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Rollins College is introducing a new Applied Neuroscience in Counseling and Therapy concentration designed to give graduate students in the Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program a scientific foundation for integrating brain-based knowledge into clinical practice.

Positioned at the intersection of neuroscience and counselor education, the concentration explores how the brain’s structure, function, and evolutionary history shape emotion, behavior, and healing. Students will learn to translate complex neuroscience concepts into practical strategies for assessment, treatment, and client education, supporting more effective work with trauma, stress, and emotion regulation.

Through coursework that intentionally connects neuroscience with established counseling theories, students develop a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection and the biological mechanisms that drive therapeutic change. The program emphasizes evidence-informed practice while reinforcing the relational, human-centered values at the core of counseling.

“Today’s counselors and therapists are expected to know more than just theory,” says counseling professor Samuel Sanabria. “They need to understand the body, the brain, and the social systems that shape experiences. The applied neuroscience concentration gives our students the tools to do just that. Ours is one of the few counseling programs in the country offering this training in neuroscience-informed care. What makes us different is how we translate the science into ethical, relational, and culturally responsive practice. This concentration reflects a forward-thinking approach to preparing counselors for the evolving demands of mental-health work.”

Rollins’ Applied Neuroscience in Counseling and Therapy concentration distinguishes itself through its depth and interdisciplinary scope. Unlike related programs at peer institutions, the concentration uniquely bridges evolutionary neuroscience, affective neurobiology, and counselor training, placing it among the first in the counseling profession to integrate this level of neuroscience directly into a clinical-training curriculum.

Courses emphasize experiential and reflective learning, encouraging students to actively apply neuroscience concepts through case studies, client scenarios, and personal self-awareness. This approach reinforces not only technical understanding but also ethical consideration and professional insight—key qualities for today’s mental-health practitioners.

Rooted in Rollins’ culture of care and community, the new concentration prepares graduates to enter the counseling profession as thoughtful, well-rounded clinicians equipped to address the complex emotional and neurological dimensions of human experience. As the field of applied neuroscience continues to evolve, Rollins is helping lead the way by training counselors who approach mental health with curiosity, rigor, and compassion.

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