LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Contact:
Dr. Justin Muller, Ph.D., LMFT
[email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,Chinelo Aghaji ‘26 is on her way to be DOCTOR Aghaji‼️‼️👩🏽‍🎓👩🏾‍💼Family, please help us congratulat...
08/26/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

Chinelo Aghaji ‘26 is on her way to be DOCTOR Aghaji‼️‼️👩🏽‍🎓👩🏾‍💼

Family, please help us congratulate recent graduate Chinelo Aghaji for her acceptance into Mercer University’s Counselor Education and Supervision PhD Program!!!‼️‼️

Chinelo said, “I am excited and grateful to share that I will continue my academic and professional journey by joining Mercer University’s PhD program in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES). The program offers advanced preparation in counseling, counselor education, supervision, research, and leadership, with a focus on preparing counselors to educate, supervise, and serve others at a higher level.”

Chinelo continued by saying, “I am especially thankful to God for opening this door and to the many people who have encouraged and supported me along the way. I am also deeply grateful to LaGrange College’s counseling program, which provided me with a strong foundation and prepared me well for this next step.”

Chinelo also said, “I look forward to continuing to learn and grow, conducting meaningful research, and expanding my ability to serve and support others through counseling, education, and supervision. I am excited to begin this new chapter and see where God leads me!"

Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Muller said, “Shout out to Future Dr. Aghaji! I’m so proud of you! You are only the 6th graduate from our program to pursue a doctoral degree! I know you’re going to do a fantastic job at Mercer; To God be the Glory!!”

On behalf of Dr.’s Muller, Barkley, Briggs, Caldwell & Mautz, congratulations Chinelo!!!!!!!!

If you’re interested in following in Chinelo’s footsteps, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

Spring 2027 Application is now open!!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY NOW at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings FAMILY,Let’s Give it Up One Time for the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program’s Class of...
08/21/2026

Greetings FAMILY,

Let’s Give it Up One Time for the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program’s Class of 2026!‼️‼️‼️

It’s our LARGEST class ever!!!!!!!!!

Akilah Alexander
Chinelo Aghajii
Destiny Akkerman
Jennifer Burns
Aubrie Cardwell
Breanna Cochran
Mayla Daniel
Yvette Njan Essounga
Briana Forrester-Jack
Giavanna Gardiner
Hannah Marchman
Geetha Naidu
Sarah Newman
Tiffany Payton
Isamar Peña
Dazia Potts
Naimah Raheem
Tameka Reed
Kamel Riggins
Megan Searfoss
April Seid
Timothy Sparks
Molly Stretch
Hana Swales
Jonyka Tenney
Maggie White
Maritza Zurita

Special Thank You to our guest speaker:
Mrs. Holly Roberts, APC ‘24‼️‼️

Also, shout out to our 2026 Award Recipients!!!🏆 🏆🏆

Site Supervisor of the Year
Alexandria Lee
CyEreka Edouard
Qiana Toy-Ellis

Alumni of the Year:
Rosie Bolan ‘23
John Stephens ‘25

Research Award
Hana Swales ‘26
Aubrie Cardwell ‘26

Academic Excellence Award
Isamar Peña ‘26
Jonyka Tenney ‘26

Social Justice and Advocacy Award
Megan Searfoss ‘26
Timothy Sparks ‘26

Melanie B Chambers Service Award
Mayla Daniel ‘26
Yvette Njan Essounga ‘26
Tameka Reed ‘26
Akilah Alexander ‘26

Student of the Year
Tiffany Payton ‘26
Maggie White ‘26

If you’re interested in following in these students footsteps, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs.

Spring 2027 APPLICATION will be opening SOON!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY NOW at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,Graduating students Hana Swales ‘26 and Tiffany Payton “26 might be the GREATEST Tag Team in our p...
08/13/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

Graduating students Hana Swales ‘26 and Tiffany Payton “26 might be the GREATEST Tag Team in our program’s History!

Tiffany and Hana hosted an on-campus professional development event with the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCA).

Special thanks to Dr. Trey Twiford, Dr. Tonja Lee, and Ms. Olga Maxwell!!

Also, thank you to Megan Searfoss ‘26 and Lauren Poole ‘27.

If you’re interested in professional development opportunities, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs

Spring 2027 APPLICATION will be opening SOON!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,Catherine “CAT” Benefield ‘25 is a BOSSlady!!!!!Catherine will be joining the staff at Berta Weath...
07/17/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

Catherine “CAT” Benefield ‘25 is a BOSSlady!!!!!

Catherine will be joining the staff at Berta Weathersbee Elementary as a School Counselor‼️‼️‼️Catherine will be serving a variety of students and ensuring that they have all of the necessary tools to be successful!

