CACREP AccreditedThe MA in Counseling with an Emphasis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, offered at the main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs . It is the primary emphasis pursued by our students, and is designed for persons who want to practice all types of counseling.

Professional Counseling Faculty: St. Louis (Webster Groves)

Hasmik Chakaryan

Hasmik Chakaryan, PhD, LPC

Associate Professor, Clinical Director, Counseling Coordinator-Webster Groves, Professional Counseling

Hasmik Chakaryan is an associate professor and clinical director of the Department of Professional Counseling at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ. She obtained her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Toledo in 2013. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in social justice and human rights activism and advocacy. Among many projects, Chakaryan has also established a training program for mental health paraprofessionals in Mexico. She has presented in numerous state and national conferences. Her experience includes extensive work with marginalized populations and groups, both nationally and internationally. She specializes in working with immigrant and refugee populations and also training mental health professionals in providing culturally competent services.

Chakaryan is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Missouri and a Certified Trauma Specialist, as well as a victim advocate. She specializes in multicultural counseling and supervision, trauma and disaster mental health and grief counseling. She provides training for professionals on intimate partner violence, multicultural competence in counseling and supervision, working with refugee and immigrant populations, and working with victims of various traumas. Her current research focuses on internationalizing the profession of counseling and bringing awareness about mental health stigma and barriers.

Chakaryan was a recipient of the Certificate of Achievement by ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ College of Arts and Sciences.

Chakaryan is co-investigator for the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training grant that was awarded to Webster's Department of Professional Counseling by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021-2025).

Download Hasmik Chakaryan's CV (PDF)

Chakaryan, H. (2018). Need for establishing a clinical counseling degree program in Armenia. Regional Post – Caucasus. 3, 20-23.

Chakaryan, H. and Laux, J. (2018). Establishing a Master’s Counseling Program in Armenia: Historical and socio-cultural context. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling. 40, 1-13.

Chakaryan, H. (2018). Effective ways to approach sexual assault response and critical elements to consider. Counseling Today. 61(1), 52-57.

Liberati, R. and Chakaryan, H. (2017). Significance of training for LGBTQ intimate partner violence victim counselors. Alabama Counseling Association Journal. 41(3), 28-48.

Chakaryan, H. (2017). Crisis Intervention: Building Resilience in Troubled Times. (Reviewer of "Crisis Intervention: Building Resilience in Troubled Times" by Echterling, L.G. & McKee, J.A.), Cognella Inc.

Office Browning Hall, ISB 415
Phone: 314-246-8217
Email: hchakaryan06@webster.edu

Stacy Henning

Stacy L. Henning, PhD, LPC

Associate Professor, Professional Counseling

Stacy L. Henning is an associate professor in the Professional Counseling Department at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ. She holds a PhD and an MEd in Counselor Education and Supervision from CACREP-accredited doctoral and master's programs; and is a licensed professional counselor and an approved clinical supervisor through NBCC. Henning is an active member in ACA Committees, including serving as the former senior chair to the ACA Ethics Committee and member of the Public Policy and Legislative Committee; a site team member and chair for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); a member of university committees; an administrator, faculty and team member for the Professional Counseling department; and a practicing professional counselor in St. Louis. Current research includes pedagogical efficacy in counselor education, neuroscience in clinical counseling and couples counseling.

DOWNLOAD STACY HENNING'S CV (docx)

Fort, K. Gonzalez. M., Henning, S., Johnson, L, & Wilkerson, J. (2022). Understanding the CACREP Standards and Developing a Self-Study. In D. Stalnaker-Shofner (Ed), "Teaching and Administration in Counselor Education: A Practical Guide for Training Graduate Students and New Educators." New York: New York. Springer. Book Chapter in Progress.

Watson, L. R., & Henning, S. L. (2022). Behavioral outcomes with law enforcement officers with compassion fatigue. "FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin."

Henning, S. L., Smith, A., O'Brien, D., & Paige, K. (2021). "Twentieth century theories; Twenty-first century counseling." [Manuscript in preparation]. Department of Professional Counseling, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ.

