New Program Name & Redesigned Curriculum

As we transition into a new season and get ready for a new academic year, we are excited to announce some changes coming to our MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Transpersonal Contemplative Art–Based Counseling concentration for Fall 2024.

Before we delve into the upcoming changes, we would like to emphasize what will be continuing throughout our curriculum.

What Will Stay the Same

  • Our foundation of mindfulness meditation training, studio art, community-based service, and integration of transpersonal theory with clinical approaches to counseling. Our clinically focused master’s degree prepares students to become clinical mental health counselors and art therapists. Our program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.
  • Our transpersonal foundation recognizes and integrates the insights, attitudes and practices of world wisdom traditions with modern clinical approaches. Our program provides training grounded in rigorous academic work, blending critical thinking and contemplation, and skillful application of effective art-based clinical skills, integrating this training with the practice of moment-to-moment awareness of self, and the impact of self on others and the larger world.

What Will Change

Beginning Fall 2024, we will be rolling out two changes:
  1. A new name for the concentration: As of next fall, our students will be working toward a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with a concentration in Transpersonal Contemplative Art–based Counseling. This name change reflects our continued commitment to Naropa’s contemplative foundations, an ongoing engagement with the transformative power of art and image, and alignment with a core counseling focus, grounding our students with relevant, contemporary skills to creatively support the multiplicity of mental health needs in today’s world.
  2. A redesigned curriculum that provides a more effective sequencing of clinical courses toward student success and added flexibility with some classes offered online. This new curriculum aligns us more fully with CACREP guidelines and ensures that our students receive the highest quality of education in the counseling field.

Contact Us

Feel free to reach out with questions about the program and the application process. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Learn More About the Program

Matt Rivera

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with your counselor

Matt Rivera

Graduate Admissions Counselor

Matt Rivera

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with your counselor

Matt Rivera

Graduate Admissions Counselor

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Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

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Naropa Campuses Closed on Friday, March 15, 2024

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.