2025 Edition

NCE - National Counselor Exam Practice Test

Take this free NCE practice test to see what types of questions you will face on the National Counselor Exam.

Once you pass the NCE, you can become a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a credential offered by The National Board for Certified Counselors. Some states require counselors to become certifed or licensed. The content outline of the NCE covers multiple domains and common core areas, such as assessment and diagnosis, counseling techniques, group counseling and career counseling and professional ethics.

When you are ready to prepare for the actual test, try our full-length 800 question NCE Practice Exam that includes online flash cards, exam review and a 50 state guide. It is written by counseling experts and instructors.

For more information on the NCE, including detailed information on the domains and common core areas the test covers, see the NCE Study Guide.

After trying our free practice test below, here is a second free NCE Practice Exam.

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1.	A counselor intensifies a client's emotional state to show the client the irrationality of her emotional reaction. What is this technique known as?
		a. Paradoxical intention
		b. Transactional-Analysis
		c. Systematic Desensitization
		d. Reconfiguration
Victor Frankl developed the technique of Paradoxical intention and used it with clients who had severe anxiety. Transactional-Analysis is used by psychoanalysts to help clients determine their ego states in order to understand behavior. For behavior change, therapists help clients alter the state of their ego (parent, child, or adult-like). Systematic Desensitization is a behavioral therapy technique developed by Wolpe to help clients overcome phobias. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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2.	Despite its age, Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development is still in widespread use. Which of the following is the final level in the theory?
		a. Personhood
		b. Principled thought
		c. Self-actualization
		d. None of the above
Principled thought comes after moving through the 6^th stage, which Kohlberg believed few people actually reached. Self-actualization is the highest level of development one can reach according to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

3.	Which of the following interventions is not commonly used in Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)?
		a. Discussion of patterns in a client's relationships
		b. A detailed past history of the client
		c. Exploration of the therapist/client relationship
		d. The ABC Model
Interpersonal Therapy is a short term, solution focused treatment mainly for clients who have depression. The ABC Model is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique developed by Albert Ellis to use when clients hold irrational beliefs. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

4.	Members of a counseling group that score high in authoritarianism also tend to score high in independence.
		True
		False
Authoritarianism values strict obedience to authority, even if personal freedom is sacrificed, which is contrary to independence. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

5.	If a child is learning to use abstract concepts, which of Piaget's stages is she in?
		a. Preoperational
		b. Sensorimotoer
		c. Concrete
		d. Early Adolescence
Typically around the age of 11 or 12, children are moving into the Formal Operational Stage where they are learning to think about abstract concepts. The Concrete Operational Stage is characterized by applying logic. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

6.	Approximately how old is the child in question 5?
		a. Three
		b. Twelve
		c. One
		d. Eight
Children typically move into the Formal Operational Stage around the age of 11 or 12. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

7.	If someone is thinking about committing suicide, asking them whether they are thinking about suicide will not cause them to commit suicide.
		True
		False
Research shows that talking about suicide does not increase the likelihood of someone committing suicide. Talking about suicide and educating people about it can be one of the most effective ways of preventing it from happening. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

8.	Under which of the following circumstances is it not okay to break patient confidentiality?
		a. A court subpoenas the client's chart.
		b. The client has threatened to hurt himself or someone else.
		c. The client's employer has requested the information.
		d. The client admits to abusing his children.
The patient's employer has no right to request information he or she shared in a confidential session with a therapist, even if it is through the Employee Assistance Program. Therapists are required to break confidentiality when someone's safety is at risk. Courts can subpoena charts, which is why therapists should be careful about taking notes during sessions. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

9.	You are using the ABC model of cognitive therapy. Which model are you trying to promote in your clients after a negative event?
		a. Negative Event leads to irrational belief leads to positive thought
		b. Negative Event leads to rational belief leads to healthy negative thought
		c. Negative Event leads to irrational belief leads to unhealthy negative thought
		d. None of the above
Albert Ellis developed the ABC model to help replace unhealthy, irrational beliefs with rational ones following a negative event. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

10.	Carl Jung's Theory of Archetypes is still very influential, and several of them are listed below. Choose the one that is not correct.
		a. The Shadow
		b. The Hero
		c. The Wise Old Woman
		d. The Self-Made Person
The Shadow represents sex and life instincts and consists of repressed ideas and desires. The Hero represents a champion defender. The Wise Old Woman is helpful and a symbol of female nature. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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11.	The mean, median and mode are not at the same point on a normal curve.
		True
		False
The normal curve is symmetrical. Therefore, there's an equal number of values greater and lower than the peak, which then average out to be the mode, median and mean. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

