Dec 03, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Counseling


www.smu.edu/mastercounseling

Clinical Associate Professor Greta Davis, Department Chair

Clinical Professors: Thomas Hartsell, Edita Ruzgyte, Brandy Schumann, Misty Solt
Clinical Associate Professors: Greta Davis, LaKaavia Taylor
Clinical Assistant Professors: Cindy Anderton, Mario De La Garza, Tara Godhwani, Farnoosh Nouri, Terra Wagner, Denise Walker

Department Information

The Department of Counseling prepares students for the counseling profession, which involves the application of the developmental and social sciences in assisting children, adolescents and adults with psychological growth and social adjustment problems. Counselors work in schools, community agencies, churches, hospitals, industry and private practice. The SMU M.S. in counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

The counseling program provides the elements necessary for certification, licensure, and actual counseling practice. Students acquire knowledge in the disciplines that underlie counseling, including education, psychology, human development, sociology, learning and social change. They develop the necessary skills in counseling and assessment and become familiar with the legal and clinical considerations confronting practitioners. Repeated practice and role-playing with feedback and strategic modification are critical to mastery of the skills, as is the completion of a year-long Practicum and Internship experience.

Contact Information:

Department of Counseling
6116 N. Central Expressway, Suite 300
Dallas, TX 75206
214-768-5678
www.smu.edu/mastercounseling

Study Abroad

The Counseling program intermittently offers courses at off-site locations such as Australia, Disney Cruises, and SMU’s campus in Taos, New Mexico.

Client Services: Center for Family Counseling

www.smu.edu/FamilyCounseling
Tara Godhwani, Clinic Director

The Center for Family Counseling offers a variety of counseling services to individuals (adults, adolescents and children), groups, couples, and families struggling with personal, social, or career-related issues, which in turn provide SMU graduate counseling students with meaningful training experiences via supervised therapeutic interactions. Some of the general issues that counseling can address include (but are not limited to) grief and loss, depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, self-concept, relationships, stress, trauma, parent education and career counseling. The clinic offers counseling services that are tailored to the developmental needs of clients, such as play therapy for children ages 2–8 and activity therapy for children ages 9–12. The clinic also has a satellite clinic housed within the Frisco Independent School District, which offers counseling services to students in the school system and to their parents.

Contact Information:

SMU Center for Family Counseling
6116 N. Central Expressway, Suite 410
Dallas, TX 75206
214-768-6789
www.smu.edu/FamilyCounseling

SMU Center for Family Counseling at Frisco ISD
6928 Maple Street
Frisco, TX 75033
214-579-3810
www.smu.edu/FamilyCounseling

Programs

    Master

    Courses

      Counseling