A transformational journey of discipleship focused on helping you develop vocational excellence in your current or desired context – all on your time and from wherever you are.
The Doctor of Professional Counseling is an advanced professional degree designed to meet the educational, spiritual, and professional needs of licensed and certified therapists who are seeking to build upon a counseling-related master’s degree in order to better meet the demands of this ever-evolving field. This practitioner-oriented program, with opportunities for supervised specializations, will help you develop greater cognitive understanding of your field while also enriching your skills and deepening your character through the interaction of biblical and theological content, spiritual and professional formation, cultural context analysis, and counseling theories and techniques.
Some of the areas in which students have specialized include addictive and compulsive behavior, relational dynamics, developmental theories and practice, sex and sexuality, and trauma, grief, and loss.
Applicants are considered for January or July admission into the program.
By inviting Kairos to walk on this journey with you, you’re seizing a unique opportunity to deepen your faith while simultaneously developing the content, character, and craft to flourish in your vocation. You’ll develop a mentor team that walks with you throughout the entire program. And then, we will invite you to integrate discipleship, vocational excellence, and proficiency learning.
The Doctor of Professional Counseling is 42 credit hours and consists of the following phases and courses:
Program Entry Phase
You can begin the program in January or July. After successfully completing Starting Well and forming your mentor team, you will begin developing your specialization under the direction of your mentor team as you wait to begin the next upcoming scheduled learning experience. Starting Well must be completed before you can begin your first scheduled learning experience.
Integration and Learning Phase
Scheduled learning experiences are offered on a rotating basis each fall and spring. You will join the rotation in progress. Each integrative learning experience includes a few online sessions with faculty and peers. Your participation is expected, and meeting dates and times will be determined at the start of each semester. Study within your specialization/area of focus and ongoing project or thesis work will take place throughout the entire integration and learning phase.
Culture and Theology with the Six Great Traditions of the Faith (3)
ongoing project report or thesis work: Specialization/Area of Focus I (3)
Evidence-based Assessment with the Spiritual Disciplines (3)
ongoing project report or thesis work: Specialization/Area of Focus II (3)
Advanced Counseling Skills and Techniques with the Journey of Becoming (3)
ongoing project report or thesis work: Specialization/Area of Focus III (3)
Legal and Ethical Practice with the Deadly Thoughts and Godly Virtues (3)
ongoing project report or thesis work: Specialization/Area of Focus IV (3)
Spiritual Development and Formation with the Integration of Retreat Work (3)
ongoing project report or thesis work: Specialization/Area of Focus V (3)
Program Completion Phase
Upon approval of your project report or thesis by your mentor team, you will complete your project report or thesis and reflect on ongoing learning and knowledge creation throughout your lifetime of study and service.
Project Report or Thesis (3)
ongoing project report or thesis work:
Specialization/Area of Focus: Future Learning and Service (3)
Mentors commit themselves to the student’s full educational process. Beyond evaluators and supporters, mentors are co-learners with students. They invest considerable time and energy to steward your journey of discipleship and to help you flourish in your vocation.
Faculty mentors are approved members of the Kairos faculty. Obviously, all faculty mentors are acquainted with academic standards and scholarly research. More importantly, they are skilled integrationists who have a desire to help students deepen their faith and flourish in their chosen vocations. Kairos assigns a faculty mentor with appropriate disciplinary expertise to serve on each team.
Vocational mentors are aware of and often active in the student’s current context and/or role. In most cases, vocational mentors are supervisors, leaders, experienced colleagues, or those familiar with the context and its requirements. Students are empowered to identify and invite the vocational mentor who will serve on their team. Vocational mentors need not be doctorally qualified but should bring some high-level expertise to the team.
Personal mentors are confidants or individuals from whom students wish to learn. They must have, or be willing to develop, a close relationship with the student. Personal mentors provide spiritual companionship because they are rooted in faith. Students are empowered to identify and invite the personal mentor who will serve on their team. Personal mentors need not be doctorally qualified but should bring some high-level expertise to the team.
While engaged in this program, you will walk with a mentor team through the following:
Learning experiences in Kairos are built around an invitation for you to explore some aspect of your vocation, Christian thought and practice, and the human experience. You will have the opportunity to engage in learning experiences that encourage the integration of your professional and clinical practice with biblical and theological content, spiritual and professional formation, and cultural context analysis. Learn more about customized learning here.
You are required to currently be active in field work that relates to this degree program; be operating under state licensure (LPC, LMFT, LPA, LMSW, LCSW, LSC) or school counselor certification with expiration date noted; and possess a master’s in counseling, psychology, social work, or school counseling (with a minimum 3.0 GPA from an accepted accredited school – limited exceptions on a case-by-case basis).
You will work alongside your faculty mentor in your specialized area of clinical focus. You’ll also have the opportunity to receive peer input and reflect on and gain insight into actual cases.
In addition, you will complete a practical research project or thesis that integrates your learning, research, area of specialization, and professional practice. You will work with your mentor team to develop, design, and execute doctoral-level research that contributes to your particular field.
With a focus on clinical skills and integrated practice, the Doctor of Professional Counseling will help you connect your professional experience in counseling with a specialization/area of focus within the field. Through the program, you will develop and demonstrate proficiency in its eight outcomes: Starting Well, Culture and Theology, Evidence-Based Assessment, Advanced Counseling Skills, Legal and Ethical Practice, Spiritual Development and Formation, Effective Project Design, Implementation, and Reflection, and Continuing Well.
We’d love to help you discern if this is the next best step for you. Start a conversation with us today or check out our “Discerning Your Calling” step-by-step guide.
Ready to move forward? Here are a few things you’ll need to get started (more details in the catalog).