WestConn's M.S. in Addiction Studies Receives Grant

Press release

DANBURY, Connecticut — The Master of Science in Addiction Studies program in the Department of Psychology at Western Connecticut State University recently received funding from a CreaTechnology Grant to implement a cutting-edge counseling simulation program into the curriculum.

M.S. in Addiction Studies Graduate Program Coordinator Dr. Mary Murphy will use the grant to expand the Counseling Simulation program started last year, which will now include the addition of virtual reality. To stay on the forefront of the mental health counseling field, this program will give students a leading edge in learning how to deliver effective, evidence-based counseling skills.

"We are very excited to have this technology that will help our students build and refine the counseling skills employers most want to see in their interns and early career counselors,” Murphy said. “This platform allows us to give students an unprecedented level of supervision feedback in a safe and supportive environment before they start working with real clients. The fields of medicine and education have used simulation for years and we are happy to be one of the first studying the use of these innovative tools in the counseling field.”

Dr. Michelle Brown, dean of the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences, in which the Department of Psychology is located, said, “Dr. Murphy’s project perfectly meets the strategic goals of the CreaTechnology grant, which expands student-integral projects combining technology and creativity across the Macricostas School. Since creating this grant, we have awarded over $100,000 to faculty- and student-led research, development, and teaching projects made possible with the generosity of our donors.”