Support Your Students'  and Faculty's Professional Identity and Engagement

Advocacy, volunteerism, professional development, and networking are all important parts of professional identity. As graduate students and future mental health counselors, it can be challenging for some students to find opportunities to be engaged and active in their profession. As New York's only membership-based professional organization representing mental health counselors, NYMHCA recognizes the importance of professional identity and engagement.

NYMHCA's Graduate Professional Identity Program provides opportunities for graduate students, faculty, and staff to access NYMHCA benefits and services to support the development of professional identity and engagement in the mental health counseling profession. As a partner, graduate programs demonstrate their investment and support for their students' professional identity. 

There are many benefits available to participating graduate programs, their faculty, and students. All faculty members and students who join via the Graduate Professional Identity Program will have access to all of NYMHCA's benefits and services. For a participating graduate program, membership is deeply discounted for current graduate students and faculty members.

In addition to these benefits, NYMHCA will often offer programming exclusively for participating graduate programs and their faculty and students, as well as specialized communication and opportunities for involvement.

Enroll Your Institution in the Graduate Professional Identity Program

To join NYMHCA's Graduate Professional Identity Program, an authorized member of the faculty or staff must complete the Membership Enrollment form. This will initiate the process to allow for students and faculty members to enroll their individual memberships and be associated to the organization. Following the submission of an application for program enrollment, a member of the NYMHCA membership committee will reach out to the contact person listed on the application to share more about the program and discuss additional details.

Participating graduate programs are given a unique registration code for their staff and students to join NYMHCA at the discounted rate. All professionals and students who join via the Graduate Professional Identity Program will automatically be associated with the graduate program. For members to maintain their discount, the graduate program must remain an active partner. Graduate program memberships must be renewed every two years.

Current Participating Institutions & Programs

Fordham University
Graduate School of Education
Contact: Eric C. Chen, Ph.D., Program Director | echen@fordham.edu

New York University
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Contact: David Del Mundo, Academic Advisor | dd3343@nyu.edu

Manhattan College
School of Health Professions
Contact: Corine Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., Professor, Counseling and Therapy | corine.fitzpatrick@manhattan.edu

Hofstra University
School of Health Professions and Human Services
Contact: Laurie Johnson, PhD, LMHC, NCC, Professor, Counseling & Mental Health Counseling | Laurie.Johnson@hofstra.edu

Mercy University
School of Social & Behavioral Sciences
Contact: Carolyn Cullen, Ph.D., Director, Mental Health Counseling | ccullen@mercy.edu

John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Department of Psychology
Naomi Naiztat, Career Advisor | nnaiztat@jjay.cuny.edu

Marist College
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Yumiko Ogawa, Director, MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program | yumko.ogawa@marist.edu

SUNY Brockport
School of Education, Health, & Human Services
Contact: Summer Reiner, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Counselor Education | sreiner@brockport.edu

Long Island University - Post
Contact: Kathleen Keefe-Cooperman, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Counseling and Development | kathleen.keefe-cooperman@liu.edu