 Headcount of International Students at Domestic Locations of MA Counseling  w/ Emphasis in CMHC

Campus Female Male Total
Webster Groves 1 0 1

7c. AY 23-24 Headcount of Military Students - MA Counseling  w/ Emphasis in CMHC

Campus Military Status Female Male Total
Webster Groves Active Duty 0 0 0
Webster Groves Veterans 0 0 0

7d. AY 23-24 Headcount of Students with a Disability - MA Counseling  w/ Emphasis in CMHC

Campus Female Male Total
Webster Groves 5 3 8

St. Louis Advisory Board

  • Mona Jaswal, Webster Professional Counseling Student
  • Dr. Lelia Flagg, Webster Professional Counseling Adjunct Faculty and Site Supervisor
  • Christopher Elliott, Webster Professional Counseling Adjunct Faculty and Site Supervisor
  • Grayson Rosen, Webster Professional Counseling Graduate
  • Angela Sastry, Webster Professional Counseling Adjunct Faculty and Site Supervisor

Explore these valuable resources for information on professional associations and industry standards.

Professional Counseling Full-Time Faculty: Webster Groves, St. Louis

Hasmik Chakaryan

Hasmik Chakaryan, PhD, LPC

Associate Professor, Clinical Director, Counseling Coordinator-Webster Groves, Professional Counseling

Hasmik Chakaryan is an associate professor and clinical director of the Department of Professional Counseling at Âé¶¹ÉçÇø. She obtained her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Toledo in 2013. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in social justice and human rights activism and advocacy. Among many projects, Chakaryan has also established a training program for mental health paraprofessionals in Mexico. She has presented in numerous state and national conferences. Her experience includes extensive work with marginalized populations and groups, both nationally and internationally. She specializes in working with immigrant and refugee populations and also training mental health professionals in providing culturally competent services.

Chakaryan is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Missouri and a Certified Trauma Specialist, as well as a victim advocate. She specializes in multicultural counseling and supervision, trauma and disaster mental health and grief counseling. She provides training for professionals on intimate partner violence, multicultural competence in counseling and supervision, working with refugee and immigrant populations, and working with victims of various traumas. Her current research focuses on internationalizing the profession of counseling and bringing awareness about mental health stigma and barriers.

Chakaryan was a recipient of the Certificate of Achievement by Âé¶¹ÉçÇø College of Arts and Sciences.

Chakaryan is co-investigator for the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training grant that was awarded to Webster's Department of Professional Counseling by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021-2025).

Download Hasmik Chakaryan's CV (PDF)

Chakaryan, H. (2018). Need for establishing a clinical counseling degree program in Armenia. Regional Post – Caucasus. 3, 20-23.

Chakaryan, H. and Laux, J. (2018). Establishing a Master’s Counseling Program in Armenia: Historical and socio-cultural context. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling. 40, 1-13.

Chakaryan, H. (2018). Effective ways to approach sexual assault response and critical elements to consider. Counseling Today. 61(1), 52-57.

Liberati, R. and Chakaryan, H. (2017). Significance of training for LGBTQ intimate partner violence victim counselors. Alabama Counseling Association Journal. 41(3), 28-48.

Chakaryan, H. (2017). Crisis Intervention: Building Resilience in Troubled Times. (Reviewer of "Crisis Intervention: Building Resilience in Troubled Times" by Echterling, L.G. & McKee, J.A.), Cognella Inc.

Office Browning Hall, ISB 415
Phone: 314-246-8217
Email: hchakaryan06@webster.edu

Stacy Henning

Stacy L. Henning, PhD, LPC

Professor, Professional Counseling

Stacy L. Henning is an associate professor in the Professional Counseling Department at Âé¶¹ÉçÇø. She holds a PhD and an MEd in Counselor Education and Supervision from CACREP-accredited doctoral and master's programs; and is a licensed professional counselor and an approved clinical supervisor through NBCC. Henning is an active member in ACA Committees, including serving as the former senior chair to the ACA Ethics Committee and member of the Public Policy and Legislative Committee; a site team member and chair for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); a member of university committees; an administrator, faculty and team member for the Professional Counseling department; and a practicing professional counselor in St. Louis. Current research includes pedagogical efficacy in counselor education, neuroscience in clinical counseling and couples counseling.

DOWNLOAD STACY HENNING'S CV (docx)

Fort, K. Gonzalez. M., Henning, S., Johnson, L, & Wilkerson, J. (2022). Understanding the CACREP Standards and Developing a Self-Study. In D. Stalnaker-Shofner (Ed), "Teaching and Administration in Counselor Education: A Practical Guide for Training Graduate Students and New Educators." New York: New York. Springer. Book Chapter in Progress.

Watson, L. R., & Henning, S. L. (2022). Behavioral outcomes with law enforcement officers with compassion fatigue. "FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin."

Henning, S. L., Smith, A., O'Brien, D., & Paige, K. (2021). "Twentieth century theories; Twenty-first century counseling." [Manuscript in preparation]. Department of Professional Counseling, Âé¶¹ÉçÇø.

Sheperis, D., Henning, S. L., Kocet, M. (2015). "Ethical Decision Making in the 21st Century." Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Buckley, M.R. and Henning, S. (2014). Education, credentialing, and professional development. In D. S. Sheperis & C. J. Sheperis (eds.). "Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Fundamentals of Applied Practice." Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Henning, S. L. (2013). Ethical decision making. In D. Levitt & H. J. Hartwig Moorhead (Eds.), "Values and Ethics in Counseling: Real-Life Ethical Decision-Making." New York: Routledge.