Sheperis, D., Henning, S. L., Kocet, M. (2015). "Ethical Decision Making in the 21st Century." Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Buckley, M.R. and Henning, S. (2014). Education, credentialing, and professional development. In D. S. Sheperis & C. J. Sheperis (eds.). "Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Fundamentals of Applied Practice." Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Henning, S. L. (2013). Ethical decision making. In D. Levitt & H. J. Hartwig Moorhead (Eds.), "Values and Ethics in Counseling: Real-Life Ethical Decision-Making." New York: Routledge.

Thomas, R., and Henning, S. L. (2012). Clinical counseling in Switzerland. Journal of Counseling and Development, special edition.

Thomas, R., and Henning, S. L. (2012) Counseling in Switzerland. In T. Hohenshil (Ed.) "International Counseling." Washington, DC: American Counseling Association.

Office Browning Hall, ISB 432
Phone: 314-246-8215
Email: stacyhenning67@webster.edu

Ericka Cables

Ericka Cables, PhD, LPC, NCC

Assistant Professor, Professional Counseling

Ericka Cables is an assistant professor in the Counseling Department at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a MAC in Professional Counseling and School Counseling K-12 from Missouri Baptist University. She is an avid proponent of community-based collaboration in mental well-being serving Black communities. She has made numerous local presentations and partnered with several agencies. She serves as a board member for a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization with a mission to impact systemic poverty through prioritization of social and emotional health.

In 2018, Cables was selected to participate in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program based in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2022, the Excite the Dream Scholars Program with Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia. Both of these unique opportunities were focused on enhancement for research development, presentation and teaching mentorship for individuals who are part of the global majority group.

Cables is also a nationally board-certified (NCC), licensed professional counselor (LPC) and LPC supervisor in the state of Missouri, and an approved clinical supervisor (ACS). Her background entails trauma training in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT). She currently provides clinical supervision to provisionally licensed professional counselors seeking full licensure.

Her research interests include resilience and post-traumatic growth and counselor identity development.

Download Ericka Cables' CV (PDF)

Cables, E., Smith, P. & Edwin, M. (2023). Moments of Excellence in Career Counseling: Empathy. In E. Balın, M. Edwin, D. Ulupınar, & C. Zalaquett (eds.), Moments of Excellence in Counseling and Psychotherapy: Learning What Works for Relationship Building and Increased Effectiveness. Coherent Digital, LLC.

Cables, E. (2023). Culturally Responsive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In S.B. Dermer and J.R. Abdullah (eds.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Multicultural Counseling, Social Justice, and Advocacy. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cables, Ericka, "" (2022). Dissertations. 1178.

Miller, R. D., Paul, Z. A., Brown, E. C., Coker, A. D., Martin, C., Hurless, N. L., Cables, E. R., Freedle, A., Hussmann, M., & Abernathy, M. M. (in progress) Women and the practice of self-censorship. Manuscript submitted for publication (April, 2022).

Martin, C., Cables, E., & Kashubeck-West, S. (in progress). Predictors of attitudes toward trauma-informed care among mental health professionals working with immigrant and refugee clients.

Office Browning Hall, ISB 416
Phone: 314-246-2349
Email: erickacables@webster.edu

Hemla Singaravelu

Hemla D. Singaravelu, PhD, LPC

Professor, Clinical Coordinator-Webster Groves, Professional Counseling

Hemla D. Singaravelu, PhD, is a licensed professional counselor and professor in the Department of Professional Counseling. Prior to her role at Webster, she was an associate professor at Saint Louis University and served as the co-chair/director of the master's program. She was an assistant professor at Southwest Missouri State University and prior to this, the coordinator of Counseling, Career and Mentor Programs at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts, USA. She received her doctorate in Counselor Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, specializing in Multicultural/Diversity Counseling and Career Development. She has been the editorial board member for the Journal of Counseling and Development, the Career Development Quarterly (ad hoc), and the Journal of LGBT issues in Counseling. She has published and presented in the areas of multicultural counseling, career development of diverse populations, and the gay, lesbian and bisexual population. She has also published the book, "A Handbook for Counseling International Students in the United States." She identifies as a Malaysian Indian.

