Children’s Mental Health
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Children’s Mental Health Certificate Program
Program Description
The Children’s Mental Health certificate was developed in collaboration with area agencies and organizations serving children and families in New Mexico, alumni working with children, adolescents and families, and other professionals in the field. On a national level it is also understood that there is a demand across the country for people who are passionate about and skilled in nurturing the well-being of children, adolescents and families. In New Mexico there is a particular need for clinicians who have focused training in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues which affect and impact children and teens.
Students and community members pursuing a certificate through the New Earth Institute must complete all classes required for the Certificate within six (6) years of taking the first class. The certificate classes in this program are mostly offered in person with an occasional one offered on line.
96-HOUR CERTIFICATE
One required core courses and five elective courses
*Southwestern College students may take these courses at the Continuing Education (CE) price unless they are using the course to meet graduate program degree requirements.
Core Course:
- Attachment: The Heart of Well-Being in Children
Elective Courses: (subject to change)
- Ethical Issues in Working With Children and Families
- Holistic Development of Mental Health for Children from Diverse Cultures
- Prevalent Behavioral Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Restoring Hope: Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention and Intervention for Youth
- Grief and Loss in a Child’s World
- Adolescents and Addictions: Prevention and Treatment
- Gender and Sexual Identity Development
- Foundations of Jungian SandPlay Therapy, Level 1
- Neuropsychology of SandPlay and Trauma, Level 2
Click Here to See Upcoming Classes in this Certificate.
Click Here to visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Program Learning Outcomes:
KNOWLEDGE
Students will demonstrate familiarity with essential elements that support and nurture children’s mental health, including primary attachment relationships, effective attuned parenting and teaching, developing self-esteem, creative expression and age appropriate self-determination.
SKILLS
Students will demonstrate increasing skill at identifying children’s developmental needs and choosing best practice approaches and interventions to serve their social, emotional, relational, and mental health needs. A modern understanding of healthy brain development is included.
ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR
Students will demonstrate a compassionate embrace of a wide range of children’s issues, backgrounds, and diverse origins, along with a clear interest in ethical and compassionate problem solving for both groups and individual children.
Where you might use these skills:
- Behavioral health agencies serving children and families
- Hospitals, residential treatment and detention facilities
- Schools, preschools, and daycare sites
- After-school and recreational programs
Program Director
Katie Brammer, PhD, LPC, holds an M.S. in Counselor Education from Missouri State University and PhD in Counselor Education from the University of New Mexico. She has a background as both a Mental Health Clinician and School Counselor.
Viewing her teaching, scholarship, counseling, and supervisory practices as holistic and collaborative, Katie tailors transformational approaches into her work with the anticipation that needs of each individual are met.
She is intentional about providing trauma-informed spaces focused on cultural humility—spaces that value and actively listen to the voices of those who are being impacted.
She advocates for diverse voices to be seen and heard—their contributions help make advances toward systemic change, and aspires to create change agents that support improving historically marginalized communities on local, national, and global levels. As such, she continues to critically evaluate and unlearn her own socialized biases, blind spots, and stereotypical beliefs while encouraging others to do the same.
Specifically, Katie’s work with folx who are Transgender and Gender Expansive, in addition to those whose affectional orientation or romantic attraction defy heteronormativity, continues to influence her own individual work as a developing antiracist, culturally responsive Counselor Educator, scholar, counselor, and supervisor continually progressing toward being a better human all the time.