Thomas, R., and Henning, S. L. (2012). Clinical counseling in Switzerland. Journal of Counseling and Development, special edition.

Thomas, R., and Henning, S. L. (2012) Counseling in Switzerland. In T. Hohenshil (Ed.) "International Counseling." Washington, DC: American Counseling Association.

Office Browning Hall, ISB 432
Phone: 314-246-8215
Email: stacyhenning67@webster.edu

Ericka Cables

Ericka Cables, PhD, LPC, NCC

Assistant Professor, Professional Counseling

Ericka Cables is an assistant professor in the Counseling Department at Âé¶¹ÉçÇø. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a MAC in Professional Counseling and School Counseling K-12 from Missouri Baptist University. She is an avid proponent of community-based collaboration in mental well-being serving Black communities. She has made numerous local presentations and partnered with several agencies. She serves as a board member for a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization with a mission to impact systemic poverty through prioritization of social and emotional health.

In 2018, Cables was selected to participate in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program based in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2022, the Excite the Dream Scholars Program with Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia. Both of these unique opportunities were focused on enhancement for research development, presentation and teaching mentorship for individuals who are part of the global majority group.

Cables is also a nationally board-certified (NCC), licensed professional counselor (LPC) and LPC supervisor in the state of Missouri, and an approved clinical supervisor (ACS). Her background entails trauma training in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT). She currently provides clinical supervision to provisionally licensed professional counselors seeking full licensure.

Her research interests include resilience and post-traumatic growth and counselor identity development.

Download Ericka Cables' CV (PDF)

Cables, E., Smith, P. & Edwin, M. (2023). Moments of Excellence in Career Counseling: Empathy. In E. Balın, M. Edwin, D. Ulupınar, & C. Zalaquett (eds.), Moments of Excellence in Counseling and Psychotherapy: Learning What Works for Relationship Building and Increased Effectiveness. Coherent Digital, LLC.

Cables, E. (2023). Culturally Responsive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In S.B. Dermer and J.R. Abdullah (eds.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Multicultural Counseling, Social Justice, and Advocacy. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cables, Ericka, "" (2022). Dissertations. 1178.

Miller, R. D., Paul, Z. A., Brown, E. C., Coker, A. D., Martin, C., Hurless, N. L., Cables, E. R., Freedle, A., Hussmann, M., & Abernathy, M. M. (in progress) Women and the practice of self-censorship. Manuscript submitted for publication (April, 2022).

Martin, C., Cables, E., & Kashubeck-West, S. (in progress). Predictors of attitudes toward trauma-informed care among mental health professionals working with immigrant and refugee clients.

Office Browning Hall, ISB 416
Phone: 314-246-2349
Email: erickacables@webster.edu

Hemla Singaravelu

Hemla D. Singaravelu, PhD, LPC

Professor, Clinical Coordinator-Webster Groves, Professional Counseling

Hemla D. Singaravelu, PhD, is a licensed professional counselor and professor in the Department of Professional Counseling. Prior to her role Âé¶¹ÉçÇø, she was an associate professor at Saint Louis University and served as the co-chair/director of the master's program. She was an assistant professor at Southwest Missouri State University and prior to this, the coordinator of Counseling, Career and Mentor Programs at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts, USA. She received her doctorate in Counselor Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, specializing in Multicultural/Diversity Counseling and Career Development. She has been the editorial board member for the Journal of Counseling and Development, the Career Development Quarterly (ad hoc), and the Journal of LGBT issues in Counseling. She has published and presented in the areas of multicultural counseling, career development of diverse populations, and the gay, lesbian and bisexual population. She has also published the book, "A Handbook for Counseling International Students in the United States." She identifies as a Malaysian Indian.

Download Hemla Singaravelu's CV (PDF)

Singaravelu, H. and Cheah, W. (in press, 2019). Being gay and lesbian in Malaysia. In Nakamura, N. & Logie, C. (Eds.) "LGBT Mental Health-Global Perspectives & Experiences." APA Press.

Cheah, W. H., and Singaravelu, H. (2017). The coming-out process of gay and lesbian individuals from Islamic Malaysia:  Communication strategies and motivations. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 46(5), 401-423. doi: 10.1080/17475759.2017.1362460

Chittooran, R., Stiles, D. and Singaravelu, H. (June 2015). Educating for social justice: Perspectives from three professional programs in the USA. International School Psychology Association Conference Proceedings, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Reubelt, S., Singaravelu, H., Brown, C., Daneshpour, M., (2015). Exploration of Cross-Cultural Couples’ Marital Adjustment: Iranian-American Women Married to European-American Men. Current Psychology, (DOI) 10.1007/s12144-015-9312-3.

Singaravelu, H.D. & Pope, M. (2007). "Handbook for Counseling
International Students in the United States." VA: American Counseling Association Press.

Location Browning Hall, ISB 437
Phone: 314-246-7569
Email: hsingaravelu79@webster.edu

Susan Spiess

Susan Spiess, MSc

Department Coordinator, Professional Counseling

 

 

Office Browning Hall, ISB 434
Phone: 314-246-7795
Email: susanspiess@webster.edu

In-Person Opportunities for Student Engagement in St. Louis

The Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship supports Counseling MA students and graduates committed to improving health in high-need, high-demand areas with paid internships. WICS supports students and faculty through professional development and initiatives focused on clinical research.

Learn more about the WICS Institute