Also,…………..Catherine was recently chosen for Troup County’s 20 under 40 list‼️‼️‼️.

Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Muller said, “I couldn’t be prouder of Catherine! I’m a big fan of her and I was thrilled to receive the excellent news! Catherine’s warm and friendly personality allows her to easily connect with young people and I know she is going to help a countless number of students and Berta Weathersbee Elementary! Congratulations again Catherine!!

On behalf of Dr.’s Muller, Barkley, Briggs, & Mautz, congratulations CAT!!!!!!!!

If you’re interested in following in Catherine’s footsteps, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

Spring 2027 Application will be opening soon!!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY NOW at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,Major, Major, Major Professional Development opportunity coming to LaGrange College on Wednesday A...
07/16/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

Major, Major, Major Professional Development opportunity coming to LaGrange College on Wednesday August 12th‼️‼️‼️

The Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCA) will be having a Professional Development Panel.

When: August 12th
Time: 10:00AM-12:00PM
Location: LaGrange College’s Smith Hall (Bailey Room)

Two of our very own, the Dynamic Tag Team of Tiffany Payton ‘26 and Hana Swales ‘26 will serve on the panel‼️‼️‼️

Look forward to seeing you all there!!

Greetings CMHC Family,STUDENTS, ALUMNI, and COMMUNITY PARTNERSLet’s all welcome Sherman Franklin ‘28 who will be joining...
07/03/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

STUDENTS, ALUMNI, and COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Let’s all welcome Sherman Franklin ‘28 who will be joining us this fall‼️‼️‼️‼️

Sherman is a graduate of Bluefield State University in West Virginia (Go Big Blue 🔵🟡)!!! While at BSU, Sherman was the President the Campus Activities Board and CAPTAIN of wrestling team!!

Sherman has a desire to work with children ages 8-14. Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Muller said, “I’m hyped to have Sherman in our program. Myself and Dr. Barkley thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Sherman and loved hearing about his passion for serving children/teens. Welcome to the family Sherman and we are looking forward to all of the great contributions you will make to the counseling program!

Away from school, Sherman enjoys Fishing 🎣!!

Dr.’s Muller, Barkley, Briggs, Mautz, and Caldwell are all excited to have you join the fam Sherman!

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,2nd year student Skyler Bell is the Hardest Working Woman in the Business!!!!!!Skyler currently is...
07/01/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

2nd year student Skyler Bell is the Hardest Working Woman in the Business!!!!!!

Skyler currently is completing her Internship at Heads Up Guidance Services (HUGS) in Savannah, GA. HUGS is a non-profit that makes mental health care affordable to underserved and minority populations.

Skyler says, “My clients range in ages from 15 to 78 years old and they are all from different demographic backgrounds - race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, and sexuality, and they all present with a wide array of challenges - relationship difficulties, negative core beliefs about themselves/others, religious trauma, familial struggles, anxiety, depression/suicidality, traumatic events, ACES, substance misuse and more. My baseline therapeutic orientation is person-centered and psychodynamic, but my treatment approaches are integrative, as I utilize techniques from CBT, DBT, Psychoanalysis, Somatic therapy, and more; my main objective is to work collaboratively with my clients with each one being the expert of their own life experiences, and we cater the treatment in a way that will be most effective for their daily functioning as an individual. I regularly conduct full Assessments for Anger, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health and write Assessment reports to include the clients' background and my diagnostic impressions. I also co-lead one of the nightly meetings for our Intensive Outpatient Program, am the lead facilitator for a Women's Trauma Group, represent HUGS at regular meetings with Chatham Emergency Management Agency to speak on behalf of the mental health concerns in Chatham County, co-lead a weekly psychoeducation group for adults trying to return to the workforce after job loss due to incarceration, trauma, grief, or other extenuating circumstances.”

When asked about her first year in the program, Skyler said she has enjoyed each of the program faculty. Skyler said, “I appreciate Dr. Barkley for her use of humor in the classroom. I also enjoy Dr. Briggs and his laid back personality and his ability to recognize our strengths. For(Dr. Muller’s) Family Counseling class, I actually really enjoyed the genogram project, as it afforded the opportunity to learn more about my own background but also provided a useful tool that can function as a therapeutic aid with my clients.” Skyler also enjoyed the Assessment and Diagnosis course which she says is “what initially drew (her) into the counseling profession. I performed well in that class, which gave me a sense of security in my ability to be a counselor.”

Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Muller said, “Skyler has a heart of Gold and seeks to always put others before herself. My greatest example of Skyler’s selflessness occurred during both the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years where she travelled several hours to LaGrange to participate in our bi-annual service project where she helped distribute a countless number of toiletry items to the residents of a local apartment complex. It’s this level of commitment to serving others that shows up in her service to clients. Skyler’s kind and friendly personality allows her to easily connect with people. I’m very excited for all the great things that Skyler will do in the field! Excellent work Skyler!!”

Away from school, Skyler enjoys spending time with her daughters 👧🏼🧒🏼, binge-watching series on Netflix, hanging out with friends, and engaging in solitary activities that allow her to be creative, like playing one of her instruments or doing various puzzles 🧩 .

If you’re interested in following in Skyler’s footsteps, please consider the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,Last week the Pastoral Institute’s Director of Clinical Training Ms. Crystal Passmore and LaGrange...
06/18/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

Last week the Pastoral Institute’s Director of Clinical Training Ms. Crystal Passmore and LaGrange College CMHC Program Alum Ms. Cassidy Abbott ‘25 gave a presentation in Dr. Muller’s COUN 6007 course about opportunities available at the Pastoral Institute!!!!

Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Muller said, “Their presentation was awesome and I was overjoyed to have representatives from PI join my class. Ms. Passmore has been an absolute joy to collaborate with over the past year. Her passion for serving students through supervision is special and I’m happy to have her as a colleague.”

Dr. Muller continued, “I couldn’t have been happier to see one of my former SUPERSTAR students Ms. Cassidy Abbott ‘25 discuss her experiences at the Pastoral Institute. Cassidy was the recipient of our program’s 2025 Research Award due to her stellar research efforts in our program. Last summer, Cassidy gave a presentation in Las Vegas, NV at the 2025 AMHCA conference!! Cassidy is now an APC and I’m certain she is effectively serving a countless number of clients.”

If you’re interested in following in Cassidy’s footsteps, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs.

FALL 2026 APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY NOW at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Family,2nd Year Students Tiffany Payton, Hana Swales, and Molly Strech were included in the Licensed Prof...
06/17/2026

Greetings CMHC Family,

2nd Year Students Tiffany Payton, Hana Swales, and Molly Strech were included in the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCA) January Newsletter ‼️‼️

Tiffany, Hana, Molly, and Faculty Lecturer Dr. Brandt Briggs along with Mrs. Olga Maxwell, President Tracey Pace,Deborah Hammond, & Amiaa Vaniver hosted a Continuing Education event this past October entitled: Private Practice Mindset: Internship 101 & Licensure, business basics, and ethical entrepreneurship.

Tiffany, Hana, and Molly will be graduating soon from our CMHC program and launched into the counseling field.

Tiffany Payton ‘26 is finishing up her internship experience at Beauty in Mind Therapy‼️

Hana Swales ‘26 is finishing up her internship experience at the Pastoral Institute‼️

Molly Stretch ‘26 is finishing up her internship experience at The Veal Group‼️

If you’re interested in following in Tiffany, Hana, and Molly’s footsteps, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs.

FALL 2026 APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY NOW at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]

Greetings CMHC Students, ALUMNI, Community Partners, Former Doctoral Student Supervisor forour CMHC Program Mrs. Kristy ...
06/15/2026

Greetings CMHC Students, ALUMNI, Community Partners,

Former Doctoral Student Supervisor for
our CMHC Program Mrs. Kristy Muller is now………. Dr. Kristy Muller‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

Dr. Kristy Muller received her doctorate degree from Loma Linda University in their DMFT program. Also, Loma Linda’s Department of Counseling and Family Sciences awarded Dr. Kristy Muller the Outstanding Doctoral Student award for the DMFT program‼️‼️‼️

While completing her doctoral studies, Dr. Kristy Muller created a program entitled “HerVOICE, HerSTORY, TheirFUTURE” which focuses on Black Maternal health and assisting black mothers and their support persons during prenatal and postnatal periods.

Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Muller said, “I’m so so proud of Dr. Kristy Muller. It’s an honor to be your colleague as you have taught me so much about the field of marriage and family therapy. While we were in school together, I saw firsthand your tremendous gifts as a therapist and your commitment to serving others. God has blessed you with an ability to sit with your clients and truly help them walk through whatever life experience that has brought them to therapy. Congratulations Dr. Kristy Muller!!!”

If you’re interested in pursuing a master’s in counseling, consider applying to the LaGrange College Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

FALL 2026 APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN!!!

✔️Application is FREE
✔️Accepting all undergraduate majors
✔️CACREP Accredited
✔️Professional Development Opportunities (Research, Conferences, Trainings)
✔️Social Justice Initiatives/Community Service Projects
✔️Small Class Sizes
✔️All Classes held during evening hours

APPLY NOW at www.lagrange.edu/counseling

For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Justin Muller - [email protected]





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