Charli North Pursues Her Master’s in Counseling with a Mission to Expand Mental Health Support
| 4 Min Read
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Charli North was a busy mother of two with a satisfying career as a writer and editor. She had always felt a calling to help others and enjoyed being the person friends and family could count on when they needed support. But seeing the grief, isolation, and related mental and emotional struggles many Americans experienced during that era planted a seed she couldn’t ignore.
“It wasn’t until the pandemic that I really started to think there’s a need: we need more mental health practitioners, we need to de-stigmatize mental health, and now is the time,” she remembered.
Charli decided to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), starting a new career in her late 30s. It was a bold decision, and she began researching master’s programs that could help her transition to the field quickly. The online Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at North Park University stood out immediately, offering the rigorous coursework and practice experience she needed to be successful in the field.
“When I had my first interview with one of the professors, the school rapidly moved up my list,” she said. “There was something special about meeting that one professor and hearing the way she spoke about her colleagues and the students.”
Once Charli enrolled in the CACREP-accredited online master’s program in clinical mental health counseling, she knew she had made the right choice. “There’s a term in counseling called self-actualization, meeting your potential, and very early on in this program, I felt that,” she said.
“I can’t say enough good things about the faculty. They really are the heart and soul of the program,” she noted. “I’m learning so much both personally and professionally from them.”
Charli also believes that learning online has helped her get more out of every course. “I’ve loved how much freer I feel being myself in the online format than I would in a classroom,” she shared. “I hesitate less to ask questions.”
Working and interacting with her classmates has been equally rewarding, sometimes in ways she never expected. “I’m surprised at the number of acquaintances and friendships I’ve developed with my cohort,” she said. “We might not be in the same room, but there’s still so much camaraderie, and that’s probably my favorite thing about the program.”
Charli is excited about becoming an LPC and gaining the skills to build a career with impact. “Earning this degree is going to change my life completely. It’s helping me activate what I’d call my higher purpose,” she said.
Charli is also proud of the example she’ll be setting for her children: How to live your dreams while also serving others in a meaningful way. “As my kids get older,” she said, “I want them to see their mom doing something she’s passionate about and loves.”
Charli says that finally following her calling in midlife with an online counseling master’s degree from North Park has been a great experience, and one she highly recommends to others ready to approach their next chapter with purpose.
“I’m going to be 40 this year and won’t be finished until I’m almost 41, but if not now, when?” she said. “Take a chance on it. Take a chance on yourself.”
Become a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s Degree from North Park University Online
North Park’s online MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program prepares you for general and specialist roles in this high-growth professional field. Learn on your schedule with seven-week courses that are available online 24/7, as you build the knowledge and experience required to sit for the National Counselor Examination (NCE), the first step in Illinois licensure.
Curriculum in this CACREP-accredited program covers the full scope of counseling theory, philosophy, and practice. Study psychopathology, trauma and healing, group dynamics, family systems, professional ethics, and more. Develop expertise in diagnosis, assessment, and treatment through 700 hours of supervised clinical experience, including a practicum and two internships.
You can also explore career options as you build the skills and cultural competency to work with diverse client populations in a range of settings, including child and youth services, behavioral health programs, vocational and rehabilitation agencies, faith-based nonprofits, and private practice.
The rigorous and high-quality counseling education you’ll receive at North Park is reflected in the program’s 100% licensure pass rate and 95% job placement rate for graduates.* NPU is also ranked among the “Top Performers on Social Mobility, Regional Universities Midwest” by U.S. News & World Report for 2026.
Complete your degree in as few as two years studying full-time and launch a new career providing essential services that support mental health and emotional wellness, helping others to live their best lives.
Learn more about the North Park University online M.A in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
*North Park University, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Annual Report, 2024-2025.