Pacifica Graduate Institute Receives the 2018 CAMFT Outstanding School Award

Pacifica Graduate Institute announces its Masters in Counseling Psychology degree program received the 2018 California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) Award for Outstanding School or Agency.

Pacifica Graduate Institute, an accredited graduate school, is pleased to announce that its Counseling Psychology master’s degree program has received the 2018 California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) Award for Outstanding School.

“It’s an honor to receive the CAMFT Outstanding School Award, acknowledging the Masters in Counseling Psychology program’s excellent delivery of a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) education,” stated Willow Young, Program Chair of the Counseling Psychology Program at Pacifica. “CAMFT recognizes Pacifica’s creativity and innovation, as the MA Counseling Program serves the interests of aspiring mental health professionals, assisting students in seeking employment opportunities, assuring diversity in the population it serves, and other factors which distinguish Pacifica from other schools or agencies.”

“The Masters in Counseling Psychology program started 40 years ago,” stated Stephen Aizenstat, Founding President of Pacifica Graduate Institute, “and this outstanding program has been emulated by Pacifica’s doctoral programs. Pacifica is well known for its state licensing board exam rates and we are pleased to be acknowledged for innovation, and serving the interests of our students.” During calendar year 2016, 67 Pacifica graduates took the LMFT Clinical Examination with 94% of them passing (exceeding the California wide 75% pass rate). During calendar year 2016, 146 Pacifica graduates took the LMFT California Law & Ethics Examination with 81% of them passing (exceeding the California-wide 73% pass rate).

Each year, CAMFT recognizes an outstanding school or agency that contributed in a significant way to the body of literature or research informing the profession of marriage and family therapy or that has engaged in projects or committed to a mission that has enhanced the quality and reputation of the profession. Awards are based on nominations by CAMFT members, then a two-thirds majority vote by the Board of Directors.

Over the last five years, the Counseling Psychology program at Pacifica Graduate Institute has continued to develop and deliver an excellent education while encouraging creativity and illumination. Pacifica prides itself on a superlative curriculum and its ability to provide students with a wide variety of clinical perspectives. Students become well-versed in current clinical research, trauma theory, neurobiology, somatic psychology, and considerations pertaining to community mental health, career development, and crisis intervention as they progress through their coursework. Students from Pacifica excel in their completion of the state licensure exams, with scores consistently well above the state average that continue to increase each year.

Pacifica enrolls students from a broad spectrum of populations including highly varied geographic regions, ages, cultures, and gender identifications. Many students who hail from diverse areas, such as Los Angeles County, return to their home cities to work with underserved populations in their communities. There is a focus on inclusion of diversity initiatives in all course syllabi, as well as in classroom discourse.

The M.A. in Counseling Psychology Program at Pacifica Graduate Institute is one of the few master’s level programs which provides study on the topic of counseling inclusive of a depth psychological perspective.