12.	Which of the following kinds of therapy seeks to help clients find their answers to questions such as: Why am I here? Is this all there is? Why do people suffer?
		a. Cognitive Behavioral
		b. Holistic Health
		c. Existential
		d. Client Centered
Existential therapy centers on the client, rather than the symptom, in its focus on free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning. It is not client-centered therapy because in this approach, therapists allow the clients to steer the conversation in an effort to get them to better understand themselves and others. Cognitive behavioral therapy tries to treat problems and boost happiness by modifying emotions, behaviors, and thoughts. Holistic health therapy focuses on integrating the body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

13.	A client is 35. She is married, has two kids and is working on a big promotion at work. She is focused entirely on her family and career. Which of Erickson's Stages of Psychosocial Development is she in?
		a. Intimacy vs. Isolation
		b. Generativity vs. Stagnation
		c. Integrity vs. Despair
		d. Industry vs. Inferiority
In the Generativity vs. Stagnation stage, people are focused on contributing to the next generation (the client produced 2 offspring) and to society (the client's meaningful career). Industry vs. Inferiority occurs during the elementary school years and Integrity vs. Despair during late adulthood. It is not Intimacy vs. Isolation because she has gone beyond sharing her life with one other person. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

14.	Crites is the researcher that first described the concept of "career maturity."
		True
		False
Career maturity was first mentioned by Donald Super and is the degree to which people are prepared to make good educational and vocational choices. Crites created the Career Maturity Inventory based on Donald Super's theory of career development. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

15.	A dog is trained to salivate at the ringing of a bell. What form of conditioning is this?
		a. Classical Conditioning
		b. Operant Conditioning
		c. Reinforcement Conditioning
		d. None of the above
Classical conditioning occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired. In this case, the two stimuli were the ringing of the bell and the treat. Operant conditioning occurs when there are rewards and punishments associated with learning. Reinforcement is a term associated with operant conditioning. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

16.	All humans have a five-stage sleep cycle and all cycle through the stages in the same order. Choose the correct sequence.
		a. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5
		b. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 1, Stage 3, Stage 5, Stage 4
		c. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 5
		d. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 3, Stage 2, Stage 5
Sleep does not progress through all of these stages in sequence, however. Sleep begins in Stage One and progresses into stages Two, Three, and Four. Then, after Stage Four sleep, Stages Three, then Two are repeated before going into REM sleep. Once REM is over, we usually return to Stage Two sleep. Sleep cycles through these stages approximately 4 or 5 times throughout the night. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

17.	The "fields and levels" approach to group career counseling uses one of the theories developed by which famous theorist?
		a. Jung
		b. Roe
		c. Holland
		d. None of the above
Roe's theory consists of 8 fields (Service, Business Contact, Organization, Technology, Outdoor, Science, General Culture, and Arts & Entertainment) and 6 levels (professional and managerial, levels 1 and 2; semiprofessional and small business, level 3; skilled, level 4; semiskilled, level 5; and unskilled, level 6). Carl Jung founded analytical psychology. Holland created the Holland Codes including Realistic, Investigative, Artisitic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RIASEC). Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

18.	What traits originate in the cerebral cortex?
		a. Thought
		b. Language
		c. Reason
		d. All of the above
The cerebral cortex is the most highly developed section of the brain and is responsible for these advanced skills. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

19.	A conditioned association is not a learned association.
		True
		False
In operant conditioning, therapists believe the reaction to an object or event can be modified by learning, or conditioning. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

20.	What type of partial reinforcement produces the best response to stimuli?
		a. Fixed-ratio Schedules
		b. Variable-ratio Schedules
		c. Fixed-interval Schedules
		d. Variable-Interval Schedules
A variable ratio schedule is when a reward occurs after an unpredictable amount of responses and typically provides a high rate of response. A fixed ratio schedule occurs when a response is reinforced after a set number of responses. Fixed interval schedules reinforce the response only after a certain amount of time has passed. Variable interval schedules reinforce the response after an unpredictable amount of time has gone by. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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21.	The archetype of the "Shadow" encompasses which of the following?
		a. All that is evil
		b. Everything that is wrong with a person
		c. All of the things about a person that he or she will not acknowledge
		d. None of the above
Carl Jung believed the “Shadow” represented the dark side of someone's personality. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

