Mississippi College Doctor of Professional Counseling - DPC

08/17/2026

Welcome, DPC students! Or to those returning - welcome back! Today, Monday, August 17th, is our official first day of classes for Fall 2026. We're looking forward to working with you and hope you have a wonderful semester! 📝

07/31/2026

Are you a current student member of the Mississippi Counseling Association? You can volunteer at the MCA 2026 Annual Conference and attend conference sessions free of charge!

Conference registration fees will be waived for any student members willing and able to volunteer. This is an excellent opportunity for students to become more involved in the counseling profession, connect with experienced counselors, and learn from outstanding presenters!

Interested in joining the MCA? Follow the link below!
https://mica.memberclicks.net/membership

07/29/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Dana Burrell for successfully defending her PDE and officially earning her DPC degree! She will be walking in our December 2026 graduation. We're proud to celebrate this mark of all your hard work and dedication coming to fruition. 📚🎓🎉

Here's a bit more about Dana in her own words: "I am a proud wife and mother. I am an LCSW. I have worked in the field of social work since 2004 in different capacities in health care. I have done some counseling throughout, but I shifted to working solely as a psychotherapist virtually nearly 5 years ago. I love what I do and that I get to do it from home. I am also very involved in my church. I am an ordained minister. I teach Bible studies. I am the leader of the praise & worship team. I am also the church secretary."

05/15/2026

⏰ Our application deadline for the Fall 2026 semester of the DPC Program is fast approaching! Make sure to get your applications in by June 1, 2026 and all required materials by June 15! ✍️

05/11/2026

We're proud to congratulate Dr. Joseph Ombrello as our DPC Program graduate for Spring 2026! 🎓🎉

Dr. Joseph Ombrello specializes in trauma-focused behavioral health care, integrative performance-based interventions, and evidence-informed treatment for high-stress populations. His doctoral work centered on developing an advanced integrative program for individuals with co-occurring posttraumatic stress and substance use disorders, combining top-down cognitive approaches with bottom-up somatic, mindfulness, and performance-based strategies to improve resilience, readiness, and long-term outcomes.

Joseph is a licensed professional counselor and independently licensed addiction counselor with extensive leadership experience across private practice, clinical supervision, program development, and behavioral health systems. He has served veterans, first responders, athletes, and individuals facing complex mental health and substance use challenges through community mental health, outpatient treatment, and executive clinical leadership roles.

Drawing from his background as a U.S. Army Captain, former law enforcement special response team member, and wellness entrepreneur, Dr. Ombrello integrates operational understanding with advanced clinical practice. His work emphasizes trauma recovery, human performance, and holistic wellness through the incorporation of psychotherapy, mindfulness, behavioral science, and physical performance modalities.

His professional mission is to advance mental health care, performance optimization, and resilient systems for individuals and communities operating in demanding environments.

Congratulations once again on all the hard work and dedication it took to persevere through your doctoral journey to graduation. We can't wait to see where you go next! 💙💛

04/27/2026

We'd also like to congratulate Anna Belk on receiving Outstanding Student of the Year as an Education Specialist for 2025-2026. 🎉She has been an excellent student in taking DPC electives; we're happy to see her accept this honor!

"My name is Anna Belk, Prof. School Counselor, NCC, NCSC & SREB Crisis Recovery Network Member. I'm a school counselor at E.H. Keys Alternative Education Center, a PBIS Tier III model site in the Ocean Springs School District. There I work with an incredible team of staff to re-align students with their success stories through behavioral interventions, academic recovery, and relationship building. My work is deeply grounded in and committed to ensuring students often overlooked or impacted by trauma feel seen, heard, and valued. Previously, I received my B.A. in Theatre and M.Ed. in School Counseling from The University of Southern Mississippi, my mother's alma mater. In May, I will graduate from Mississippi College with my Counseling Ed.S. Moving forward as a counselor, my sights are set on growing in clinical practice and crisis intervention. I feel very honored to receive this award from Mississippi College, a campus I have strolled since childhood and my father's alma mater."

04/27/2026

Congratulations to Dana Burrell - our DPC Outstanding Student of the Year for 2025-2026! 🎉

Dana Burrell is a proud wife and mother and an LCSW who has worked in the field of social work in various health care capacities. She is also very involved in her church as an ordained minister. “I am learning and growing as a clinician due to the coursework, professors, and my peers. [...] I would definitely recommend others in the counseling /therapy field to pursue DPC at MC.”

04/20/2026

Check out this upcoming workshop to be hosted here at MC - Building Resilience: Effectively Treating PTSD in Children and Adolescents will be on Thursday, May 7 from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM.

Follow the QR code to register!

04/02/2026

⏰📅 Only one week left! Join us next Friday on April 10 for a free webinar about the Journey of Grief hosted by Mary Johnston Nicholas, LMSW. We'll be covering:
• Understanding different forms of grief
• Gaining insight about factors affecting grief
• Promoting self-care strategies

Scan the QR code or follow the link below to sign up now! 📝

https://form.jotform.com/260424477473158

Join us on Friday, April 10 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm for our upcoming free webinar! 💻📚

Our host Mary Johnston Nicholas, LMSW will walk us through the Journey of Grief as we discuss:
• Understanding different forms of grief
• Gaining insight about factors affecting grief
• Promoting self-care strategies

Follow the link to sign up now!
https://form.jotform.com/260424477473158

03/26/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Norbi Forero - one of our recent alumini! Tonight she will be receiving the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City's 2026 Nuestra Latina Award for Health & Wellness.

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Kansas City Hispanic Collaborative Congratulates the 2026 Nuestra Latina Health & Wellness Award Honoree: Dr. Norby Forero, Presented by Bank of America!

This Award is given to or acknowledges a Latina who made an impact in the arena of healthcare & wellness for the community at large. Dr. Norby Forero began her career managing multi-million-dollar contracts in the tech industry - but her heart led her to mental health. As a proud Latina and first-generation professional, she understands the resilience and silent struggles within our community and turned that insight into her life's mission.
Today she is a licensed Professional Counselor, media education, and community advocate dedicated to breaking stigma and "giving psychology to the people." Preguntale a Norbyis Dr. Norby Forero's Spanish-language Youtube platform dedicated to making psychology accessible, practical, and stigma-free for the community. Through warm, conversational videos, she offers guidance on relationships, anxiety parenting, emotional health, and everyday wellness.

We are proud to honor her for empowering and uplifting our community.

Congratulations Dr. Forero! We can't wait to honor you on March 26 at the Nuestra Latina Awards, where we'll celebrate the incredible leaders who uplift, inspire, and elevate our communities everyday.
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Tickets are selling quickly -- don't wait! Join us for an unforgettable evening of culture, recognition, and orgullo as we shine a light on these amazing Latinas making a powerful impact across Kansas City! Secure your seat before we sell out!

To buy tickets https://kansascity.hispanicchamber.us/checkout-order-form-nuestralatina-tickets