App State Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

Proud of App State CMHC Program alum Danielle Capparelli MA, LCMHCA, LCAS in her work in Avery County to treat substance use and mental health disorders.

Daymark counselor talks addiction, mental health, recovery in Avery County AVERY COUNTY — Addiction affects individuals in all walks of life, whether directly or indirectly through relationships. Avery County and Western North Carolina are not immune to the issue. Danielle

Dr. Mark Schwarze’s June column.

Mental Health Matters: Oppression and mental health: The hidden cost of silence What happens to a person’s mental health when they spend years feeling unheard, unsafe, dismissed, or forced to justify their basic humanity? One issue that continues to impact emotional wellbeing

Congrats Dr. Mark Schwarze and Dr. Biddle!

Dr. Mark Schwarze, associate professor, and Dr. Katie Biddle, assistant professor, both in the Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education, recently published in the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health.

Their article introduces an innovative framework using video creation and guided storytelling to support counseling with older adults. By addressing key themes—loneliness, grief, life transitions, and health — their work highlights how creative, technology-supported approaches can strengthen connection and enhance therapeutic outcomes.

Click the link in the comments to read the article.

Congrats Dr. Delaughter!

Dr. Paul Delaughter, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education, was recently recognized with Article of the Week honors in Counselor Education and Supervision.

His article, “An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Counseling Interns’ Experiences Serving Older Adults,” examines how counselor education programs can better equip students to meet the growing mental health needs of aging populations.

Click the link in the comments to read the article.

Dr. Schwarze’s May column is now available.

Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University

Mental Health Matters: Understanding gender-expansive identities Public awareness of gender-expansive identities has grown in recent years, yet understanding often lags. For many individuals and families, questions about gender identity are not abstract. They are deeply personal,

This installation at the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University highlights something we don’t talk about enough right now, community, resilience, and the strength that comes from people creating together. The Expressive Arts Gallery project organized by the Orchesis Group, brought students, artists, and community members into the same space to tell a shared story rooted in Appalachian identity, history, and care for one another.

What stands out most is the intention behind it. This is not just art on a wall. It is collaboration. It is voices being heard. It is a reminder that even in difficult times, people can build something meaningful side by side.

https://expressivearts.appstate.edu/current-students/orchesis-alliance

That’s a wrap on Dr. Mark Schwarze’s Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling for the spring 2026 semester. Students showed up with gifts of Mt. Dew and dressed as Dr. Schwarze as a tribute to a great semester.

Here comes the summer!

Check out our own Dr. Paul Delaughter with the CE&S Article of the Week!

CE&S Article of the Week ‘An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Counseling Interns' Experiences Serving Older Adults’

Meet the Authors
• Matthew C. Fullen, PhD, LPCC, Associate Professor, Virginia Tech
• Paul M. Delaughter, PhD, LPC, Assistant Professor, Appalachian State University
• Jonathan D. Wiley, PhD, LPC, NCC, Assistant Professor, Tennessee Tech University

Abstract
Demographic shifts and recent changes to Medicare will result in more older adults utilizing counseling. Field experiences, including internships, are vital opportunities for graduate students to gain exposure to new populations, including older adults. We interviewed eight participants who completed internships in a continuing care retirement community. An interpretative phenomenological analysis yielded three themes: (1) drawn toward older adults, (2)transformative learning and growth, and (3) unfolding self-determination. Implications for counselor education programs are provided.

Read more here:https://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/ACES/ACES-0422.pdf

Congratulations to the 1st year CMHC cohort for an amazing job on the "Licensure Board Mock Hearing" held annually in Dr. Mark Schwarze's Legal and Ethic Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling course.

Students are assigned the roles of attorneys, complainants, respondents, witnesses, and board members and conduct a full hearing on a licensure complaint. The exercise allows these counselors-in-training to bring to life the ACA Code of Ethics and teaches them to critically think about ethic dilemmas.

Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University

Dr. Mark Schwarze’s April column on understanding ADHD.

Mental Health Matters: Understanding ADHD: A counselor’s perspective on challenges, strengths and support Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, more commonly known as ADHD, is one of the most widely discussed and misunderstood mental health conditions in both schools and clinical settings. As a counselor educator and