Information for Prospective Students

We are a small, academic community with a diverse and creative student body who aspire to make a difference in the world.

Most are attracted to our programs because we believe in an integrative or holistic approach to counseling, art therapy and consciousness in on the masters degree level, and regenerative leadership on the doctoral level. SWC offers both professional training and self-reflective, experiential learning which creates opportunities for students to build confidence and the competence to practice in the field.

Our graduates are employed in 47 states working in hospitals, schools, agencies, recovery centers, private practice, private and public industry and non-profits, and are involved with professional associations at all levels. They hold a variety of positions within multiple professions. Check out what they are doing – and how they are changing the world – in our blog series Where Do Southwestern Grads Work?

This page is a hub of information for people curious about our programs and our community. We encourage you to review the information here and in other places on our website. The folks in our Admissions office, Dru Phoenix and Brenda Cruz-Flores  are happy to speak with you at any time regarding our programs in Counseling, Art Therapy/Counseling, and Art Therapy for Clinical Professionals. For those interested in the Phd in Visionary Practice and Regenerative Leadership contact Dru Phoenix at admissions@swc.edu. Contact us through our toll free number (877) 471-5756. 

In addition to our Master’s Degree and PhD programs, Southwestern College also offers six specialty Certificate Programs through the New Earth Institute. These certificate programs allow our students and local professionals to specialize in: 

• Addictions, Abuse and Recovery
• Applied Interpersonal Neurobiology
• Children’s Mental Health
• Ecotherapy
• Human Sexuality
• Trauma, Grief and Renewal

Southwestern College offers unparalleled opportunities for clinical and academic learning as well as personal and spiritual transformation.

• The Art Therapy/Counseling master’s degree program allows you  to sit for Counseling licensure and obtain an Art Therapy credential through AATA. There are also some states that credential art therapists.
• Our Clinical M.A. degree Practicum and Internship programs prepare you for life as a therapist by providing you the opportunity to work with clients and receive professional supervision. 
• You can specialize in an area near and dear to your heart through the NEI Certificate Programs.

• For our on-the-ground students, we have a dedicated space to make art; we are committed to the artists within each of us even as we are training Art Therapists and Counselors. 
• Tierra Nueva Counseling Center offers our on-the-ground students state of the art facilities, including dedicated SandPlay and art therapy rooms, for client sessions during the Practicum.
• You could even participate in a Wilderness Fast along the way