22.	A counselor that decides his consultancy fee job-by-job instead of setting a standard rate is using a variable-ratio reinforcement schedule.
		True
		False
A variable ratio schedule is when a reward occurs after an unpredictable amount of responses and typically provides a high rate of response. The counselor's rate is unpredictable from one job to the next. A fixed ratio schedule occurs when a response is reinforced after a set number of responses. Fixed interval schedules reinforce the response only after a certain amount of time has passed. Variable interval schedules reinforce the response after an unpredictable amount of time has gone by. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

23.	Some counseling methods are "product-oriented," while others are "process-oriented." Which of the following is more interested in the product than the process?
		a. Transactional-analysis
		b. Client-centered
		c. Behavioral
		d. None of the Above
Behavioral counseling focuses on changing the client's behavior. Transactional-analysis, developed by Berne, focuses on interactions between people and communication is very important. In this theory, it is believed that within each person, there are 3 altered ego stages- the parent, the adult, and the child. In Client-centered, developed by Carl Rogers, the process is the focus and often guided by the client. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

24.	Which type of memory retrieval requires a person to reconstruct a memory?
		a. Recall
		b. Recollection
		c. Recognition
		d. Relearning
Memories are stored in the brain's hippocampus and recollection occurs when a person needs to reconstruct a memory. Each time a person reminisces about an experience, that memory is strengthened. Recall designates that specific details be retrieved through memory. Recognition is the ability to recognize previously encountered people, events, or objects. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

25.	Behavioral reinforcers always raise behavioral probability.
		True
		False
The purpose of reinforcers is to increase the likelihood that a specific behavior will occur following a stimulus. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

26.	What is one of the most important hallmarks of the Formal Operations stage of cognitive development?
		a. The ability to make rational judgments without concrete objects
		b. The ability to reason deductively
		c. The ability to plan for the future
		d. All of the above
The Formal Operational stage is the last of Piaget's stages, beginning in early adolescence and lasting until adulthood, and is characterized by abstract concepts. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

27.	What will the standard error of measurement tell you about a test?
		a. If the test is valid.
		b. If two sets of results are due to chance.
		c. If the test has a normal curve.
		d. If the test is norm-referenced.
Standard error of measurement estimates how an individual's scores would fall if given the same assessment over a period of time. Validity is one of the most important criteria for determining the quality of a test and refers to if the test is measuring what it claims to measure. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

28.	The four lobes of the human brain are each responsible for handling different tasks. Which of these lobes is responsible for processing tactile sensory information?
		a. Occipital Lobe
		b. Frontal Lobe
		c. Parietal Lobe
		d. Temporal Lobe
The Parietal Lobe processes information temperature, taste, touch, and movement. The Occipital Lobe is responsible for vision, while the Frontal Lobe's main jobs include cognitive functions and voluntary movement. The Temporal Lobe processes memory and connects them with our senses. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

29.	Which of the following would not be a part of a standard first counseling session with a therapist who was practicing client-centered counseling?
		a. Introduction
		b. Note-taking
		c. Discussion
		d. All of the above would be included
A large focus of client-centered counseling is discussion, often guided by the client. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

30.	If a counselor's role changes from a nonforensic evaluative role to a therapeutic role, the client must be informed of the change as a matter of __________________.
		a. confidentiality
		b. treatment
		c. informed consent
		d. assessment
Informed consent is a process of getting permission before conducting a healthcare intervention on a person. Informed consent needs to occur before treatment. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

31.	Who developed the technique of paradoxical intention?
		a. Wolpe
		b. Super
		c. Frankl
		d. Jung
Victor Frankl developed the technique of paradoxical intention and used it with clients who had severe anxiety. Systematic desensitization is a behavioral therapy technique developed by Wolpe to help clients overcome phobias. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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32.	John and Carol took the same test. John got a score of 87 and Carol got a score of 73. To determine if the differences in scores is the result of chance, a counselor would need to know which of the following characteristics of the test?
		a. Standard error of the mean
		b. Standard deviation
		c. Mean
		d. Standard error of measurement
Standard error of measurement estimates where an individual's scores would fall if given the same assessment over a period of time. Standard error of the mean is the variability of the sample means while standard deviation is a measure telling the amount of variation of a set of data points. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