Download Hemla Singaravelu's CV (PDF)

Singaravelu, H. and Cheah, W. (in press, 2019). Being gay and lesbian in Malaysia. In Nakamura, N. & Logie, C. (Eds.) "LGBT Mental Health-Global Perspectives & Experiences." APA Press.

Cheah, W. H., and Singaravelu, H. (2017). The coming-out process of gay and lesbian individuals from Islamic Malaysia:  Communication strategies and motivations. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 46(5), 401-423. doi: 10.1080/17475759.2017.1362460

Chittooran, R., Stiles, D. and Singaravelu, H. (June 2015). Educating for social justice: Perspectives from three professional programs in the USA. International School Psychology Association Conference Proceedings, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Reubelt, S., Singaravelu, H., Brown, C., Daneshpour, M., (2015). Exploration of Cross-Cultural Couples’ Marital Adjustment: Iranian-American Women Married to European-American Men. Current Psychology, (DOI) 10.1007/s12144-015-9312-3.

Singaravelu, H.D. & Pope, M. (2007). "Handbook for Counseling
International Students in the United States." VA: American Counseling Association Press.

Location Browning Hall, ISB 437
Phone: 314-246-7569
Email: hsingaravelu79@webster.edu

Melissa Spriggs

Melissa Spriggs, PhD, LCPC

Associate Professor, Professional Counseling

Melissa Spriggs has worked in the human services field for over 20 years in the areas of disabilities services, substance abuse, juvenile corrections, mental health and several middle and high school settings. Spriggs has also been adjunct faculty at George Washington University, Trinity Washington University, McKendree University and Lindenwood University. She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Truman State University, a master's degree in Counseling from Western Illinois University and a doctorate in Counseling from George Washington University.

Spriggs enjoys educating, mentoring and advising her students as they progress and grow through the program and in their careers. Her current research interests are compassion fatigue, wounded healers and identity and career development of human services workers.

 

Office Browning Hall, ISB 404
Phone: 314-246-3197
Email: melissaspriggs55@webster.edu

Susan Spiess

Susan Spiess, MSc

Department Coordinator, Professional Counseling

 

 

Office Browning Hall, ISB 434
Phone: 314-246-7795
Email: susanspiess@webster.edu

Robert Cambridge

Robert Cambridge, MSW

Community Liaison/Clinical Outreach Coordinator, Professional Counseling

Robert Cambridge earned his Bachelor of Social Work from Andrews University, and Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University. He has over 20 years of experience in the social work field and previously worked in a variety of different agencies and populations. He joined Wesbter University in February 2024 as a community liaison/clinical outreach coordinator for the Professional Counseling department.

 

Office Browning Hall, ISB 402
Phone: 314-246-2091
Email: robertcambridge@webster.edu

St. Louis (Webster Groves), Missouri Unit Resources and Information

St. Louis Advisory Board

  • Mona Jaswal, Webster Professional Counseling Student
  • Dr. Lelia Flagg, Webster Professional Counseling Adjunct Faculty and Site Supervisor
  • Christopher Elliott, Webster Professional Counseling Adjunct Faculty and Site Supervisor
  • Grayson Rosen, Webster Professional Counseling Graduate
  • Angela Sastry, Webster Professional Counseling Adjunct Faculty and Site Supervisor

Outcomes for graduates of the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for St. Louis:

Graduates in Academic Year 2022-2023 39
Pass Rate on NCE in 2022 75%
Completion Rate (3 yr) Percentage of students who graduated within 2.5 years of starting the program 25%
Completion Rate (4 yr) Percentage of students who graduated within 3.5 years of starting the program 47%
Job Placement Rate 43%

Percentage of graduates who are working full-time, part-time or are continuing their education.

Outcomes Survey Data

Field Experience

All clinical documentation is completed in Tevera Management System. Students can view various forms such as Weekly Hour logs, Agreement to Supervise, Site Supervisor evaluation form and Professional Skills Evaluation.