J o h n F K e n n e d y U n i v e r s i t y

CENTER FOR HOLISTIC COUNSELINGThe Center for Holistic Counseling, operated by theuniversity, is located in nearby Oakland. The center’s dualmission is to provide supervised training for advancedstudents in the counseling psychology program and offerhigh-quality, affordable psychotherapy to the community.The center has provided comprehensive and confidentialcounseling services to the diverse ethnic and socioeconomiccommunities of the East Bay for over 20 years.The center offers a safe setting where adults, children,adolescents, and seniors have the opportunity to find innerstrength and direction through personal counseling. Clientsare actively supported as they grow personally and spirituallyfrom the pain and joy found in their everyday experiencesand relationships. A wide variety of issues are addressedincluding family conflicts and parenting, relationshipproblems, anxiety and depression, sexuality, grief, andspiritual crises.The counseling center provides a one-year traineeship for studentspreparing for the Marriage and Family Therapist license.Advanced students are offered a supportive atmosphere towork with clients in a therapeutic setting. The center alsohelps students ground their spiritual aspirations in practicalservice to others.Students receive extensive training in clinical skills whileworking with individuals, children, couples, families, andgroups under the supervision and guidance of experienced,licensed therapists.INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPYThe program considers it essential that a practicing therapistunderstand the therapy process on a first-hand and personalbasis. All students in the counseling psychology programare required to complete at least 12 months, or 48 hours, ofweekly individual psychotherapy with a licensed therapistwhile in the program. In some cases students may berequired to complete more than the 12-month minimumrequirement. Students receive no academic credit for this andmust make financial arrangements directly with the therapist.Students must start their psychotherapy requirement on orbefore the quarter prior to starting their field placement.Individual therapy gives students the opportunity to workon personal concerns and issues that may affect their workwith clients. The therapist acts as an exemplar: studentsstudying to become therapists have an opportunity to extendtheir expertise by direct supervision from an experiencedprofessional. These hours can also be applied toward MFTlicensing requirements.126 SCHOOL OF HOLISTIC STUDIESJOHN F. KENNEDY UNIVERSITY