Residency Week: The Heart of Our Mental Health Counseling Degreee

When pursuing a mental health counseling degree for a career in counseling, interpersonal skills are vital. Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds is an essential aspect of success in the field. It may feel counterintuitive to have counseling classes entirely online. At Grace College, building community and connection with online learners is a priority. One of our favorite ways to connect is through a summer residency experience!

Did you know that Grace’s mental health counseling degree requires attending a week-long Residency each year? Residency is a week of intensive learning and the application of skills developed in the online mental health counseling degree. This unique opportunity also gives clinical mental health counseling students the chance to meet face-to-face with others in their cohort.

“I really enjoyed spending time with fellow students,” says counseling alumnus Jesse Lawrence. “I’ve never met so many wonderful people in such a short amount of time in my life! This was an experience I will never forget.”

So what does a typical day in Residency look like for students pursuing a mental health counseling degree? Students start the day with breakfast and worship. After that, they head into their morning classes. Lunch break is held in Alpha Dining with peers. Then, students head to afternoon classes where they continue in-depth courses that discuss the topics they are learning in their mental health counseling degree.

“Something that stood out to me in our classes was when Dr. Edgington shared that what a client brings into a session is a chasm of how they do life outside of the counseling room,” shares Lawrence. “He said that we want to observe and bring attention to patterns in relationship styles, help them see the positive elements of those relationships, and then bring attention to what patterns may be causing problems.”

While class time provides valuable and rich information, another important aspect is what happens after the courses are over. Students and faculty enjoy dinner and fellowship together, something that is greatly appreciated in an online program.

Brendan Miles, one of our counseling alumni, felt that dinner time and after-hours time were great opportunities to build relationships. “The meal times were great for connections,” he shares. “And I felt that the days ended early enough to give us time to get to know other students and even faculty.”

Lawrence agrees. “I loved the opportunity to worship and pray together each day,” he says. “We also had a game night where we played ping-pong and Scattergories with some of the Grace faculty. It was nice to be in a physical room together.”

Students leave Residency with new insights and knowledge not only for their careers but also for their personal growth.

“I enjoyed being stretched, having to deal with my own issues, and learning how to listen better,” says Miles.

“I can’t wait for next year!” says Lawrence. “I felt like I walked out of Residency having made some lifelong friends. Everybody was so welcoming, and I wouldn’t miss a future Residency for anything.”

Are you interested in learning more about Grace’s clinical mental health counseling degree? Our applications are free and take just a few minutes. Check out our online application today!