Program & Clinic Overview
The New Horizons Family Counseling Center is a product of a long-standing collaboration between the Counselor Education Program at William & Mary and regional school districts in Williamsburg and the surrounding areas. New Horizons is funded by the Regional Education center and Students in the public school systems in Williamsburg-James City County, Newport News, Hampton, York, Gloucester, and Poquoson are referred for free family counseling that is provided by Masters and Doctoral students who are completing clinical practica and internships in the Family Counseling program and supervised by licensed faculty. Students are introduced to innovative approaches to system-focused interventions, to strengthen family functioning, to facilitate family-school collaboration and to enhance school achievement.
The clinic structure enables students to work together in a manner similar to that of community agencies that provide multiple services under one roof. Family counseling services are provided at sites both on the campus of William & Mary and in selected, surrounding public schools. Under supervision, students serve as administrators, clinical supervisors, and family counselors, roles which provide valuable preparation and experience for clinical practice in family counseling and faculty positions in counselor education. Graduate assistantships in the Clinic are available for students who wish to pursue this track.