Master Your Therapeutic Career at Beal University - Your Essential Blueprint to Excellence with Beal Award-Winning Degree

Advance Your Career with a Counseling and Mental Health Degree

Are you passionate about helping others navigate life's challenges and mental health concerns? Beal University's counseling and mental health degree programs equip you with the knowledge, skills, and certifications required to become an effective mental health counselor. Our flexible counseling degree programs—available both in-person and online—accommodate working professionals while maintaining the highest educational standards. At Beal University, located at 99 Farm Rd in Bangor, Maine, we understand that pursuing a clinical counseling degree is a significant investment in your future. Our mission is to prepare you not just with theoretical knowledge, but with the hands-on skills, supervised practicum experience, and industry connections that employers value. With experienced faculty, modern facilities, and strong connections to the mental health counseling community, Beal University stands out as a leading institution for counseling education in Maine and beyond. Discover how a counseling degree from Beal University can open doors to a rewarding career helping individuals, families, and communities.

Understanding the Comprehensive Landscape of Counseling and Mental Health Degree Programs

Mental health counselor training through a formal counseling degree provides foundational knowledge in psychological theories, diagnostic procedures, therapeutic techniques, and ethical practice standards. These programs teach aspiring counselors how to assess client needs, develop treatment plans, implement evidence-based interventions, and maintain professional boundaries. Professional counseling degree curricula integrate coursework in research methods, counseling ethics, group facilitation, and specialization areas like school counseling or substance abuse counseling.

Accredited counseling degrees ensure that your education meets rigorous standards set by organizations like the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Through supervised internships and practicum placements, counseling students develop real-world clinical skills under the guidance of experienced licensed clinicians. Best online counseling degree programs, including those offered by Beal University, provide the same rigorous curriculum and clinical requirements as traditional on-campus options, with the added flexibility of asynchronous learning modules and evening classes. The answer is typically a master's degree, though some entry-level positions accept bachelor's graduates for limited roles under supervision.

The mental health career options for counseling graduates are diverse and growing, with demand for qualified mental health counselors increasing across hospitals, private practice, schools, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. The counseling career path often begins with entry-level positions, transitions to specialized certifications, and may culminate in private practice ownership or supervisory roles. School counseling degree programs specifically prepare professionals to work in K-12 educational settings, addressing student mental health, academic planning, and behavioral concerns.

Core Value Propositions of Beal University's Counseling Programs

• Receive training aligned with CACREP standards, ensuring your credentials are nationally recognized and respected by employers across all healthcare and education sectors.
• Access flexible online counseling education options that allow you to maintain employment and family responsibilities while pursuing your master's in counseling or bachelor's in mental health degree.
• Benefit from experienced faculty with active clinical practices, bringing real-world expertise in clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, and specialized therapeutic approaches directly into the classroom.
• Develop competencies in individual counseling, group therapy, crisis intervention, and community mental health work through direct supervision by licensed mental health counselors and clinical supervisors.
• Gain the knowledge and credentials needed to answer the critical question: how to become a mental health counselor, with clear pathways to employment and professional development.

Beal University's focus on practical, applied learning means that upon completing your counseling and mental health degree, you're not just prepared for entry-level positions—you're ready for meaningful professional roles from day one. The combination of rigorous academics, supervised clinical practice, and ongoing mentorship creates a comprehensive counseling degree program that honors both the art and science of mental health counseling.

Our Proven Process for Counseling Education

Beal University's enrollment counselors work with prospective students to assess career goals, evaluate prior academic credentials, and identify the optimal counseling degree program pathway. Once enrolled, you'll begin with foundational courses in counseling theories, human development, psychology, and research methods, building the conceptual framework for clinical mental health counseling practice. We ensure that each student understands both the academic rigor and the personal qualities necessary for success in counseling psychology programs or clinical counseling degree work.

Throughout your online counseling education or on-campus studies at our Bangor facility, you'll progress through a carefully sequenced curriculum that integrates theory with practice. Practicum and internship experiences form the cornerstone of our approach, with students completing 600-1,000 supervised clinical hours in real-world settings. Advanced students work toward completing their required clinical hours while building case conceptualization skills, therapeutic presence, and professional judgment necessary for independent practice. Upon graduation, you'll have the credentials, experience, and professional network needed to launch your counseling career path with confidence and competence.

Professional Experience in Accredited Counseling Degree Programs

Beal University's counseling faculty and leadership bring decades of combined experience in clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, addiction treatment, trauma-informed care, and community mental health services. We understand how long does a counseling degree take, and we've designed programs to maximize learning efficiency while maintaining the rigorous training necessary for the counselor certification requirements in Maine and across the nation. This commitment to professional development translates directly into higher-quality education for students pursuing their professional counseling degree or mental health counseling degree programs.

Alumni of Beal University's mental health degree programs work throughout Maine and nationally as school counselors, mental health center directors, private practitioners, hospital clinicians, and community advocates.

What to Expect When Pursuing Professional Counseling Education

Many prospective students ask: what degree do i need for counseling? The standard answer is that most states require a master's degree for full licensure as a counselor, though associate degree mental health counseling and bachelor's in mental health programs provide excellent entry points. Prospective students also consider counseling degree salary and job outlook, and research consistently shows positive employment prospects and competitive compensation for licensed professional counselors and mental health counselors. {The choice between best online counseling degree programs and traditional on-campus options depends on your personal learning style, schedule, and career timeline, but quality accredited counseling degrees deliver equivalent credentials regardless of format.

Beal University's counseling degree programs address all these criteria, ensuring that when you graduate, you're truly prepared to answer the question how to become a mental health counselor with concrete knowledge and actionable next steps.

Partner With Maine's Premier Counseling Education Institution

Our institutional commitment to mental health counselor training is reflected in every aspect of our programs—from faculty selection and curriculum design to practicum partnerships and licensure preparation support. Our approach to professional counseling degree education combines the theoretical depth necessary for understanding human psychology with the practical skills required for effective clinical practice. Students who choose Beal University for their counseling and mental health degree benefit from an institution that understands both the academic requirements for licensure and the human qualities that make truly exceptional counselors.

The combination of our physical location, online options, experienced faculty, and strong community partnerships creates unique advantages for students pursuing a mental health degree or professional counseling degree from Beal University.

Get Started With Your Mental Health Degree at Beal University

Whether you're asking how long does a counseling degree take, exploring best online counseling degree programs, or seeking to understand counselor certification requirements specific to your state, our enrollment counselors are ready to provide comprehensive guidance. Your future clients, community, and career deserve the depth of preparation that comes from earning your counseling and mental health degree at an institution that prioritizes excellence, ethics, and student success. Contact Beal University now to schedule a consultation with an admissions counselor, request detailed program information, or discuss your specific counseling career goals and timeline. We're here to answer your questions about professional counseling degree options and help you take the next step toward a rewarding career in mental health counseling.

Call (207)-307-3900 to schedule your consultation and discover how Beal University can prepare you for success in the mental health counseling profession.

Beal University

99 Farm Rd, Bangor, ME 04401, United States

Phone: (207)-307-3900