Mental Health Crisis Fuels WeHa College's New Psych Program

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A locally based university is expanding its course offerings in response to the ongoing demand for mental health counselors.

That's why the University of Saint Joseph, located in West Hartford, is accelerating entry into the school's accelerated psychology pathway, which includes a bachelor's degree and a masters degree.

"As the mental health crisis in the U.S. continues to grow, so does the need for qualified mental health professionals," wrote USJ in a statement.

Students interested in entering the mental health field can now enroll in the new program, in which they earn a bachelor's, master's, and are certified to be a counselor in six years.

The prior pathway was a seven-year endeavor.

“There are several reasons why we wanted to create this pathway for students. First, most of our Psychology majors are interested in entering helping professions. Every year, several go on to counseling graduate programs. We thought that it would benefit both the students and the university to streamline the process of entering the counseling profession,” said Kristin Cistulli, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Psychology, Family, and Justice Studies and associate professor of Psychology at USJ.

For more information on USJ's new accelerated psychology/counseling program, click on this link.

To enroll in the program, click on this link.