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Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Author ORCID Identifier

Colleen M. L. Grunhaus https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0041-7987

Author Biographies

Colleen Grunhaus, Ph.D., LCMHC, NCC, ACS, is an assistant professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at University of the Cumberlands. Her research interests include counselor wellness, counselor development, and spiritual and religious issues in counseling.

Dr. Matthew Lyons hold a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Ohio University. He currently serves as Dean and Professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of the Cumberlands. Dr. Lyons is actively involved in professional leadership currently serving on the Executive Board of the International Association of Counseling. His primary research interest include: spirituality, leadership in the counseling profession, and family/adolescent development.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc06Qkja

Abstract

Online counseling programs experience unique retention and gatekeeping challenges. Increased isolation and personal adversities are common factors associated with attrition for online students; and broad-access admission policies of online counseling programs often lead to increased gatekeeping concerns postadmission. Counseling programs develop policies and procedures related to retention, remediation, and dismissal, but extant models of remediation do not also address student retention or the unique challenges of online counselor education. We present a model, The Retention and Remediation Model for Online Counselor Education, that demonstrates a comprehensive policy for retention, remediation, and dismissal in online counseling programs through a three-prong approach that includes recognizing student achievements (compliment referrals), connecting at-risk students to resources (connect referrals), and remediating students’ academic, clinical, and dispositional concerns (concern referrals). A case example is presented that demonstrates the implementation of connect and concern referrals, and implications related to triangulation, cultural sensitivity, and cyberincivility are discussed.

Public Significance Statement

This article addresses the scholarship need for robust retention and remediation policy in online counselor education. The presented model supports online counseling student retention through achievement recognition and connecting at-risk students to institutional resources. Online student remediation is addressed through a structured approach based on best practices. A case is presented to demonstrate the model.

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