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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (July 19, 2019) ̶ With topics ranging from cyberbullying interventions to treatments for college students with ADHD, students in Milligan College’s Master of Science in Counseling (MSC) program will present their research at the fourth annual summer research conference on Tuesday, July 30, from 6:30-8 p.m. in the college’s Taylor-Phillips House, located on Alf Taylor Road.
“This conference is a great chance for our graduate-level counseling students to showcase their ability to find and evaluate evidence-based research to address a need in the community,” said Dr. Joy Drinnon, professor of psychology and director of undergraduate research. “Our students at Milligan are pursuing interesting and relevant topics, and they are trying to make a real difference in their community.”
The conference will include a wide range of topics, including pharmacological interventions for methamphetamine dependence, art therapy and autism, running as a treatment for depression, and the effects of extracurricular activities on middle school students’ behaviors.
Graduate student Cassie York invested her research into a topic she grapples with at her work in a local opioid treatment program. York will present research on the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions as a form of treatment for individuals with methamphetamine dependence. York acknowledges that methamphetamine dependence is a serious issue in our region, and she researched 27 scholarly cases on the topic.
“I work with people struggling with methamphetamine dependence in this region every day,” said York. “Treatment programs offer counseling services to these individuals, but I wanted to see if there were pharmacological treatments that could also assist people as they seek recovery. This research opportunity provided me with the skills to evaluate evidence-based practices that will help me move forward in my profession.”
Beginning this fall, Milligan’s MSC program will offer a concentration in addictions counseling, thanks to support from Ballad Health and the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation. The program also offers concentrations in clinical mental health and school counseling.
For more information on Milligan’s counseling program, visit www.milligan.edu/msc.