33.	Who has most extensively researched and described the concept of career maturity?
		a. Ginzberg
		b. Crites
		c. Hoyt
		d. Super
While Super first described the concept of career maturity, it was Crites who researched and created the Career Maturity Inventory. Ginzberg believed the development of the following four factors led to career choice: the reality factor, the influence of the educational process, the emotional factor, and individual values. Hoyt viewed career education as a composite of activities and experiences designed to prepare and engage individuals in paid or unpaid work during their lives. Super believed the following stages explained career development: 1. The crystallization stage, ages 14-18 2. Specification stage, ages 18-21 3. Implementation stage, ages 21-24 4. The stabilization stage, ages 24-35 5. Consolidation, age 35 6. Readiness for retirement, age 55. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

34.	The correct order of Piaget's 4 stages is:
		a. formal operational, preoperational, sensorimotor, concrete operational
		b. preoperational, formal operational, concrete operational, sensorimotor
		c. concrete operational, sensorimotor, preoperational, formal operational
		d. sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational
Piaget was a developmental theorist who believed all people went through the same four stages. The main goals of each stage follow: sensorimotor - object permanence; preoperational - symbolic thought; concrete operational - operational thought; and formal operational - abstract concepts. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

35.	John Bowlby is associated with:
		a. career guidance
		b. attachment and bonding
		c. psychodrama
		d. holistic counseling
Bowlby's work was the beginning of Attachment Theory which describes how the parent-sibling bond/attachment later influences how a person develops. Parsons, Holland, Bandura, and Super are associated with career guidance. Moreno founded psychodrama, also known as the first type of group therapy. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

36.	Culture can be defined as:
		a. values a group shares and learns from other members of the group
		b. attitudes, beliefs, art, and language specific to a group
		c. customs shared by a group which are different from those in another group
		d. All of the above
Culture is a broad term used to describe the social behavior and norms found in human societies and therefore, a, b, and c are all part of the definition. An overly simplified way of thinking about culture is as a way of life for certain groups. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

37.	Cultural norms:
		a. measure conduct
		b. describe how people belonging to a certain group are supposed to act
		c. show how to interact with someone from another culture
		d. were first described by Freud
While understanding cultural norms may help you understand the behavior and actions of someone from another culture, thereby making it easier to interact with that person, they do not provide a roadmap showing how to interact. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

38.	Talking about difficulties to purge them is a curative process known as:
		a. Catharsis
		b. Problem solving
		c. Release
		d. Sounding off
While Aristotle was the first to describe catharsis, it was the psychoanalyst Josef Breuer who first used it as a technique. He found that while recalling traumatic experiences under hypnosis, his clients experienced relief after expressing the repressed emotions. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

39.	Which theorist spoke of social connectedness?
		a. Freud
		b. Jung
		c. Adler
		d. Skinner
Social connectedness is the measure of how an individual is connected to and takes interest in the well-being of others. Adler believed when people reached a level of social connectedness, they would feel successful and happy. The other theorists mentioned above adhered more toward an individualistic explanation of success and happiness. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

40.	The difference between open and closed groups is:
		a. In an open group, confidentiality is valued less than in a closed group.
		b. Group members are allowed to drop out of an open group, but not a closed group.
		c. Group members need to be screened for closed groups, but not for open groups.
		d. No new members can join a closed group, whereas new members can join an open group at any time once they've been screened.
In closed groups, the group typically ends with the same members it began with. New members are not allowed to join a closed group once the sessions have started, but members are allowed to drop out at any time. Counselors need to screen members for both open and closed groups. In open groups, new members can join in at any time once they've been screened. Regardless of the type of group, confidentiality is always an important aspect so that group members can trust one another and the counselor. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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41.	An advantage of having coleaders for a group is:
		a. If one leader is unable to be there for the meeting, it does not have to be canceled.
		b. The leaders can process their own feelings with each other in between sessions.
		c. The leaders can be more observant of group dynamics.
		d. All of the above
As long as the coleaders get along and adhere to a similar theoretical approach and vision for the group, having coleaders can provide multiple benefits for group members. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

42.	Which theorist believed a person's personality needs to be congruent with their work environment?
		a. Holland
		b. Parsons
		c. Freud
		d. Moreno
Holland believed that if a person chose to work in an environment congruent with their personality, they would feel happier and more satisfied. The six work environments he identified are: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Parsons believed careers had to be matched to talents, skills, and personality. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

43.	Which person is associated with the beginning of the guidance movement?
		a. Adler
		b. Parsons
		c. Freud
		d. Ellis
Frank Parsons is known as the founder of the guidance movement. His talent matching approach was later developed into the Trait and Factor Theory of Occupational Choice. Adler was the founder of individual psychology, Freud was the founder of psychoanalysis, and Ellis was the founder of rational emotive behavior therapy. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

