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As she embarks on a career as a mental health counselor, Kristen Gloss knows that an exam no longer stands in the way of her longstanding desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

Equipped with knowledge and skills from ���鵺��̳’s counselor education program, Kristen recently passed a critical test that is a requirement to become licensed in Massachusetts.

“The program gives us such a strong foundation in understanding important aspects of counseling,” said Kristen, who is poised to earn a master’s degree in mental health counseling in December. “It’s given me a lot of skills but also taught me how to find the answers when I don’t know something.”

In fact, Kristen is one of more than a dozen recent ���鵺��̳ students to pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam. Bridgewater students achieved a perfect 100-percent passing rate during the spring semester, a record of success that continued into the fall. The nationwide pass rate last spring was only 77 percent.

Because ���鵺��̳’s program is accredited, students can complete the test before earning their degrees – removing an important weight from their shoulders.

“They’re able to take it before graduating, and they’re also wildly successful on it,” said Dr. Nikki Freeburg, a professor of counselor education and the department’s chairperson.

The exam presents written vignettes that simulate interactions with clients. Students must rely on their classroom and fieldwork experience to answer questions about how to handle the situations.

Freeburg credits students’ success to their hard work, a strong group of faculty, and a focus on matching students with the best fieldwork sites to gain real-world experience. The department’s fieldwork coordinator, Dr. Amanda Barudin-Carreiro, excels at reviewing locations for quality and meeting students’ individual needs.

“She helps students find a good fit for their professional goals,” Freeburg said. “We go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure students are thriving in these sites.”

Students also hone their skills on campus in the department’s lab. The facility includes rooms for students to practice mock group and one-on-one therapy sessions that their peers and faculty observe over video from a control room.  This setup allows students to receive immediate feedback.

Sessions can even be recorded, enabling students to watch themselves and notice things they would have missed in the moment such as the length of pauses in a conversation, said Theresa Dillon, another December graduate who recently passed the exam.

“It’s helpful to have not only your professors but your peers reflect on what you’re doing,” Theresa said.

Theresa and Kristen are both pursuing career changes, having previously worked as a librarian and journalist, respectively.

They are drawn to counseling because of an innate desire to help others and appreciate the supportive atmosphere at ���鵺��̳.

“Everyone is working toward the same goal of helping people,” Kristen said. “It’s been such a wonderful experience.”

Do you have a ���鵺��̳ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.