44.	What does RIASEC stand for?
		a. Realistic, Instigating, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional
		b. Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional
		c. Reformed, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional
		d. Realistic, Inquiring, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Committed
Career theorist John Holland developed these 6 categories describing different work environments. He believed an individual's personality needed to match their work environment in order to maximize happiness and success. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

45.	Which is NOT an example of a Computer Assisted Career Guidance System (CACGS)?
		a. SIGI Plus
		b. Choices
		c. Indeed
		d. Discover
SIGI Plus, Choices, and Discover are all types of CACGS. CACGS is a term used to describe a computer program that combines career assessment, information, and guidance all into one system. Indeed is a popular job search website. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

46.	Most ethical dilemmas are related to:
		a. family members
		b. confidentiality
		c. money
		d. mental illness
An ethical dilemma occurs when a counselor feels pulled in two different directions. In surveys of practitioners, confidentiality is one of the top dilemmas reported. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

47.	One of your clients who is a minor comes into your office with visible bruising and you suspect abuse. You should:
		a. Call the child abuse hotline to report the incident.
		b. Tell his parents to stop abusing him.
		c. Try to prove it.
		d. Ask lots of questions to lead your client to confide the abuse to you.
It is very important for counselors to follow through with reporting abuse, especially since they are mandated reporters. This is one of the instances when breaking confidentiality is warranted. It is not the counselor's job to get more information from the client in order to try to prove abuse occurred. If a counselor has the suspicion that abuse occurred, they need to report. In some instances, counselors do choose to let the parent know a report had to be made, but that is not required. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

48.	Which test measures key personality factors?
		a. WISC
		b. WAIS
		c. MBTI
		d. 16PF
The 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) is a self-report personality test developed using several decades worth of empirical research. Cattell and his associates set out to measure the following personality factors: warmth, intellect, emotional stability, aggressiveness, liveliness, dutifulness, social assertiveness, sensitivity, paranoia, abstractedness, introversion, anxiety, open mindedness, independence, perfectionism, tension. The Myers Briggs Type Inventory is a self-report personality inventory which indicates how people perceive the world and make decisions. The WISC and the WAIS are tests designed to measure cognitive intelligence. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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49.	The most valuable type of research is the:
		a. correlational study
		b. experiment
		c. survey
		d. descriptive narrative
The experiment is the most powerful research method because it is the only design that examines a single factor's effect on a particular behavior. Therefore, it is the only method where a direct cause and effect relationship can be established. While correlational studies can show if 2 variables are related and how strong the relationship is, it is important to remember correlation does not equal causation. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

50.	A man comes to you and has been through a series of traumatic events. You have no training or experience in helping clients overcome trauma. Ethically, you should:
		a. continue meeting with him and 'learn as you go'.
		b. tell him you can't help him.
		c. refer the client to a therapist who has the proper qualifications.
		d. ask him to tell you all the details.
Helping clients work through trauma requires specialized training. If the client is presenting with trauma and it is out of the realm of the counselor's ability to handle, the client should be referred to a qualified professional. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Quality starts with who wrote the material.

Our practice exam writer

Diane Dean, LPC, RN-BC, MA,

is a licensed professional counselor and educator with 20 years experience in healthcare. She has taught at many colleges and universities, including the University of Pittsburgh.

Stacy Fruhling, LCPC, LCADC, NCC, MAC,

is an adjunct professor in psychology and counseling at the Ann Arundel Community College and the Community College of Baltimore.

Lisa Slade, MS, LPC, NCC,

is an adjunct professor in psychology, counseling, sociology and human services at Caldwell University in the Graduate School of Psychology, at the University of Bridgeport and at the Housatonic Community College.

OUR PRACTICE EXAM COVERS THE ACTUAL NCE DOMAINS:

The NCE contains 200 multiple-choice, non-sectioned questions. There are different versions of the test. Test questions come from a pool of questions that have been extensively reviewed and researched for content accuracy and clarity.

Below are the six domains tested by the NBCC on the NCE:

• Professional Practice & Ethics

• Intake Assessment and Diagnosis

• Areas of Clinical Focus

• Treatment Planning

• Counseling Skills and Interventions

• Core Counseling Attributes

Covering the eight CACREP Common Core Areas::

• Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice

• Social and Cultural Diversity

• Human Growth and Development

• Career Development

• Counseling and Helping Relationships
• Group Counseling and Group Work
• Assessment and Testing
• Research and Program Evaluation

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